Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta–curly pasta is enveloped in a creamy parmesan, basil and cream cheese sauce with bites of sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and tender chunks of chicken.
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
For a while I was part of a neighborhood freezer meal group. Some friends would come together monthly and bring 6 of the same freezer meals and then exchange. I’d come home with 6 different freezer meals to use during the month. It was quite fun! One of my favorites that my friend Christy brought was a tuscan chicken pasta freezer meal. She got the recipe here. I decided to make something similar in the Instant Pot and I couldn’t have been happier with the results. It was so flavorful and creamy.
Here are a few notes about the ingredients:
The noodles: I used curly cavatappi noodles that I bought at Kroger. I love their shape! You can also use cellentani noodles or elbow macaroni noodles.
The chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts that were uncooked. Before adding them to the Instant Pot I cut them into bite size cubes. I prefer to cut the chicken into cubes when the chicken is partially frozen. A tip for getting tender chicken is to cut the chicken across the grain first when you cut it into cubes. You can also use cooked and cubed chicken in this recipe if you already have it on hand. You could even use rotisserie chicken.
Sun dried tomatoes: I had a hard time finding sun dried tomatoes at the grocery store. They were on the top shelf with the pasta sauces. But they are a MUST in this recipe. Sun-dried tomatoes have an intense sweet-tart flavor that’s much more potent than fresh tomatoes.
Parmesan: I used pre-grated parmesan that I bought at Costco in a big bag. You can grate your own parmesan or also use the stuff in the green can (although I don’t think that would taste as good).
Basil: I used 2 tablespoons of the basil from the refrigerated squeeze tube. You can use 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil or if all else fails you can add in 1 teaspoon of dried basil.
Spinach: I chopped up fresh baby spinach and stirred it in at the end. You could also use frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed of excess moisture.
This instant pot tuscan chicken pasta is something you would order at a restaurant. My son said it was “heaven.” I hope you try it soon!
Watch How to Make Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Video)
More pasta recipes you’ll love…
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti
Slow Cooker Chicken Spaghetti
Instant Pot Lasagna
Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Mac
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
For Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I also own the 6 quart Instant Pot IP-LUX60 V3 Programmable Electric Pressure Cooker.* They are both great pressure cookers! The first one I mentioned has a yogurt making function but other than that they are fairly similar. The price difference between the two is about $20.
PrintInstant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes (plus time to build pressure and a 5 minutes NPR)
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
Curly pasta is enveloped in a creamy parmesan, basil and cream cheese sauce with bites of sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and tender chunks of chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 8 oz cavatappi noodles (you can also use cellentani noodles or elbow macaroni)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (8 oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, drained and chopped
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil (or 2 Tbsp of basil in the squeeze tube or 1 tsp dried basil)
- 2–3 cup baby spinach
Instructions
- Add the chicken, noodles, broth and butter to the Instant Pot. Try to cover the noodles as much as possible with the liquid. 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 timer beeps let the pot sit for 5 more minutes (the display will start counting up). Move the valve to “venting.” If foam starts coming out move it back to sealing and wait a few minutes to try again. Once all the pressure is release, remove the lid.
- Turn the pot to the saute function. Stir in the garlic powder, cream cheese and milk. There will seem to be a lot of liquid in the pot but don’t worry. Once the cream cheese is melted add in the Parmesan and stir until melted. Add in the sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and finally the spinach. Stir until the spinach is cooked down.
- Scoop the pasta onto plates and serve.
Notes
This recipe can easily be doubled. The only thing that might be a problem is the pasta releasing foam into the valve when you try to do a quick release. Just let the pressure release naturally for a while until steam comes out clear without foam.
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
I have made this with 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms too. If you use mushrooms you will need a bit more seasonings and a little less broth.
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 516
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1139 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Protein: 44 g
*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.
Shannan says
It’s okay but leaves something to be desired. I think if we made it again I would up the spices to boost the flavor. The predominant flavor is just creamy despite everything being added.
RP says
This look delicious but I’m wondering where you got the nutrition information from because they are all incorrect.
I just put the entire recipe in Cronometer and here’s how everything lands:
The recipe states that it serves 5 but the calories were based off 1/4 of the recipe.
Calories – you say 516 – actual = 835 calories
Fat you say 18g – actual = 37g
Carbs you say 45g – actual = 75g
Protein you say 44g – actual = 57g
Even if they were calculated for 5 servings they are incorrect. Again, just wondering where you got the nutrition information on this recipe.
Mary says
Super easy and delicious!
Karen says
Thanks for the 5 stars Mary!
Maureen says
Hi Karen,
Are you familiar with the insignia instant pot ? If so, what button would I use, since there is no pressure cook button?
Karen says
Is there a manual button? Use that
Dawn W says
There were so many comments, I couldn’t read them all but no doubt I will be adding to the rave reviews! Nearly followed to the T but added rehydrated sun dried tomatoes and an extra Tablespoon of basil and an extra cup of spinach. I took what I wanted for myself and then added mushrooms for the spouse. The weather here in NJ finally broke and it was nice to have a warm meal. You know it’s delicious when the husband says, “please add this the our fall/winter comfort food list!!!” Thanks Karen 😉
Karen says
I do love hearing this Dawn! So glad you both loved it. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Karen says
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it.
Karen says
Hi. I want to make this soon. I can’t stand basil. What would be a good substitute? I have loved everything of yours that I have made so far!!
Karen says
You can just leave it out!
Robin Rossi says
I haven’t made it yet just because sons are keto and won’t read the pastas. How do i just do the sauce add I’m craving it??? Welcome to the world of keto without being too extreme
Karen says
Maybe this recipe would be better? https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-tuscan-parmesan-chicken/
Chelsea says
Love this recipe! Turned out so good. One of the best instant pot recipes out there
Karen says
Thank you so much Chelsea!
Jeanie Ahrens says
I was looking for a Tuscan recipe as I had spinach I needed to use and your email with this recipe was there! This is the third recipe for Tuscan chicken with pasta that I have made and yours is the best!! I didn’t intend to change anything but what was on hand required a couple adjustments. I used thighs instead of breasts and used elbow noodles. I discovered that I had only 6 oz, of cream cheese so I added that, skipped the water and added 1 cup of heavy cream (that also needed to be used). Instead of chicken broth, I used Better Than Bouillon and added a cup of water with that. I found julienned sun-dried tomatoes and, except for draining, added them as is and the size worked fine without chopping. I intended to use fresh basil from my plant on the deck but, unfortunately, temps dipped so low the night before that my plant was no more. Next time, I might sauté the chicken at the beginning but it wasn’t necessary. What a comforting, delicious meal!
