Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Salsa Pasta–the easiest recipe ever. With just four ingredients and your pressure cooker this is a perfect meal to make when you’re busy but still want to put dinner on the table! Kids and adults alike love this creamy penne pasta and will be asking for seconds.
Get the SLOW COOKER version of the recipe here
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Salsa Pasta
I’ve had this “recipe” in my arsenal for many years. A lady brought this amazing creamy penne pasta with a bite to a potluck I attended in 2006. I loved it and asked her for the recipe. She was a little embarrassed to tell me that it was a box of penne pasta, a jar of alfredo sauce and a jar of picante sauce! No shame, no shame. I’ve been making this recipe for years. It comes in handy when I need a super fast and easy recipe. In the past I have used my stove to boil the pasta and cook the chicken. But now that I am familiar with pressure cooking I knew this chicken alfredo salsa pasta would make a perfect Instant Pot recipe!
All I did was add water to the Instant Pot, then I added in some raw bite size pieces of chicken thighs. You can make this pasta with or without chicken, it doesn’t matter. I like using chicken thighs because they are a little more tender than breasts. But you could also use chicken breasts for this recipe, if you prefer. Then I added in a box of penne pasta, a jar of alfredo sauce and a jar of picante sauce. I put the lid on and let the Instant Pot do it’s thing for just 3 minutes. Then I opened the valve, stirred the pasta and served up dinner. EASY EASY EASY! I told Greg that this recipe should be called “soccer mom’s delight” since it is so fast and easy.
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Instant Pot Pesto Mushroom Chicken
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
To make Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Salsa Pasta I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly. It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.
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Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Salsa Pasta
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
The easiest recipe ever. With just four ingredients and your pressure cooker this is a perfect meal to make when you’re busy but still want to put dinner on the table! Kids and adults alike love this creamy penne pasta and will be asking for seconds.
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups water
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces (raw or cooked)
- 1 (16 oz) box penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
- 1 (16 oz) jar alfredo sauce
- 1 (16 oz) jar picante sauce (mild, medium or hot)
Instructions
- Turn your instant pot to the saute setting so it can start heating up while you add the ingredients into it. Add in your water. Then add in the chicken pieces. Pour in the penne, alfredo and half of the picante sauce. Don’t stir.
- Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When the time is up, move the lid to venting and let the pressure release. Open the pot and stir in the other half of the picante sauce.
- If there is too much liquid in the pasta you can turn the pot to saute and stir in a cornstarch slurry. Mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp of water and stir until smooth. Add the mixture into the Instant Pot and the sauce will thicken up instantly.
- Scoop the pasta into bowls and enjoy. You can top it with some parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
I used boneless skinless chicken thighs because they are more moist and tender. If you want you can use chicken breasts instead. They just won’t be as tender.
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 443
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 857 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Protein: 21 g
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Karen I love your recipes. Can this recipe be done in a 3 qt IP without modifications? Or is the volume too much?
I think it would be too much. I would cut the recipe in half.
This is the first of your recipes I tried when I got my instant pot years ago. I am a huge fan and so are all of my friends I cook for! This recipe never fails, thank you
★★★★★
Thanks Adam! I’m so glad you find value here.
Do you ever have a problem with recipes tasting too watery or weak when you use water instead of a broth or extra pasta sauce? Would it work if I doubled the sauces instead of adding water?
Adore your site!
The reason you add water is so that there is enough thin liquid to bring the pot to pressure and not get the burn message. It’s just part of IP cooking, unfortunately
I didn’t care for the flavor. I think it was the jarred Alfredo sauce. I’ve never been a fan but was hoping the addition of the picante sauce would help. However, the technical aspects of the recipe are perfect. The pasta and chicken were cooked perfectly. So I’ll use the instructions but choose other sauces in the future.
★★★
Yeah, play around with different brands. I bet you’ll find one you like.
. I loved this. I used casarecce pasta instead though, still a tube shape, but I think the sauces get inside better. My daughter still prefers penne 😉 though.
