Instant Pot Italian Chicken Pasta—creamy, saucy chicken and pasta that has lots of flavor with just a few easy ingredients.
Related: SLOW COOKER Italian Chicken Pasta recipe
Instant Pot Italian Chicken Pasta
Yum! This was creamy and comforting and I had everything I needed to make this recipe at my house. I loved the creamy marinara sauce, I licked my bowl clean. One of my favorite things to do when I’m served an Italian dinner is to mix the tomato and alfredo sauces together for a creamy sauce with a flavor punch. That’s what this reminded me of.
Related: For more ideas of recipes that you can make with what you have in your house visit my 7 Pantry Instant Pot Recipes page.
What type of pasta can I use? Basically use whatever you have on hand. My first choices would be rigatoni, penne, cavatappi, macaroni or rotini pasta. Any long noodle like spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine won’t work quite as well because they tend to stick together. But if you’re in a pinch you can use them. I would just break them into smaller pieces and scatter them in the pot instead of stacking them on top of each other.
What type of chicken can I use? The chicken tenderloins worked magically because they are the exact size that cooks at the same rate as the pasta. If you want to use chicken breasts cut them into chicken tenderloin size first. If you want to use boneless thighs cut them into bite size pieces first. Frozen chicken does not work well with this recipe. Alternately, you can use cooked chicken such as rotisserie chicken in this recipe.
What can I substitute for the cream cheese? If you don’t have cream cheese on hand leave it out and add in about ½ cup of heavy cream after the pressure cooking time is over. Or you can use 1 cup of sour cream or 1 cup of blended cottage cheese (again add it in after the pressure cooking time).
What kind of pasta sauce should I use? I used a can of Hunt’s marinara pasta sauce, nothing fancy or expensive. Really use any tomato based sauce that is in your cupboard.
Can I make my own Italian seasoning? Sure! Here is how I would make it:
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Use in recipes that call for Italian seasoning.
Can I use frozen spinach? Yes! I would place it in a strainer and run a little warm water over it before adding it in.
Try these other Instant Pot Favorites…
Instant Pot Rigatoni and Sausage
Instant Pot Chicken Florentine Pasta
Instant Pot Ziti and Meatballs
Want more tried and true Instant Pot recipes?
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Instant Pot Italian Chicken Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Creamy, saucy chicken and pasta that has lots of flavor with just a few easy ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz uncooked rigatoni, penne, cavatappi, macaroni or rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds uncooked chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts cut into the size of tenderloins
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 (24 oz) jar or can of tomato-based pasta sauce
- 1 (8 oz) brick of cream cheese
- 3 cups chopped spinach
- 2–3 Tbsp cornstarch + 3 Tbsp water
- 6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the oil and onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add in the garlic and saute for 20 seconds. Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot. Turn off the pot.
- Add in the pasta in a single layer covering with broth as much as possible. Lay the chicken on top of the pasta in an even layer. Sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian seasoning on top of the chicken. Dump the pasta sauce over the chicken. Add the cream cheese brick on top of the pasta sauce.
- Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 2 minutes for rigatoni or rotini or 4 minutes for penne, cavatappi or macaroni. When the time is up let the pot sit for 5 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir the contents of the pot and stir in the spinach. Thicken with cornstarch if desired. Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. In a small bowl stir together 2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 3 Tbsp of water, until smooth.Then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. The cornstarch mixture will thicken up contents of pot quickly. Turn off the pot.
- Scoop onto serving dishes and enjoy with a sprinkle 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese on each bowl.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot
*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.
recipe looked so yummy but had to keep stoping due to getting the burn alert multiple times when cooking. pasta was basically stuck to the bottom of the pot and didn’t let me continue to cook. after finishing on my stove it was delicious though!!
★★★
THREE burn notices. Grr. I had 2-1/2 cups broth & 45oz sauce. There was plenty of liquid and deglazed. Somethings gotta get tweeked in the directions before this recipe is worth making again
★★★★
It smells great. But I keep getting the burn notice. I’ve turned it off twice but the burn notice comes back. Last time I scraped the bottom and it seemed the pasta was stuck. I put up back on same thing. Now I have it on keep warm. Slowly getting there…fingers crossed.
This is simply amazing!!! Worked to perfection! Thank you so very much for sharing !!!!
★★★★★
Thanks Daniel! So glad to hear it!
Hi, I’d like to make this recipe but I was wondering on if I miss read this on cooking raw chicken for only 2 minutes. I know know the pasta shouldn’t be over cooked but chicken has to cook for at least 8 minutes. Please help, because I would love to make this.
Thanks!
Erica
Because they are fresh and cut small into the size of tenderloins they cook very quickly.
My family loved this chicken dish. I cut up the chicken breasts before putting them in the slow cooker so it didn’t need to cook as long. I tried the variation and added the pinto beans so it was enough for us to eat for 2 nights. Yummy!
★★★★★
It had excellent flavor. It was fairly thick so didn’t add the cornstarch. I may try reducing the cream cheese a bit for the next time.
★★★★★
I just got an instant pot as a gift and this was the first recipe I tried in it. Super delicious, my kids loved it and normally they refuse anything but hotdogs. Slight adjustment I did was pressure cook for about 8 minutes just to ensure all was cooked. I also threw in slices of kielbasa. Definitely something to make again thank you!
★★★★★
I’m glad you all liked it! The kielbasa is a yummy idea!