Karen says
I’m so glad you tried this version! It really is so good! Too bad about your poor little basil plant!
Susanna says
How would you recommend using frozen tortellini and adding rotisserie chicken and the end?
Karen says
I would only add the chicken and tortellini to Instant Pot in step 1 but only pressure cook for 1 minute. I might reduce broth to 1.5 cups. I would add in cream cheese in step 1 too.
gil says
will boursin cheese work instead of cream cheese
Karen says
Yes I bet that would be awesome!
Caren says
This was great! I chopped the tomatoes and spinach into smaller bites before adding and used 1/2 the amount of sun-dried tomatoes to trick picky children that overreact to things added to noodles. It worked great and was tasty! Thanks for this recipe!
Karen says
Good ideas for feeding picky kids!!!
Jennifer says
I felt like an amazing cook when I made this recipe! It was so easy and so delicious! I bought the cookbook after making this. 😁
Karen says
Ahhh, thanks for your support Jennifer. That means a lot.
Sam Roberts says
I love pasta, thanks for this recipe, pasta turned out very unusual, but tasty! My students liked it very much.
Karen says
Lucky students!
Julie Nader says
A family favorite! So easy and packed with flavor!!
Karen says
Thanks Julie!
Courtney Batallones says
I love this recipe! It’s one of my new favorite things. I haven’t had my instant pot long but this has definitely been my favorite thing I’ve made in it so far! Thank you!
Karen says
Keep at it! So glad you are here and that you found a good recipe.
Ann says
Karen, I made this recipe tonight. Cut it in half for just my husband and myself. Used elbow macaroni and frozen spinach. It was delicious. The macaroni and chicken were cooked just right. My husband, who will eat almost anything, but hardly ever makes any comments on meals said “I wouldn’t mind having this again”. That was a real compliment. Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper for sure
Karen says
Ahhh, thanks friend. I’m so glad your husband even liked it.
Lorrie says
Can I use whole wheat fusilli?
Karen says
Totally! that would be great.
Cris says
I LOVE when I find a recipe that I think I can adapt to what I have on hand. My substitutes were: Casarecce pasta, 2 bouillon cubes, one bag of birds eye frozen creamed spinach and fat-free half and half (I use for my coffee. I put in the pasta, tossed in the 2 bouillon added 2 cups of water, the butter and cut up chicken breast and cooked per instructions. Meanwhile – I micro’d the spinach put it in a bowl with the remaining ingredients, except parmesan and when the time was up I added it to the pasta & chicken mixture, stirring to incorporate it all It was a bit soupy (the type of pasta I used needed to cooked a smidge more) so I turned it to sauté and cooked it for a couple minutes till it started to thicken and then stirred in the parmesan. Let it set for a few minutes while set the table. My family LOVED LOVED it!! Then again we really haven’t made anything of yours we don’t like.
Karen says
Love how you made it your own!!!
Tara says
finally made this last night – was great! we prefer thighs so that’s what I used – they were still partially frozen when I cut them up to use so added 1min to cook time. used cellentani pasta so added time was ok. turned out perfect! Next time will add tons more spinach and perhaps half the amt sun-dried tomato. Also need to be sure to keep stirring when on saute or end up with stuff (mostly tomatoes) stuck to bottom of pan!
Karen says
Glad you got to try it. Chicken thighs are my jam too.
Lauren says
This was excellent. I doubled the recipe for a family get-together (that’s how much I trust your recipes – I don’t even try them before I feed it to 8 people), and it was delish. Thank you!
Karen says
Haha! That is great. Thanks Lauren!
Melissa says
Hi Lauren. I’m new to Instant Pot cooking, but have a large family. I’d love to double this recipe as well. Did you use a larger pot? I have a 6 and a new 8 qt. And did all go as normal doubled? Your review is over a year old, but I hope you remember. 🙂
Bev says
Hey Karen can you suggest a substitute for the cream cheese. Have dairy allergy. I can cut down on Parma but no cream cheese for me. 😬
Karen says
Sour cream? Heavy cream?
Beth says
Bev there are dairy free cream cheese substitutes that might do the trick here; I’ve used the Tofutti brand.
Jon says
This is a very good recipe! Great flavors. It would only be better if I would have fresh basil. This is my second Insta-Pot dinner using noodles. The noodles are overcooked and mushy. What am I doing wrong?
Karen says
What kind of noodles did you use?
Art says
Hi Karen, always, you were spot on. I believe in all your revipes, so I never try to re-invent the wheel. I simply follow your directions and have ever been disappointed. Same this time. I cook every day in my instant pot. The Tuscan Chicken was award winning. You are the master when the Instant Pot recipes are followed. Thank for the many and daily recipes.
Karen says
Wow what a nice compliment!!! Thank you so much!!!! I try hard and am glad it is paying off.
Karen says
Made this today and just finished my first bowl…amazing! I used kale from our garden and we also have fresh basil. The pasta I used was low carb elbows and that was the icing on the low carb cake for me!
Karen says
PERFECT!! Glad to know it worked with low carb pasta.
Leslie F says
Good idea! Can you tell me what brand of low carb elbows did you try?
Karen M says
Great Low Carb Bread Company!
Bill says
Will this convert to slow-cooker method?
Karen says
I haven’t had great luck with pasta in the slow cooker except lasagnas. So I don’t really try anymore. 🙁
Jessica Ford says
This is a family favorite!! I make it at least twice a month. I use my 8-qt Instant Pot and double the recipe. I skip the sun-dried tomatoes, use the basil in the squeeze tube, and use a full package of chopped spinach that I heat in the microwave and squeeze out the water. My daughter asked me to make a cookbook with her favorite recipes for when she moves out. She said to make sure this one is in it. A definite keeper! Thanks, Karen!!
Karen says
Oh that is so nice to hear. I love that your daughter is taking note!
Robert Johnson says
Hello Karen, this looks great will try it tonight. You used the Better Than Boullion straight without diluting it? When making other recipes may I just add the appropriate amount of water then the BTB?
Karen says
Yes! And yes that is exactly what I do for broth in recipes.
Julia Lin says
Do I need to increase cook time if double the portion?
Karen says
Nope. Keep the same cooking time for doubled recipes.
Debbie says
Hi! Not a fan of cream cheese in my sauce, can I substitute heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2? If so, do I add it at the end of recipe?
Karen says
Yes you can and I would add it at the end so it doesn’t curdle!
Nancy says
I was just coming on here to comment the same thing so I am so glad that you already ask the question for me! LOL. I’ll be trying this recipe for dinner tomorrow night and already looking forward to it.
Sharon says
I didn’t have spinach, so used kale. Cooked the kale with the uncooked pasta so it was nice and tender. Will use less milk next time so it’s not so liquidy. Good flavor.
