Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta has all yum factor of regular chicken parm, but this version is only one pot and 4 minute pressure time!
You know I am a girl that loves her veggies, but sometimes a girl just wants some Instant Pot Chicken Parm pasta for dinner.
I know you guys feel me on this. You have made my Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna oh so popular so I know you want this recipe too.
I know that some of you have struggled with pasta in the instant pot and with tomato sauces.
But, have no fear. I have a trick or two for you.
I have no actual evidence from Instant Pot to validate this, but for whatever reason, my personal feelings are that the 8 quart models are either hotter, or more sensitive or something because when I try and troubleshoot with readers on these kinds of recipes, it is more often than not, the 8 quart models.
But Instant Pot size aside, here is how you can avoid the dreaded burn notice.
First of all, don't saute the chicken. Trust me. You can put your raw chicken in with your noodles. As long as you cut your chicken small. You don't want cooked noodles and raw chicken. This part is important. SMALL CHICKEN PIECES.
Pour the water in first, and then put the chicken in.
Like this!
Then put the noodles on top. THEN the sauce.
This way, the tomato sauce has less of a chance to burn to the bottom.
I do spread out the sauce so the noodles are all covered. I even push the pasta down just a bit so no dry pasta is sticking up.
Now, I also want to show you what this looks like when you have released the pressure and opened the lid.
You will open the lid and be mad that you have Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta... soup.
You don't. have soup. Promise.
Once you mix it up and let it cool a bit, it will all come together. Plus then you add cheese and you can now relax because this is what you get!
Trust me now?!
Now, yes you can swap out the penne if you like. Simply take the cook time on the package and half it. That is what you set the cook time to. Most pastas are cooked in the Instant Pot in 4 minutes.
I have no idea how gluten free noodles fair for this. If you try it, please let us know in the comments below how it went!
One last thing. Well, you know me, and how I love veggies.
Well, I turn my Instant Pot Chicken Parm pasta this into a meal prep - obviously.
I steam broccoli and add it to my meal prep and then it is just a simple reheat.
You know I want to see you make this! Tag me @mealplanaddict on Instagram so I can see!
Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces.
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz penne noodles
- 3 cups jar pasta sauce
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the water to your instant pot liner.
- Add the chicken, onion and garlic.
- Add the noodles ontop of the chicken.
- Add the sauce on top of the noodles. You want to do this so the sauce is away from the bottom surface to prevent the burn notice.
- DO NOT MIX, but you do want the noodles all covered with sauce. Gently push the noodles down so there is no dry noodle sticking out.
- Secure the lid and set to sealing.
- Set the Instant Pot to 4 minutes.
- After the time is up, carefully quick release the pressure.
- Remove the lid. It will look soupy until you mix it and it cools a bit.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and stir.
- Add the mozzarella and place the lid back on for 2-3 minutes to get the cheese to melt. Or, you can just stir it right it. Your choice.
- Add salt and pepper to your preferences.
- Serve immediately, or portion into meal prep containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- This recipe has not been tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot
- You can swap the noodles for a noodles of choice.
- The layering order of this recipe is important, as is the no mixing before the pressure cook cycle!
Brooke Lannert says
Making this tonight for meal prep lunches this week! I can't wait. I'll post a picture and tag you when done! This looks delicious.
Steph says
whooo hooo! hope you like it!
Cindy says
Made this tonight for dinner and it turned out perfect. Thank you for a nice quick dinner idea.
Kimberly Taylor says
Thanks it was easy and delish
Anonymous says
Yummy and so easy to make! I used chicken breast which I Am sure makes it a little drier that thighs, but since I don’t eat dark meat it worked for us!
Zaneta says
Can you double the recipe?
Steph says
Yes! the time does not change, however, you will notice the pot will take longer to come to pressure.
Jess says
What button am I pushing when I set it to 4 minutes? Poultry? Or rice/grains?
Steph says
Just use pressure cook. Don't use the program buttons.
Tiffany says
I am also new to the instant pot. Do you set it to normal pressure or high pressure?
Steph says
You pot has High pressure and low pressure. Use High pressure for this. The Normal and more isn't for the pressure cooking settings. It is for saute and slow cook.