. It was indeed a bit watery at first but I closed the lid and left it on warm for a bit and the excess liquid was eventually absorbed.
Gonna’ make Chicken Stroganoff next.
★★★★★
Glad you liked it Betty!
Can I omit the picante sauce? I’m not a fan. If I do, should I add something else, like more liquid? I have an allergy to tomatoes, so no salsa either
What about tomatillo salsa? That’s what I would use!
Hi Karen,
I just have to tell you, that I love your site. I recently took over cooking (as my husband has always done all the cooking, 35 years) , and he was injured, so without you and the instant pot, I don’t know what I would do. Everything I have made from your recipes he and I both have loved. Now when ever I want to know about a meat, and what to put with it or how to cook it I come to your site. LOVE IT! Also, husband has recently started picking out recipes from face book and it seems most of the time, they are yours! Keep up the great job you are doing. Thanks again.
Patty
Thanks for this nice note Patty! I’m so happy you and your husband have found my site useful 🙂
Turned out very good. I added a clove of minced garlic. Once it was done, added shredded mozzarella cheese. Cooked the pasta for 4 minutes instead of 3, since the box of pasta said to cook it for 11. It was just right. I also used breasts instead of thighs.
★★★★★
Great! Glad it all worked out. It’s such a versatile recipe.
Thanks for your formula on the pasta…because I need to use gluten free pasta! Any suggestions other than timing?
I have heard some brands work better than others but I really am not an expert in any way. I would google around and maybe look into some gluten free groups on facebook to find better answers than this gluten loving girl.
How much water do I use if I only do half a box (8 oz) of pasta?
I’d use 1 3/4 cups to about 2 cups of water.
Love your video and your recipes. I want to use ground beef (frozen so I will thaw it first) but wondered if ricotta cheese could be used? I see you recovered from the earthquake ! ! LOL !! Having lived in Calif for a number years, they do not put me into a panic.
★★★★★
Yes ricotta would be wonderful. Add it in after the pressure cooking cycle is over. And yes we are fully recovered, no damage or anything so that’s good. It just was a little unnerving.
Do you use raw chicken? Or do you need to cook it first?
Yes raw, that’s what I used.
May I have recommendation of name/brand for Alfredo sauce and the Picante? Having never used either, it is helpful & time saving to try one someone says is tasty or great for this recipe…..thanks for the help 🙂 Great easy recipe !
I use mild pace picante sauce and I use classico alfredo
Thank you for the Classico Alfredo suggestion..I have to pay someone to do the shopping so a name of any item is what they are going to look for….no thought for name of Picante sauce? If it comes to mind….pls include….I can’t tell you how difficult it is for another to shop w/o names brand names….they get frustrated, tired reading labels and worry it might not taste right….so any brand name referral is a win/win ! and thanks! 🙂
Same cooking time if I did 8 ounces of pasta?
Yes!
This email is not about your recipes, I have made so many of them and love them all. I was reading one of the recipes and at the end I mistakenly hit the key to “receive only one email per week.” I really enjoy all the emails and the comments. So I would appreciate it if you would please continue to send as usual. Thank you.
Haha! I will correct that Tana. Thanks for following along.
Would this work in the instant pot Mini?
yes.
How to cook chicken Alfredo salsa pasta in the slow cooker.I clicked on the link for slow cooker method it shows me another recipe
I don’t have a straight across translation of this recipe for the slow cooker so I just linked to one that is similar!
Thighs range so much in size, what do you think the approximate weight of the specified chicken is? Thanks!
Probably 9 ounces each
Has anyone added veggies?
Hi, I had a question: after I add the second half of the picante sauce, do I continue cooking everything for a certain amount of time? What should happen at that point?
You don’t need to cook it. Just stir it in and serve it up. It’s nice to have a bit of freshness in there.
Giving five stars because I don’t want to knock the recipe. This is my second attempt at using the instant pot. I used the quick release method and now I’m wiping orange goo off the ceiling. What did I do wrong?