Karen says
I love the idea of using kale!
Jen N says
How about substituting the noodles with chickpea pasta? And instead of milk, almond milk or heavy cream?
Karen says
Hi Jen, I’m not familiar with chickpea pasta. Does it typically take the same amount of time to cook on the stove as regular pasta? You could sub milk with those choices.
Peggy says
Oh My Gosh! This has always been a “Go-To” recipe for our family, but during this quarantine time it definitely is! When I made this last night I didn’t have spinach or sun-dried tomatoes (my family never does the tomatoes) but we did have frozen broccoli! I added the broccoli and they LOVED it! Then the little bit I had leftover I added some pre-cooked bacon to for lunch today and it totally elevated it to an entirely different level! This is a very versatile dish! I’m in love with this recipe more now than ever!
Karen says
YESSSS to both of these ideas Peggy! I love it! Did you add the broccoli after it had pressure cooked?
Virginia says
I’ve made this recipe twice, and it was wonderful both times! I want to make it again but decided to print it and it won’t print. I don’t think it’s on my end because I’ve been able to print other recipes on other sites, but it could be that it is. Do you know if anyone else has had problems? Thank you so much for this recipe!
Karen says
I have not heard that problem. Can you select the text, right click and then do the print option?
PK says
Try opening the recipe in Safari and printing it from there.
Virginia says
Thank you, PK—it worked!
Norma says
Recipe Keeper is a wonderful app to store recipes and notes. Also makes shopping lists and more.
Michelle says
How do you think this would taste (cooked exactly per recipe) with diced fresh tomatoes added at the end? (I’m not a tomato eater and not sure on the flavor combination but have some extra tomatoes from a CSA box).
Karen says
I think that sounds fantastic. I am a big fresh tomato fan!
Stephanie says
Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe exactly, and it didn’t disappoint. Even my picky daughter ate it. She didn’t want to try it because it had spinach and sun dried tomatoes in it, that when she did try it, she got mad that she loved it so much! Going into my regular rotation for sure!
Karen says
Stephanie, that made me laugh! I’m glad you and her liked it 🙂
Heather says
Do I have to use cream cheese? I’ve made this on the stovetop before and didn’t use cream cheese but instead used more milk (maybe added some cornstarch to thicken?)
Karen says
Sure!
Hannah Y. says
My husband and 2.5 year old loved it! Both wanted seconds. Thanks!
Karen says
Happy you liked it Hannah! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jill S says
Question, my noodles and Chicken are not covered at all by the broth. Should I add more for cover? I’m trying to make it now!! 😱
Karen says
It’ll be okay. Just try to cover them as much as you can.
Patricia says
Delicious and super easy! My 6 year old even loved the sun dried tomatoes I was sure she’d pick out. I used chicken breast cut into cubes and it wasn’t dry at all like some of the reviews said. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you
Karen says
YES! Winning the 6 year old’s approval is the best 🙂
Kali says
I’m so bummed the chicken was way dry. I usually use thighs and I thought I’d try breasts for the first time. I even cooked it for one less minute. The rest was great and would totally make it again. I definitely recommend using thighs!
Karen says
Thighs are the best for the Instant Pot, I agree.
Smoke says
Help I made this great dish exactly to recipe however seemed a tich bit salty any suggestions on how to cut it some? I believe dried tomatoes may be my problem but they are sooo good
Donna says
Did you rinse and drain your tomatoes?
Use low sodium chicken broth.
Angela says
This was an amazing recipe! The ONLY thing I needed to do was add more cream at the end because it was very dry…otherwise it was a winner!! I think this might be because I have a large instapot…totally not the fault of the recipe.
Karen says
Glad you liked it Angela!
Candice says
I made this and doubled the recipe. It came out amazing and so easy!
Karen says
Nice!
Shannon says
When you double it do you need to change the times?
Karen says
no: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-double-instant-pot-recipes/
Debra says
This recipe is incredibly delicious and so easy to make!! I will definitely be making this again. My husband had three servings. Next time I think I’ll add a few artichoke hearts.
Karen says
Good call on the artichoke hearts! That would be so tasty 🙂
Daniel and Lydia Stoltzfus says
Made this this afternoon! My wife was working. Everybody loved it! Used fresh spinach right outside our home. We usually have fresh basil too. It was a home run with the bases loaded! Thank you very much!
Karen says
HOORAY!! Good for you!
Marsha Farmelant says
Made this last night for dinner. I seasoned the chicken breast cubes with a little salt and pepper before throwing them in the pot. Also, i only used 1/2 tsp of dried basil.
It came out delicious! The flavor grew as we ate, and today, the leftovers were even more delicious. The pasta (cavatappi) and the chicken were perfectly cooked.
Delicious!
Karen says
good to hear this! Thanks for sharing.
Tammy says
I love this recipe!! What’s the cook time with boneless chicken thighs?
Karen says
Cut the thighs into small pieces and keep the cooking time the same.
Christy says
This was delicious, but my noodles were too soft and soggy. I used elbow noodles. Any ideas on how to keep this from happening?
Karen says
I would use less pressure cook time or use a sturdier pasta.
Dani says
This was awesome and super quick!!! It will be perfect addition to weekday meals on the go!
Karen says
So glad you liked it Dani!
Stacy Smith says
This is one of our favorite meals! My question is…if I wanted to make the dish without the chicken, but still have all of the flavors and the pasta…what all do I change?
martha says
This was sooooo good – i was reading 3 -r 4 recipes at once and got mixed up and fried a couple of pieces of bacon and some diced onion – yikes – it was a different recipe but i mixed it into this one ad it was great. the sun dried tomatoes added such good flavor – and the fresh spinach was so good. Hubby ate 2 helpings . i will definitely make this again. thanks for sharing.
Karen says
your version sounds great!
Melissa says
Can you clarify the nutritional info? Does this serve 4 or 5? I put the same ingredients in to myfitnesspal and with 6 servings it was still way more calories. I didn’t look through all the comments, so I am sorry if you already answered. This is SOOOOOOOO good 🙂
Amy says
We now refer to this dish as “favorite pasta.” I’ve made it several times because it is quick, easy and always turns out delicious. Portion size is perfect for our family of four. I brown the chicken with a little bit of seasoning before adding the noodles and broth. I’ve tried both, sundried tomatoes in oil, and a dryer version from a pouch. I didn’t notice a huge difference, but slightly prefer the ones from the jar.
Karen says
I love this one too!
Audrey says
I don’t have an instant pot… can I make this in a crockpot?
Misty says
Amazing! Thanks, Karen.