Victoria says
So if I add spaghetti noodles it will turn out and do I have to cook the chicken before I put it in or can I just dump it all in together. And does the chicken come out when only cooked 4min in pressure.
Todd Smeltz says
I only haveprogram buttons, doesn't have a pressure cook setting
Laura says
We tried this last night with Catelli gluten free penne (from Walmart in Canada). I weighed out the 8 oz. Cooked for 5 min, not 4 as the recipe called for, on manual and it was perfect! I have had this pasta often and knew it takes a while to cook in the traditional manner so thought I'd add an extra minute.
Brittani says
Is this a Freezer Friendly recipe?
Steph says
You can freeze it, yes. I would probably drop the cook time for about a minute so the noodles are not soggy on reheat from frozen.
Nazish Shahab says
Hey Steph! Delish looking recipe! I’m thinking of making this in my 8 quart instant pot, what do I change? TIA!
Steph says
It should work as written in the 8 quart!
Shannon says
Doubled recipe in 8qt and cooked 6 minutes, was perfect!
Dillion g. says
Worked great in my 8qt love the results.
Shannon13 says
Doubled recipe and cooked in my 8qt, was wonderful
Cheryl says
Loved this! Easy and delicious!! I used Bow Tie pasta and it worked fine. I followed the instructions perfectly...this is a keeper.
Thank you
Steph says
AWesome! So glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know the bow tie pasta works!
LIsa says
I'm new to the Instant pot and I want to add spinach to this recipe. When would you or how would you layer it in?
LIsa says
I'm new to the Instant pot and I want to add spinach to this recipe. When would you or how would you layer it in?
Steph says
ohhh good addition. I would add it after the chicken!
Diana Kasa says
Hello,
I have chicken breasts in the frig. Can I use instead of thighs as long as I cut up in small pieces? Thanks! Looks yummy!
Steph says
You can! I find breasts can dry out compared to thighs.
Lilliane Coldwell says
I’d actually recommend adding the spinach after the pressure cycle is over. Do your release and then put a few handfuls in, stir, then do the parm cheese and stir again and continue with recipe. It will wilt and be perfect. It probably would be overcooked if you cooked it all together. That’s just my two cents worth from previous experience. Hope that is helpful to you! 😊
Angela says
I have puréed spinach and mixed it with the sauce and it turned out really well too!
Jo Edwards says
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs? I'm not a big fan of chicken thighs
Steph says
You can, but I find that chicken breast goes quite dry.
Shannon says
Doubled recipe and cooked 6 min. In 8qt. Turned out perfect!
Erin says
Does this freeze well?
Steph says
It does! I freeze it all the time.
Anonymous says
How long does it take for pressure to hit 4 minutes?
Steph says
usually 7-10 minutes max. But it depends on how cold your ingredients are. Colder = longer pressure up time.
Erin M Roseberry says
Could you do this pot-in-pot with the chicken parm pasta in a pot closest to the bottom and a steamer basket on top for broccoli? If so, is 4 minutes enough time?
Steph says
I think your broccoli would be over cooked. Even if you left it whole, I think it would over cook with 4 minutes pressure time (plus the pressure up time).
Amber says
What if I have frozen chicken, how would I cook it?
Steph says
frozen chicken cannot be cut into cubes and whole chicken pieces would require a longer cook time - which would over cook the noodles. We suggest only using thawed chicken for this recipe.
Anonymous says
This was delicious! I added an additional cup of penne and 1/2 cup of water and it turned out great!
Josh says
Can you use frozen breast?
Steph says
Not for this one, no. The chicken has to be in small pieces so it matches the penne cook time.
Brianna says
Recipe is perfect and so easy! Will make again
Lilliane Coldwell says
Loved this recipe! I am gluten free so I used gf rotini, 5 mins high pressure and it turned out delicious!
Theresa says
If you dbl the meat and pasta, do you dbl the liquids?
Steph says
Yes, you will have to add additional liquid. Maybe not double though. Just add emough liquid to just barely cover the noodles. Otherwise, you may end up with soup.
Theresa says
If the pot takes 29 minutes to build pressure do i still cook for 4-5 minutes?
Ashley says
Can I use precooked shredded chicken for this? Would I change cook time?