Food Burn. How do you suggest I cook the unfinished ingredients so as not to have to throw it all out? I’m trying the Slow Cooker funtion but how long? Everything is partially cooked because the broth was boiling but the IP didn’t ever get to pressure. How do you rescue this dish?
Just got this message. What did you end up doing?
I cooked it in the Instant Pot, set on slow cook for 1 1/2 hours until the pasta got about right. Chicken seemed cooked and falling apart. It was Yummy in spite of the drama. Thanks.
Oh good! I’m happy it worked out in the end.
Hi Karen. i have made this recipe multiple times and it is always good. I use it as a base and can tell you that ricotta and meatballs sub well for the cream cheese and chicken. i keep other ingredients/amounts the same and the times stay the same. Ricotta goes in after the pressure cook. Not trying to be someone who changes recipes but your recipe is very adaptable and always comes out great! Thanks!
★★★★★
Ricotta and meatballs sound amazing!
Can I cut the chicken breasts into bite size pieces?
yes you can
A lot of recipes including this one call for cream cheese. If you’re trying to watch your weight and eat healthier, is there a good replacement that still works? Greek yogurt maybe? Thanks!
would neufchatel cheese work…I’d use that!
I followed your recipe & the cream cheese was not melted at all when I opened the lid it was just curdled & didn’t melt into the sauce?? Even when I stirred it it was chunky. You had said to add it while cooking. I assumed it would melt into the sauce am I missing something??
Mine always stirs in really nicely
But Is it supposed to be all melted in when you open it, you’re supposed to put it in during cooking correct not at the end….? It didn’t melt & was all clumpy?
Sorry it happened like that for you. You can add it in after the pressure cooking time next time. It will take a few minutes to melt.
Your recipe says to add the cream cheese in before you cook all together but I thought you’re not supposed to put things like cream cheese in until the end after cooking because they’ll curdle & won’t cook right ??
I found that cream cheese holds up pretty well in the Instant Pot.
I have made this a few times but always have trouble getting it to pressure and counting down. I have follolwed the recipe as is. Any suggestins?
I would keep the saute setting on until the broth reaches boiling. Then quickly add in the rest of the ingredients. Hopefully that will help it come to pressure.
I made this with rigatoni noodles and the Turkey stock I made after Thanksgiving!
I used 1/4 of a block of cream cheese while cooking and then added about 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella after cooking!
My 6 year old hates almost every dinner and he LOVED this! He even asked for seconds!
★★★★★
Haha! Love it when that happens!
How long would you cook it for if you’re using gluten free or quinoa pasta? ( even if you haven’t used before ). So it doesn’t come out all mushy?? It’s hard to tell
Fantastic pasta dish!
I did,however, manage to burn the pasta to the bottom of the IP? Not enough to taint the fantastic flavor. Still getting used to my IP and I’m wondering if I need to use different settings?
My IP is the 6 quart “DUO SV” model.
When I press “Pressure cook” the display shows that it was set to “High”, “Normal”.
I set the cook time for 2 minutes, as recommended.
The pasta was rigatoni.
Would appreciate any suggestions for my next attempt?
Thanks,
~ Ray
Did you scrape the pot well? That helps. Sometimes pasta sticks a bit, that’s why I sprinkle it in on top of the broth/water usually.
I’ve made this twice and really love it. The flavors are so good. But both times I made it, some of the noodles stick together. Is there something I can do to make sure that doesn’t happen?
What kind of pasta did you use?
Do I add sour cream in the pot or after cooking?
After, so it doesn’t curdle!
Hi! I’m loving your emails and recipes so much! I’d love to try this one but I only have frozen spinach and I don’t have cream cheese? Do you think it would still turn out ok? TIA and stay well!
Yes!
What can I substitute for the cream cheese? If you don’t have cream cheese on hand leave it out and add in about ½ cup of heavy cream after the pressure cooking time is over. Or you can use 1 cup of sour cream or 1 cup of blended cottage cheese (again add it in after the pressure cooking time).
Can I use frozen spinach? Yes! I would place it in a strainer and run a little warm water over it before adding it in.
Can this be made in a crock pot
Here is a slow cooker version: https://laurenslatest.com/crockpot-italian-chicken-pasta/
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Loved so many of your other recipes.
Having so much fun with my instant pot because of you. Would be so grateful
for good vegetarian recipes as well. Really appreciate your wonderful recipes and fabulous
instant pot instructions.
Hi Trish, you can find all my meatless recipes here:
Hope this helps! https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/recipes/?fwp_ingredient=meatless
If I put in 3 pounds of chicken, should I cook it longer?
No need to cook longer: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-double-instant-pot-recipes/
Thank you!
I love your site and am getting up the courage to try my new Duo Novo pot. Still a little nervous 😅This chicken pasta has me willing to give it a go! I’d like to ask you a question offsite. Is this possible?
Hi Victoria, I just dot a nova and I really love it! You can email me [email protected]
This recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. Has all my favorite ingredients for an awesome Italian meal.
Yep! It is a new favorite 🙂
What about using silken tofu in place of cream cheese?
Hi Linda, I’m not familiar with silken tofu so I can’t say for sure if it would work or not. Is it something you could stir in after the pressure cooking time is up?
Do you use cooked or uncooked chicken for this recipe?
Hi Suzanne, I used uncooked chicken tenderloins.