Stacie says
Hi. I’m new to the whole instant pot craze, primarily because my crock pot died. This seems like a recipe that isn’t really taking advantage of the perks of an instant pot though, so why would you make it in the pot as opposed to a skillet on the stove? Is there some added benefit I’m just not seeing?
Becky says
Because you can cook the chicken and the pasta all together in a very short period of time. Then you add the rest of the ingredients to the same pot. When you are done you’ve only used one pot and no need to do things separately. In addition to the fact that while the pasta and chicken are cooking in the pot there is no need to stir, flip, watch for boil overs, accidentally burning the chicken or whatever. You are free to do whatever you want while the pot does all the work.
Karen says
Yes that’s right!
Pat says
I doubled this recipe for company…it was a super hit. So creamy and delicious. I love how you go thru the ingredients telling exactly what you used or did. Thanks..this is definitely a keeper!
Lynette D. says
Delicious! Love the fresh spinach in this recipe. I doubled it so we will have leftovers tomorrow.
Karen says
Good call!
Gayle says
Still learning how to use my IP, when you double the recipe do you double all of the ingredients including the liquid? Thank you
Karen says
Yes and keep the cooking time the same.
Jordan says
Amazing flavor!!!
Amy says
This was SO good!! It had so much flavor! I followed the recipe EXACTLY in my Ninja Foodi- everything went perfectly even the times. I used Sargento shredded Parmesan in a bag (it was with all of the other bagged shredded cheeses) and a jar of sundried tomatoes from Trader Joe’s.
Tasha says
Can I do this same recipe in a slow cooker? If so what do I need to change to accommodate the recipe?
Karen says
No, not a good one for the slow cooker. Pasta gets weird. You can make on the stove though! Link is in the article above.
Nita Blount says
How can I use the recipe using a dutch oven?
Karen says
Hi Nita, I’m sorry to say I’m unfamiliar with the dutch oven so I can’t say.
Anna Hansen says
Hi Karen, where is the link for this recipe for the stove?
Leslie says
Hi, I saw someone else used the bagged sun-dried tomatoes so I thought I would give them a try because the jarred had herbs with them (and bagged are less expensive, an added bonus). I cut the julienne pieces smaller and threw them in on top of the pasta as it cooked. The tomatoes softened up nicely and then I just added everything else. It was marvelous! Will definitely make again and again!!
Karen says
Good tip! Thanks Leslie.
Lori A Neitzel says
Hi!
Can this be made in a three quart IP? If so, how would we adjust recipe and time?
Thanks, Lori
Karen says
Hi Lori, yes you can make this in the 3 quart. I would add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
Shauna says
I got an IP for Christmas and this was my first recipe! The family loved it and it was super easy. I would definitely double it next time for my family of 5. I wouldn’t double the sundried tomatoes though since they are pretty salty and I would omit the salt completely. I will definitely make this again!
Karen says
My family Ives this recipe. I sauté 1/2 chopped onion with 3 minced garlic cloves and any other veggies I have such as red peppers or squash prior to adding the chicken. At the end I also added 1.5 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. Siracha, 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes, 1.5 Tbsp. Tomato paste & 3 Tbsp. Chopped fresh parsley. Delicious!!
Dana says
AMAZING recipe!!! This was my first time using my Instant Pot and I was in shock with how wonderful this dish turned out!
Lisa Staub says
Everyone loved it! I will definitely be making this again! The little changes I made were: using fresh garlic instead of powdered, 1 cup of fresh basil instead of 2 Tbsp, and adding 4 cups of spinach. Honestly, you could still add more because it cooks down so much.
Stephanie says
Thank you for the recipe. I made this dish tonight. It is delicious! Added a bit of crumbled bacon, a few cloves of crushed garlic, and cut the amount of sundried tomatoes in half, per my teen daughter’s request. I think it would have been just as amazing, exactly as the recipe is written. The whole family loved it. I loved how easy it was, after a few very long, very tough days.
Karen says
I hope you have better days ahead Stephanie xoxo
Culinary School says
I love pasta, thanks for this recipe, pasta turned out very unusual, but tasty! My students liked it very much.
Crystle says
How would i adjust the time and or liquid amount for using GF pasta??
Karen says
I’m sorry I’m not familiar at all with gluten free pasta. My hunch is that it wouldn’t hold up well in the instant pot but I can’t say for sure.
Barb Clough says
Can’t wait to try this! Do you think after it’s made it would be freezable??
Karen says
Yes I do. It may need some milk to loosen it up a bit when you rewarm it.
Susan says
This was SO good! Just got the Instant Pot a week and a half ago and this was recipe #4. I had to use the “canned” Parmesan because I thought I had fresh but didn’t so had to make a quick swap. It was still delicious. I used about 4 cups of spinach and don’t think it was enough, so next time I’ll use more. Could this recipe be doubled in the 6 qt pot?
Thanks for all the great recipes and tips!
Karen says
I’ve do doubled this successfully in my 6 quart IP.
Bonnie says
Hello, this recipe looks great! I’d love to double it, but have a couple of questions… do I double all ingredients, including liquids? Do I change the cook time? Thanks!
Karen says
Double it all but keep the cooking time the same.
Beth says
I used the canned Parmesan cheese because that’s all I had on hand, and it was fantastic!
Amy says
Cant wait to try this!! I dont have an instapot, so can I make this in my crockpot? How do I do it?
Thanks!!
Karen says
Pasta doesn’t fare well in the crockpot. I would make it on the stovetop though!
Megan says
This was a hit tonight! I used the saute function to cook up onions and garlic first. Then I followed the recipe and substituted 1 TBSP of pesto and 1 TBSP of sun dried tomato pesto for the basil. It was delicious. I would recommend using a hearty/twisty pasta like is recommended in the recipe. Will make again.
Christina says
Enjoyed the recipe, but did anyone else find the spinach pretty slimy?
Vesta says
I made this recipe twice. We all love it. My only substitution is pesto sauce for the basil.
Karen says
YES on the pesto!
TERESA MYERS says
Excited to try this recipe, and thinking I will try to make some as freezer meals for thaw and cook.
How would you use cooked chicken? Just add it in at the end? Worried about overcooked chicken, but I generally cook whole chickens to have cooked chicken meat available and use more of the bird.
Karen says
Hi Teresa, you could use cooked chicken either way. Add it in at the beginning or stir it in and warm it at the end.
Unhappy Gal says
Well! I really was disappointed! I followed the recipe! Epic fail! Welll…. the kids liked it. Cheesy! I used linguini! DONT!! Too thin. Burned the pot. So unhappy ☹️
I guess I’m too critical, it felt like a glutinous mess. Teenage boys gobbled it!
Michelle says
Same thing happened to me!!