Steph says
You can. I would just add it it in after the pressure cycle. Otherwise, I think it might be too dry.
Alyssa says
Can I make this without chicken? Just the pasta?
Steph says
you can! no need to change anything other than removing the chicken.
Kristeen says
I made this tonight for dinner. I have an 8 quart instant pot. Used mini bowtie pasta. Cooked for 4 minutes. I used an extra cup of pasta sauce because I was worried there wasn't enough liquid. Worked perfectly. Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts.
Kiley says
Made this tonight for dinner, (I have a small 2.5qt chefman pressure cooker), and it was delicious. Everything was PERFECT. I am still pretty new to jawing the pressure cooker and I haven’t gotten used to the settings and how to use them, I just hope for the best. I placed everything in and then sat the inner pot into the pressure cooker, after I already turned my pressure cooker on, and I set it for 10 minutes. My chicken was slightly still frozen (just a little hard) and it turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing! I saved this one for later!
Emily M says
Cooked this in an 8qt and it turned out perfect!
Anonymous says
Could you substitute water with chicken broth and it still work?
Steph says
That is a great idea! Yes, all good to do that swap.
Kari says
New to using the IP! Can this be done with whole grain pasta? Does it change the cook time?
Steph says
Look at the cook time on the box and adjust it to 1/2 that time!
Sue N. says
Used 8qt IP today and it was flashing Food Burn and then continued to cook. I layered it as instructed. Any ideas how to avoid in the future?
Sue N. says
But other than that hickup, the dish was delicious!!!
Staci says
I doubled and made it in my 8Qt and it was fabulous!
Renee says
I have the 6Qt and 6 people in my family. Could I make it to serve 6?
Steph says
You could increase the noodles in the dish to stretch it out! add an extra cup of penne!
Ashley Spalding says
My chicken is frozen! Can I just cook it in the instant pot before I had the other ingredients? And for how long?
Ashley Spalding says
My chicken is frozen! Can I just cook the chicken in the pot first and then add the other ingredients, if so for how long?
Steph says
I haven't tried that method. I am not quite sure how to modify to do that. You would have to pressure up your pot twice. I would be more included to just cook the chicken fully, then cook the pasta and mix them together after.
Bri says
You don’t have to cook the noddles beforehand right? You just put them in straight from the box? Sorry new to the instant pot!
Steph says
That's right. You don't cook them. They just go from the box into the Instant Pot!
Kristen says
This is delicious! I used an 8 quart so I adjusted it a bit. I did sauté the chicken first. Then I added 2 cups of water, 3/4 a box of penne, 4 cups of sauce and just a bit more cheese. It worked for me, so anyone with an 8 quart that seems to be a good combo. Hope that may help some ppl out! Thank you for this recipe. My family said it was 10 times better than last night’s dinner and that was beef stroganoff everybody’s favorite. I love your easy lasagna too!! This might too it.
Faith says
My instantpot does not have a pressure cook button, so what button can I use to pressure cook this recipe?
Steph says
You probably have the "manual" button. That is the same. You have an older model.
Sandra says
I have an Instant Pot Aura Pro and it does not have a pressure setting. Sear /Sauté, slick cook, stew, toast, rice, bake, steam, sous vide, yogurt, multigrain and temperatures. Those are the only settings. What should I use? And how should I adjust time and temperature?
Danielle says
This was so delicious and easy! Will be making again for sure. Reheated leftovers by putting it all in a baking dish, sprinkling more cheese on top, and baking for about 20 minutes, starting in the cold oven preheated to 350F. YUM!
E.B. says
A simple and delicious recipe! What I did different: replaced water with salt free chicken broth; used finely shredded Italian blend cheese instead of parmesan (the store was out) but had grated parmesan for garnish; did not add salt/ground pepper but had available for individual taste; added extra onion, garlic and cheese as my family loves these items. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this recipe and it has become a favorite, will definitely make again!
Tonya B says
This was amazing and so quick and easy. I doubled everything because we are a big family, it came out perfect. Adding it into our rotation.
Stacie Cole says
What sauce do you use?
margarita says
Sorry if this has already been asked or if I missed it in the instructions. Does the pasta go in dry or pre cooked?