★★★★★
oh really? If anything ever starts coming out of the valve quickly move it back to sealing. Wait 20 seconds and then try again. Sometimes pasta foams a bit. You could also just let the pot sit there for 5 minutes after the time is up and then move the valve to venting.
I always (only because I am a seasoned pressure cooker user since the 80’s when it was only stovetop!) throw my dishcloth over the vent to deflect anything coming spitting out! The steam still vents…it’s just filtered!
My first meal from my instant pot/pressure cooker. It was great!
★★★★★
Hi, if I use cooked chicken do I add at the beginning or stir in once everything is cooked?
Either way will work! I’d probably stir it in at the end so it doesn’t get overdone.
I made this almost the same in the recipe and it came out okay.
I used super sharp cheddar and mild salsa with a 4 cheese Alfredo sauce. My eaters where “eh” about it. It felt like it was missing something. So I added more sharp cheddar at the end just to melt it along with 1/2 cup sour cream. Amazing difference. If you’re looking for a tang to your sauce to match the salsa sour cream did it for us.
★★★★
Sour cream = game changer!
Yum! I made this Wednesday night and it was a hit. My teen sons loved it. Instead of chicken, I used fresh Italian sausage. I cooked the sausage for 20 minutes using the ‘sear’ function on my pot, then removed the sausage and cut into 1/4 inch slices. I added the chicken broth, deglazed the pot and then added in the sausage and other ingredient according to your instructions. So good! Thanks for another great recipe!
★★★★★
Sounds great! Glad you liked it 🙂
Regarding the Picante sauce, can I use a mild salsa instead?
Thank you for your time.
Yes, I think that would be fine!
I like the recipes you post but since you don’t offer email as a method for sharing I am unable to download them. Thank you for sharing.
Would you cook it the same if you didn’t put chicken in it? I thought about using rotisserie chicken afterwards.
yes cook it the same. the pasta will still need the time to cook.
After you’re finished the cooking time, do you use quick release? That is, open the vent right away? Would it really matter?
I use a quick release for this recipe because the pasta needs to stop cooking pretty quickly of it will get mushy. No worries if you have to leave it for 5 minutes though.
Hi Karen! I’m excited to make this. How should I adjust the cooking time if I’m using frozen chicken breasts?
You’ll have to thaw them and cut into pieces so they can cook at the same rate as the pasta. Or if they are frozen and cut into pieces that would work too.
Can this be doubled? If so, would the cooking time change? I have an 8qt.
yes you can double and keep the cooking time the same.
Thanks! I made it a couple weeks ago for my regular family and am planning to make it for guests tonight! One of my favorite dishes is Chicken Spaghetti (with penne instead) and this tastes so much like it, is really easy, and really fast!
We loved this one – so fast and easy. My only changes were to add some garlic, and I increased the cooking time to 4 minutes as I like my pasta cooked a little more. Thanks for another keeper. We’ll have the leftovers tonight and plan on reheating in the Instant Pot using the pot in pot method. Pasta reheats beautifully that way.
★★★★★
Brenda, I need to remember to use the pot in pot reheat method more. How many minutes do you use typically?
If it’s straight out of the fridge, I’ll do 10 minutes HP. That seems like a lot but it’s never affected the food other than getting it nice and hot.
Cool. Good to know. I’ve done 5 minutes and it’s never enough to get it warm. So I’ll try 10 minutes next time. Thanks!
Yum! This is so good!! I made it with garlic alfredo sauce and put some parm cheese on top. Quick and easy!
★★★★★
Sounds awesome!
Wonderful flavor, fast and very little clean up. A five star recipe.
★★★★
Just to clarify, there is no need to saute the chicken in the pot first?
You can if you want to add a little color to the chicken but I didn’t saute it first.
Easy, tasty and OMG…so quick to make and no fuss! Just the kind of recipe I like. Thank you, Karen!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it Shirley. I love these types of recipes as well 🙂
Karen,
Will the cooking time be different if I use another type of pasta, like an Orecchiette?