Jan says
I just made this and it is so good. I used 3 oz bag of sundried tomatoes instead of the glass jar brand and it was tasty. I was surprised with how perfect the pasta came out with only 3 minutes of actual cook time. Will definitely make again.
Marcie says
Can I use Creme Fraiche instead of cream cheese? Thanks
Karen says
I think so! I bet it would be tasty.
Marcie says
This recipe was delicious. I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks
Joanne Francis says
Excellent recipe!
Liz says
Omgosh this looks so good, I can’t wait to make it!! And more importantly eat it😅🤣 Could I add some pressed garlic cloves and omit the garlic powder, you think? 🤔
Karen says
yes I think that would be great!
Susan says
Showing my age here…I have an old fashioned pressure cooker made way before there was such a thing as an “instant pot”. Will this recipe work in such an antique device?
Karen says
I am embarrassed to say that I don’t know a thing about stovetop pressure cookers! I really don’t know 🙁
(
Carrie says
This came out amazing! I added crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning!
LF says
This was SO good!! New comfort food! I made it with tofu, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Very easy to do! Next time, I will add mushrooms. 🙂
Danielle says
Made a double batch, turned out amazing! I added 1 medium. Onion chopped and threw it in with the chicken and noodles before it pressure cooked.
Julie says
Was this done in a 6 or 8 qt?
Emily says
Hi Karen, if I wanted to halve this recipe, would I use the same cooking times? Thanks!
Karen says
Yes you would.
Aileen says
Can i make this in the instant pot mini? If I half the recipes, will it be okay?
Karen says
yes I think that will work well.
Kristin S says
Can you brown the chicken first?
Karen says
Of course! It’s a matter or preference. If you have time you totally can 🙂
Kathy says
Made this tonight! Will definitely make again! Thank you for the fantastic recipe!
Leslie says
I wanted to make this meal for a new mom but wondering if it would ld Ben okay reheated. Can I make into in IP and toss in casserole dish to be reheated?
Karen says
Yes I bet it would be good in a casserole dish. Maybe not as creamy but still tasty!
Sujata says
Hey Karen,
I made it without any meat and skipped all those part and it was perfect and so delicious. Most important thing is kids finished it without talking anything. Thank you so much. Was so easy to follow the recipe.
Karen says
GREAT! It’s so awesome to find a recipe kids will eat happily 🙂
Marian says
I made this tonight and it was so good!! I used low fat cream cheese, 2% milk and whole wheat bow ties. It was a really easy week night recipe but I’ll be cooking this the next time I have dinner company. It was that good!
Barbara says
I was wondering about how it would taste if I used a lower or nonfat cream cheese and milk. Otherwise this recipe is a little too high in calories for me. Did you like the taste?
Shelia says
This would be amazing with BACON!
Karen says
BACON!!! YAS!
Jelly says
Could this recipe be done on a power cooker?
Karen says
I’m not familiar with the power cooker but I’m sure it could
Gaby says
Can this recipe be done in a crock pot ?
Karen says
No, I wouldn’t make it in a crockpot. Noodles get mushy and weird in the crockpot.
Anna says
We try not to do a lot of pasta. Do you think we could somehow incorporate spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles to replace the pasta?
Karen says
I’d leave out the pasta and just in 1/2 cup of broth. Then follow instructions. Open up and add in zucchini noodles. Stir them in when you add the cream cheese. I bet it would be really tasty.
Carey Sanderson says
So just 1/2 c. broth with zoodles, instead of the 2 c. needed for traditional pasta?
Karen says
I would use 1/2 cup broth to cook the chicken. I wouldn’t pressure cook the zoodles. Just add them in fresh at the end with the cream cheese.
Darling says
I can’t wait to try this! I hope I get my answer beforehand but can we use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth? My family eats meat but I don’t, so I have to kinda split these instructions a bit and make the chicken separately lol
Karen says
Of course you can! Enjoy!
Elizabeth says
Would this work the same in a crock pot since I don’t have a pressure cooker? Time as well.
Karen says
No it wouldn’t work great. Pasta gets gloopy in the slow cooker. I would make it on the stove top if you don’t have an Instant Pot.
Erin says
If I double the recipe, do I need to increase the cooking time?
Karen says
No, keep the time the same 🙂
Stephanie says
Was wondering if you think I could use low fat cream cheese? I am just worried it might curdle. This recipe looks amazing!
Karen says
I think low fat would work okay.
Marcia says
Karen, This is sooooo delicious! I have tried many of your recipes and they just keep getting better and better. This was so fast and easy to make and the flavor is out of this world! I love sun dried tomatoes and actually have some that I made myself. That tangy sweet/tart taste when you bite into one is fabulous. Can’t wait for the rest of the family to try this…..If there is any left (I keep eating just a little bit more). Thanks for all the great recipes. I love checking my email every day to see what you have come up with!
Karen says
Hi Marcia, thanks for the nice note. I am glad you loved this recipe! It is one of my favorites. How do you make your own sundried tomatoes? I need to try that some time soon!
Marcia says
When tomatoes are bountiful in the garden, I will dehydrate them in my food dehydrator. I slice them and put them on the racks of the dehydrator. I won’t let them get completely dry but approximately half (?) of the water out. They become kind of like jerky. Then I use kitchen shears to chop into small pieces, add a little olive oil and put them in the freezer, either in freezer bags or freezer containers. I imagine I could can them but haven’t tried that yet. I love sun dried tomatoes but they can be kind of pricey and have found that this is almost as good and definitely cheaper.
Karen says
for sure cheaper! they are very expensive. I don’t have a food dehydrator. I need to get one 🙂
Jill says
You can dry them
In your oven. Cut plum tomatoes in half , scoop out most of the seeds and juice ..drizzle w olive oil, s/p, garlic and basil, put them on a rack on a foil lined pan and roast them at 250 f for up to 4-6 hrs. They come out so good! I store them in a small jar w a garlic clove and olive
Oil.
Karen says
This is fantastic information! Thank you. I am going to try this soon.
Marla says
I am excited to try this recipe out! Looks so good. Do you think that this could be made ahead of time and frozen into a dump recipie ?
Karen says
Yes I believe that would work. I haven’t tried it yet myself. My only concern is that it wouldn’t be as saucy.
Sarah says
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I am getting ready to make it tonight for the second time as it was such a hit the first time I made it. I followed your recipe exactly with one minor adjustment….adding heavy cream instead of milk. Other than that I did everything as stated and it came out so good!!! My husband and 2 grown sons could not stop raving about it. And with it being so easy to make, well that is just a BONUS!! Thanks again! 😊
Karen says
You’re welcome Sarah! I’m so glad you loved it. I love this one too 🙂
Irene Druskin says
Looks great. Haven’t made a recipe of yours that wasn’t great.