Steph says
It goes in dry, uncooked!
Darci Vazquez says
WOW! Delicious! The only thing I changed: Replaced Water with Chicken Stock. Paired with fresh steamed broccoli. Crowd Pleaser for SURE!
Carol says
Just curious... why do you suggest not to sauté the chicken? Doesn’t that give it more flavour?
RachelleD. says
I never write comments on these but this is one of the best, if not the best, instant pot recipes I’ve done to date. I did a few things differently and it was absolutely perfect (not that it wouldn’t have been otherwise, I just know my preferences). Things I did different:
1. I did sauté my chicken, I’m used to doing it this way, plus I season my chicken first so it gives the seasoning a chance to cook into it. I also scrape the bottom of the pot when I do this so nothing stays stuck and causes a burn notice.
2. I used organic Italian pasta which for regular cooking already has a longer cook time. So I did 6 minutes high pressure with quick release. When I stirred it all together I could tell the noodles were still firm. So I put it back under pressure for 2 minutes and let it natural release for 8 and that did the trick.
3. I used a lot more garlic, but we loveeee garlic in this house.
4. I used chicken broth instead of water, I do this with a lot of recipes because it gives it more flavor.
Anyhow, all of those are minor changes and a note if you use organic Italian pasta by chance. But this was absolutely my favorite instant pot meal to date. Thank you so much!
Linda says
New to the instant pot, so this was one of my first recipes. Turned out great! I used gluten free pasta and had no issues.
John says
This dish is fantastic! However, after the 4 minute timer, I had to reset and do another 3 minute cook on my instant pot. But after that, it came out perfect!
ian says
ive had luck with pasta not burning by adding i n various broths suited for the meal im making
Hara says
Hello, just stumbled on this recipe and looks delish! We don’t eat meat, and I was wondering if adding eggplant and making eggplant parm pasta might work? Or would it be a failure? TIA for your time and thoughts...
Bonnie says
would you alter the cooking time using whole wheat pasta?
Steph says
Always just half the time on the box.
Laura says
This is a permanent item in our meal planning rotation. It’s delicious but also SO easy. And hardly makes any dirty dishes!
Laura says
We make this recipe at least once a month. Delicious and so easy!
Brent says
I only doubled the pasta (rigatoni) and the water in our Ninja Foodie 8 qt. and it turned out great. Only had chicken breast, and you’re right; it was dry. Still loved the recipe and will do again — with thighs. Thanks.
TMI says
Oh no! I forgot to cut the chicken into small pieces. I haven’t even looked yet, but any suggestions on how to save?
Paige Bradshaw says
It turned out PERFECT. I've tried other chicken parm recipes in the past that didn't work out well. But this recipe was easy and sooo tasty
Terry says
I made this for dinner and will use the leftovers for lunch. If there are any.
Lola says
This was great! Read the recipe and all comments and did the following…
1. Sautéed chicken breast chunks separately (family I not a fan of dark meat chicken). Sautéed in olive oil with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Added the cooked chicken and torn spinach leaves at the end prior to adding the cheeses. The heat was enough to wilt the spinach.
3. I doubled the amount of penne so doubled the water and sauce.
This one is a keeper!
Liz says
Tried a half portion of this in my 3qt instant pot and unfortunately the pasta was undercooked. I’m attributing this to the shorter time to come up to pressure in a smaller pot. If anyone else is trying a half portion I would suggest adding 2 minutes to the cook time. Otherwise it was delicious!
Amy says
I doubled everything in a 6qt pot and used 2 boxes of gluten free penne pasta. I did 5 minutes at first then had to do 4 more minutes because the pasta was still hard. This was my first time using an Instant Pot and it was so yummy!! Thank you!
Maggie says
Hi! I cant wait to try this. I have some chicken breasts already cut up in the freezer..would I be able to use that? Would I need to adjust the time?
Thanks!
Steph says
If you use frozen chicken and increase the time, the pasta will overcook. We suggest sticking to thawed chicken.
Polly Boyns says
I used 2 very large frozen chicken breasts and doubled the water and sauce with bows. Cooked at 6mins with 10 min natural release. Before adding the cheese cut up the cooked chicken. Served in a bowl with a spoon? Delicious!!