Look at the back of the pasta box and divide the cooking time (for stovetop) into two and then subtract 1. So if the back of the box says 12 minutes then it would be 5 minutes in the pressure cooker.
Love all your recipes, and really appreciate the tip on how to figure out how long to cook. Is there a formula for how much liquid to use per pound (or 1/2 pound) of pasta?
★★★★★
For 8 ounces I always use 2 cups for 16 ounces I used 3 3/4 cup.
Hi Karen
i’m posting for a truckers, so they will have options of a better way to eat on the road. Anyway can I copy and paste the recipes from Pinterest for this reason without any trouble?
Thank you
Hi Robin, I think that is is great that you’re trying to cook while on the road. This would be a good recipe for that since it is so easy and doesn’t have many ingredients. I’m unsure what you mean by copying the recipes from Pinterest??
I am new to Instant Pot cooking. Do you Use High Pressure or Low Pressure?
Sorry for the confusion. High. And when recipes don’t indicate a high or low pressure 99% of the time it will be the default of high pressure.
Thank you! When I turn mine on, it is always on Low Pressure so I wasn’t sure. That really helps a lot!!! I am so excited to try all these new recipes!
Oh really? I hope you like the recipes, Lisa!
Would the directions change if you wanted to use beef fajita meat instead of chicken?
Do you know what cut the beef fajita meat is from? That would make a difference in the cooking time.
I was struggling this evening on what to do with the last two chicken breasts in my fridge, then behold your email! I opened it hoping for the best and found I had all ingredients on hand. This turned out fantastic, my husband loved it and we have plenty of leftovers. A few side notes, I used chicken breasts and didn’t find it to be too dry, I also cooked on 5 minutes because my pressure cooker doesn’t go any lower, liquid level was perfect, and I stirred in a nice cup of Parmesan at the end. Thank you for a great, delicious recipe. Will absolutely make this again!
★★★★★
SCORE! I love when that happens. Having all the ingredients for a recipe is a pure win in my book!
This sounds so delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
You’ll love it!
Do you have a slow cooker version of this recipe? When I tried to get it I just got a recipe for something else. Would love the slow cooker version.
No slow cooker version with the penne pasta. I did the slow cooker version with tortellini instead since that works well in the slow cooker. If you want to make it on the stove it is pretty fast and easy. Just boil the penne noodles according to package directions, brown some chicken, stir the chicken and drained noodles and alfredo and picanted together.
i made this today using my 6 quart Cuisinart Pressure Cooker. It turned out so good. My nephew and I loved the flavors. It didn’t take long to make this which I liked. The next time I make it I will make it in my Ninja Cooking System with Auto-IQ. Thank you for such a good recipe.
★★★★★
So glad you liked it Marilyn! Let me know how to make in the ninja…I have that appliance as well.
As soon as I get this figured out I will let you know. I did purchase a book Ninja DELICIOUS DONE EASY. I have two pressure cookers. Neither one is an I POT. I had to make one adjustment with the timing and setting using the Cuisinart 6 quart. I made the right choice and this turned out so good. I couldn’t stop picking at it once it was done.
★★★★★
Would you add more time if you were using breast meat instead of thighs? I maybe don’t think so, but before I ruin a dish I thought I’d better ask. Otherwise this looks delicious and easy and I have everything on hand to make it! Thanks for the time saver!!
Hi Jen, no don’t use more time. Keep the time the same. Good luck!
Same time with frozen chicken breasts and gluten free noodles?
Frozen chicken breasts won’t work for this recipe. They need to be cup up into bite size pieces. I’m not positive on the gluten free noodles but I’ve heard that they take one less minute to cook.
Is 3 minutes correct? That doesn’t seem like enough to cook the penne, especially whole wheat penne.
Hi Carol, yes that is the time that I used to cook my whole wheat penne. Because you put in almost 4 cups of water plus the sauces it takes a while to heat up. The pasta is cooking the entire time.