Happy Birthday
Karen says
Thanks!
Joanne says
Fantastic recipe! I’ve made it 4 times already. My husband loves it. Do you have a recipe for a pesto pasta in the instant pot? Thanks 🙂
Karen says
Not yet but it is literally on my list of things to make!!
Kelly-Jo Ramirez says
This is a great tasting recipe and a keeper. The only problem I had was that I followed the #1 instructions adding in the chicken first as it was written, then the noodles and then poured the broth over top. Next time I’ll add the broth and butter, THEN the noodles, so they are submerged in the broth. Then toss the chicken chunks on top of the noodles. I had put the chicken in first as that was first in the recipe, so many of my noodles were still not cooked. If I add the noodles first they will get well submerged and the chicken will be fine to cook/steam on top of the noodles.
Karen says
Good point! Thanks for the suggestion.
Nicole says
This turned out great. I didn’t pay attention to the recipe close enough and accidentally put 2 tbs of dried basil and didn’t cut the sundries tomatoes small enough but it still tasted really good. I will add a little bit of red pepper next time I make this and will double it so I have more leftovers.
Karen says
Well I’m glad it was tasty!
Becky says
I made this tonight in my IP. Great flavour. Husband loved it. There was a lllooot of liquid left. More like soup than sauce. Could i cut the liquid down or increase the pasta?
Karen says
Usually my liquid absorbs fairly quickly after I remove the lid. But yes go ahead and experiment with a little more pasta and see how that works. Let us know!
Cheryl says
I have had my Instant Pot for a month, and I have been too afraid to use it. This will be my first recipe, it looks so yummy! I have the Instant Pot Ultra, I am hoping it cooks the same way as your recipe says. Here goes nothing!! 🙂
Karen says
Good luck! I hope you love it!
Megan says
If I only have frozen chicken will the cook time, ingredients or any directions change? Or do you not recommend frozen chicken for the Instant pot?
Karen says
This recipe calls for the chicken to be cut into bite size pieces so that it can cook at the same rate as the pasta. I’m assuming your chicken isn’t frozen in small bite size pieces? If not, then no don’t cook the chicken frozen.
Megan says
What if I cut it in bit size pieces? Can it be frozen then? And would it change the time?
Karen says
Yes you can do it that way. Keep the cooking time the same.
Jane says
Hi Karen! This recipe sounds AMAZING, and I’m thinking of making this dish for my parents when they’re over for dinner next week! I do have a couple questions:
1. I’m worried that the chicken won’t cook all the way through if you put it into the pot raw. Have you ever encountered this issue? Or has the chicken always cooked completely when you’ve made this recipe with raw chicken?
2. Do you think it’d be ok to use cashew milk for this recipe? Or would you recommend sticking to normal milk?
Thank you!! 🙂
Karen says
Since the chicken is cut up into bite size pieces it is definitely cooked all the way through. If you put in a whole chicken breast then you’d encounter a problem. I bet you could use cashew milk with no problems!
Heather says
Turned out perfectly! Thanks for a good recipe for the instant pot.
Karen says
You’re welcome Heather!
Lisa says
This is just SO, SO good! I’ve made it twice now. Once I used heavy cream and this time just 2% milk. It was great both ways!! Family loves it. It’s a keeper. I’m going to play with adding other things for different flavors. Would love to add mushrooms and maybe artichoke hearts. Thank you for sharing this!
Nerissa says
Can I substitute cream for evaporated milk?
Karen says
yes!
Jess says
I’ve made this recipe twice, and the second time was amazing. What I ended up doing was putting in about a teaspoon of roast garlic in the first step, along with the oil that I used to cook it in, rather than the butter. I also added a large handful of slice cremini mushrooms at that time. I also subbed in whipping cream instead of milk, and it was SOO tasty.
Karen says
That sounds so amazing!
Cyn says
How much is considered a serving for this recipe?
Karen says
about 2 ounces of dry pasta
RJ says
About how long does it take to reach pressure? I am making this tomorrow night for girls night and want to time it out correctly. Thanks!
Karen says
Like 10 minutes
RJ says
I made it yesterday and it was so delicious! One of my friends said it was the best pasta dish she has had in a very long time. I didn’t rinse the sundried tomatoes (I just took them out of the oil) and cooked the chicken separately. Can’t wait to make it again!
Karen says
I’m so glad! It’s so fun to make amazing easy food at home!
barbara english says
hello
can you cook this recipe in the crock pot?
Karen says
I haven’t tried it. Pasta is usually no bueno in the slow cooker so I wouldn’t try it. Maybe stovetop??
Sandy says
I was thinking to add some fresh broccoli to this recipe. Do you suggest I cook together with the pasta and chicken or would it be too mushy? Or maybe if I stir in frozen at the end with spinach it would be better?
Karen says
I would not cook it with the pasta. It would definitely get too mushy. I would add it at the end! I like to use frozen broccoli and run hot water over it in a colander and then stir it in.
Jodi says
I want to double the recipe, do I double the liquid also?
Karen says
Yep!
Judy says
Can you make this in a slow cooker instead and if so what temperature and time?
Karen says
It’d be better on the stove than slow cooker. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/20-minute-tuscan-pasta-freezer-meal/
Deb says
Hi,
I don’t own an IP, but would love to make this in my slow cooker.
Please make this in the SC soon, can’t wait to try this!!!
Janice Fenk says
Can cooked rotisserie chicken be used instead of uncooked chicken?
Karen says
For sure!
Tammy R says
This was very good. I used Tuscan seasoned chicken breasts but still wish it had a little more flavor
And more Sauce. I’m thinking of using fresh garlic (and fresh basil) and adding a little more sauce next time. I also may add artichoke hearts. I added some crushed red pepper at the end to give it a little more flavor. Great recipe and super easy! Thanks.
Karen says
Oh heck yes on the artichokes. That sounds perfect!
Olivia says
Have you tried freezing leftovers? I wonder if it would still taste good after being thawed.
Karen says
I haven’t tried that but I think it would be okay. Probably not great. But okay.
Noelle says
This was AMAZING! I truly enjoyed this recipe ^_^ thank you so much Karen for sharing it! I went with Tammy R’s suggestion and used fresh 1/2tsp of minced garlic and it worked out great. I ended up not having fresh basil :/ and instead I ended up putting kale in my recipe instead. I had fresh kale from the zuppa toscana instant pot recipe (https://www.simplyhappyfoodie.com/instant-pot-zuppa-toscana-sausage-potato-soup/) I ended up making a month ago and I ended up putting it in first before I mixed the cream cheese, milk, and other spices and that seemed to work out well. However, next time I will use basil and most definitely try some crushed red pepper. That sounds like a great idea! Thank you!
