Nashville Casserole–the flavors from Nashville hot chicken with penne pasta, cheese and a toasted panko topping made in your Instant Pot.

Nashville Casserole
Today’s recipe isn’t exactly Nashville hot chicken, but the Frank’s hot sauce gives it that same bold, spicy kick Nashville is known for. If you love those flavors but want something a little milder and more comforting, this pasta is a great way to get your fix.
This dish is quick and easy to make. It is a dump and go recipe. The only part that requires a little hands on time is the toasting of the panko…but you can do that while the Instant Pot does its thing. With just about 4 minutes of actual cooking under pressure (plus 10 minutes for pressure release), this is perfect for busy nights.
Skyler and his friend took this down. If you’re worried about spice…don’t. Skyler is wimpy with heat and he loved it. If you love spice you can always double the amount of Frank’s hot sauce.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base
- Dry ranch dressing mix–I use Hidden Valley brand
- Frank’s hot sauce–if you like it spicy you can always add more after pressure cooking time is over
- Penne pasta
- Chicken tenderloins–or thinly sliced chicken breasts, or thighs cut into bite size pieces
- Butter
- Shredded cheese blend–I used a cheddar jack blend
- Panko bread crumbs
Steps
Pour broth into Instant Pot. Add in the ranch dressing mix and hot sauce.

Sprinkle in the pasta.

Place chicken on top of pasta.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.

Stir in the 2 Tbsp of butter and cheese. Break up the chicken into smaller pieces.

In a pan on the stove melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Toss in the panko and toast until golden brown. Sprinkle the toasted panko over the pasta.

Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Tips
- Serve with roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
- I used my 3 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 6 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with Frank’s hot sauce are My Man’s Casserole and Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Nashville Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
The flavors from Nashville hot chicken with penne pasta, cheese and a toasted panko topping made in your Instant Pot.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp dry ranch dressing mix
- 1/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce (if you like it spicy you can always add more)
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 20 ounces chicken tenderloins
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup shredded cheese blend (I used a cheddar jack blend)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Pour broth into Instant Pot. Add in the ranch dressing mix and hot sauce. Sprinkle in the pasta. Place chicken on top of pasta.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the 2 Tbsp of butter and cheese. Break up the chicken into smaller pieces.
- In a pan on the stove melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Toss in the panko and toast until golden brown. Sprinkle the toasted panko over the pasta.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
More Instant Pot penne recipes…
Instant Pot Creamy Turkey Spinach Penne
Saucy penne pasta with ground turkey, tomatoes, green chiles, cumin, cream cheese and spinach. Make it fast in the electric pressure cooker.
Instant Pot Penne in Cajun Mustard Cream Sauce
Make this Instant Pot Penne in Cajun Mustard Cream Sauce for a quick and easy weeknight meal. With options to prepare it with andouille sausage or meatless you can make everyone happy.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.



is there another method available to make this dish without using the instant pot? If so, I’d really love to make this!!