Karen says
So glad you liked it Noelle!
Bridget Martin says
I have not tried this yet but will when I gather ingredients.
Comment about Print option for recipes.
I select Print then Change Printer. Instead of printing I Save As PDF.
Your Print version does not include your website name or a link to your page. That would help keep traffic to your site.
BTW the links to products work when saved as PDF. Amazon changed the page you linked for pot but sundries tomato link works.
Thanks.
Karen says
Thanks so much for the ideas Bridget!
Kayla says
Hi Karen,
When I convert 8 oz of pasta it says 1 cup but seems very little to me for 5 servings. How many cup of noodles should I be using?
Karen says
8 ounces is a weight measurement. It will be half a 16 ounce box. Do you have a digital scale?
Jen says
For an Instantpot beginner this was amazing!! Step by step directions, super easy to follow and most importantly a HUGE hit the picky family
Karen says
YES!
Scott says
wow, that was so good. It was our first insta pot recipe, so we were a bit nervous. But it was perfect, my son loved it as well
Karen says
awesome!!
Lane | With Two Spoons says
This sounds amazing-next on my list to make!
Tina says
Family doesn’t like a lot of meat. Can I double all ingredients except chicken? And will it all fit in a 6 qt
Karen says
Yes you can and yes it will.
Amber says
Anyone have an idea what setting they would use on an off brand instapot? I own a aroma and I tried this but definitely didn’t do it right, but I also wasn’t sure which one is high pressure?
Thanks!
Tara says
OMG – Just got my Instant Pot 2 weeks ago. This is the 4th recipe I’ve tried, but the 1st one I have LOVED. Of my 3 kids, my middle son is the pickiest. He was the first one home today and said it smelled so good, so he had to try a bite and HE LOVED IT. WHAT!?!?!? Thanks so much! I used the 8 qt pot. We have a fam of 5, so I tend to make a little more. Had 1.25 lbs of ckn breast, used about 9 oz of pasta, and upped all ingredients just slightly. seriously delish – thank you!
Karen says
Wow Tara! This is great! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jennifer says
I also have a family of 5 and have an 8 quart instant pot. I plan to make this tomorrow night and double the recipe since we are big eaters and like leftovers for lunch the next day. When doubling the recipe, do I need to adjust the cook times from the original recipe? Thank you!
Karen says
Hi Jennifer, you can just keep the same cook times. The pot will just take a little bit of extra time to come to pressure.
MM says
oh my word ! this is SO delicious ! I definitely agree with other poster about restaurant quality 🙂 I found it VERY easy and quick in IP … i used semi frozen chicken tenders (trader joe’s) and penne pasta. cooked exactly to your directions and it was so so good. Thank you ! so glad i saw this on facebook .
Karen says
AWESOME!
Mary says
I used what I had on hand (turkey instead of chicken) and doubled the recipe. I cooked for 4 minutes and did a quick release. Added extra dried basil. It was really good.
Carol says
Making this tonight but on stove I don’t own a pressure cooker
Kylie says
Any idea how you would change it up to do shrimp instead of chicken? (Hubbys birthday request!!) He LOVED this one!!
Thanks!
Karen says
Well shrimp doesn’t need very long at all to cook so I wouldn’t pressure cook the shrimp. Do the first part with the pasta and then maybe stir in the shrimp and cook on the saute (lowest setting) function.
Kylie says
Perfect! Thank you!! 🙂
Allison says
My family liked it but my husband will eat anything. I thought it was bland and way too much cheese sauce relative to the noodles. I wouldn’t make it again.
Tina says
The family loved it thanks ☺
Jayme says
Was thinking of trying this tonight but thought of sautéing the chicken first. Do you think orecchiette pasta would work?
Karen says
Yes that would be amazing!
Jessica says
Great recipe and amazing flavor! I think next time I make this I’ll just make it on the stove. My pasta turned out a tad overdone, but it’s so hard to make pasta in the instant pot! Thanks for a great recipe to add to my collection. 🙂
Karen says
Glad you liked it! This is one of my favorites 🙂
Carrie says
I want to make this but don’t have any sundries tomatoes! Is there a way to substitute fresh or canned? Thanks!
Karen says
Hi Carrie, I bet you could follow the directions on this page and make your own sundried tomatoes in the oven: https://www.thespruce.com/oven-sun-dried-tomatoes-4064025
Christine E says
I am SO new to instapot cooking and I’m wondering about Step 2: When the timer beeps let the pot sit for 5 more minutes (the display will start counting up). Move the valve to “venting.” If foam starts coming out move it back to sealing and wait a few minutes to try again. Once all the pressure is release, remove the lid.
Should I move the valve to ‘venting’ when the timer beeps OR do I need to let the pot sit for 5 more minutes AND THEN move the valve to venting?
The recipe does look delicious & I have chicken thighs in the freezer that I’m going to thaw and use for this meal. I love cavatappi pasta, too, so this really looks tempting! Thank you in advance for your reply – keep those recipes coming! 🙂
Karen says
Hi Christine, sorry for the confusion. Once the pot beeps indicating that the 3 minutes are up…do nothing for 5 minutes. THEN move the valve to venting. Good luck!
Angel says
This was the first recipe I made in my new IP. Doubled it and used beyond chicken at the end. It turned out perfectly and was sooo good. My picky son loved it too. Thanks!!
Karen says
What’s beyond chicken?? Glad you liked it!
Angel says
Thanks. It’s a brand of vegan chicken strips. Just added them at the end and it worked perfectly.
Christy says
Question: Super interesting recipe cannot wait to try.
I am concerned, however, that the chicken will have a somewhat “poached quality”. Do you think it inadvisable to lightly saute the chicken first in a bit of olive oil and a few minced garlic cloves (omitting the garlic powder later)?
Karen says
I think that would make this yummy dish even better!
Jenn says
You say cook using manual pressure cooker function but there are multiple settings with just that low, normal and medium. I have a duo
Karen says
Press the manual button and set the timer. The default is high pressure.
Denise says
This was my very first meal in my instapot tonight and it was fabulous!!!
Karen says
YES! So glad you got an instant pot! You’ll love it 🙂
Leslie says
This was soo good! The flavor was amazing! I made mine with gluten free pasta and when it was done was pretty liquidy. Was thinking of adding more pasta next time.
Karen says
Good to know!
Alexis says
Would cook time or any ingredients change if we omitted the chicken?
Karen says
Nope, keep it the same 🙂
Cynthia says
Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Would like to add bacon to it, any suggestions on how to do that? Used a 6 qt Lux 7 in 1. Thank you!
Karen says
I’d just stir the cooked bacon in at the end!
Kristine says
Thank you Karen, for this wonder recipe. I made it for hubs tonight and it was indeed, restaurant quality. Made it as written except for penne pasta, as that is what I had in my pantry. Planning to serve this when we entertain this Saturday ( a couple I want to impress BTW). Will double the recipe and serve with crusty bread and a salad. Thanks for sharing with us. Keep the recipes coming, I’ll be checking in.
Karen says
Hi Kristine, thanks for the nice note. I’m glad you liked it! I hope you impress your guests 🙂 The crusty bread and salad sound great too!
Moni says
Can this be cooked in a crock pot?
Karen says
I haven’t tried it yet in the crockpot. I need to try it out soon!
emelie says
Absolutely delicious! Husband said it was the best meal I have ever made! Tasted like I ordered it at a fancy Italian restaurant! Thank you!
Karen says
Wow that is quite the compliment. I guess you’ll have to start making this once a week!
Jo says
So yummy! My husband says “It’s a keeper!” We are remodeling our kitchen, so have no stove! Relying on the microwave, crockpot and Instant Pot. Thank you for another great option!
Karen says
Oh that is sometimes stressful isn’t it? I’m glad you have the instant pot. That will help you still get dinner on the table!
Maddison says
I made this and was very disappointed. It was so bland. I even added asparagus to give it more substance. Will try more seasoning next time… maybe cajun or cayanne to spice it up.
Karen says
I’m shocked by this because when I made it is was anything but bland. How much pasta did you use?
Belinda says
This recipe was really delicious! I made it when my in-laws were in town visiting us and our baby, and it convinced them to get an instant pot! Thank you for this recipe!
Karen says
NICE!
Rachael says
This recipe looks soo good!
What are ur thoughts on freezing extra and thawing later? Think it’ll taste as good as fresh? Looking for more IP recipes to cook and freeze… Thanks!
Karen says
I bet it would be fine frozen. Probably not quite as good as fresh but good enough!
Debbie says
Family enjoyed!! First IP recipe made by myself! Easy and delicious!!
Karen says
Way to go Debbie!!
Jillanne says
How much liquid do I add if I wanted to use a whole box of pasta?
Karen says
Is the box 16 ounces? I would double the liquid.
Marg Q says
Hi Karen,
My first time using the Instant Pot (Lux 60 6 in 6)and I’m making the Tuscan chicken pasta recipe and followed the cooking instructions .. 3 min manual. The cooker is still has been counting down for quite a while now.. ie L 4:25. I have a bad feeling I may have messed up. 🙁 Not sure if I should cancel or wait out the time. help 🙁
Karen says
Did the timer go off? when it says L it means that it has switched to warm. You can release pressure and open the pot now.
Kara says
Hi, I’m relatively new to my instant pot. Usually in recipes like this, you need to sauté the chicken first. This isn’t necessary?…does it basically boil the chicken? Sorry if it’s a silly question.
Thanks!
Kara
Karen says
You can saute if you want to add more flavor.
Laura says
I made this tonight and it was excellent! Also want to give you huge kudos for the wonderful step by step directions.
Karen says
THANKS!!!
Cheryl says
Delicious! I doubled the recipe, except for the water, and subbed zoodles i added at the end in place of the pasta, for a delicious keto friendly meal. Thank you!
Karen says
Oh my goodness good idea on the zoodles!
Dee says
I am planning to make this tonight and wonder how I would change the timing if I use gluten free penne pasta. I know sometimes it takes longer to cook but I am also afraid of overcooking the chicken!
Karen says
What does it say on the package? If it says boil for 12 minutes then I would divide that by 2 and subtract 1. So 5 minutes.
Beth says
This will be my first time using my instant pot. I have a 8qt do I use the same cooking time as a 6qt
Karen says
yes it should be the same amount of time!
Mindy says
Delicious! Was particularly surprised how well the pasta cooked–just perfect. My only change was the addition of a little crushed red pepper. Love this recipe!!!!
Karen says
Good call on the red pepper!
Olivia says
I only have the 3qt mini pot. Do I use the same amount of broth and do I cook it the same amount of time?
Karen says
I’m not familiar with the 3 quart. Are you making the recipe as stated above or are you trying to halve it?
Katie says
Sorry if you already answered this-I just bought an instant pot and haven’t tried pasta yet. Im assuming the cavatappi noodles are uncooked as well?
Karen says
yes uncooked! good luck 🙂
Suezy says
Hi! This sounds interesting. Would love to try it. In the beginning of the recipe, you say chicken thighs, but in the instructions you say chicken breasts. I’m sure either one would be fine. Just wondering which you use.
Karen says
I’m so sorry for the confusion. I just corrected the recipe to say breasts.
Suezy says
Thank you
Les says
This was an excellent recipe! Made a double batch for my family and made it again the next night for a friend’s family. Everyone loved it! Got the same reviews you did , ”better than a restaurant”, “best meal ever had”, things like that. ☺Thank you.
Karen says
HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope Anderson says
I don’t have an instant pot but I have a slow cooker. I would like to make this recipe in my slow cooker.
Karen says
I don’t have a slow cooker version of this recipe yet. I will have to see if it will work. I worry about the pasta getting mushy.
Karen Hansson says
Hey Karen. Any nutritional information for your recipes? They look amazing, but I’m accounting for every single calorie these days.
Karen says
I’m sorry I’m not consistent with entering nutrition info. It is very time consuming. You can go to this website and add in the info if you want to see: myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
Megan says
Looks delicious. Do you know if the cook time would change with whole wheat noodles? Thanks.
Karen says
It should be the same…maybe add one minute. What kind of whole wheat pasta are you using?
Sherry says
I really enjoy your recipes. Thank you so much for them. My question is not recipe related. I have a question about trouble I am having when printing your recipes. I close all the ads before I print, but every single time I print anything from your blog, part of the recipe or ingredients list gets cut off. Do you have any suggestions on how to correct that? There aren’t any settings that seem like I can change. Thank you !
Karen says
Dang. I’m sorry. Are you printing off your desktop computer?
Tracy says
I would actually love to see a format change on recipe printing as well if you ever look at making website changes. The recipe always prints as a narrow column, so it can take 2-3 pages. I always reduce to about 50% so that I can get it onto one page. There are many sites that reformat to a recipe as one page that has wide margins when you “click to print”. Thanks for sharing your recipes. Just got an IP for Christmas, so I’m beginning to explore recipe options.
Karen says
Tracy, do you push the print button in the recipe card? Mine prints on the full page. I’m not sure why yours isn’t. I will look into this. Thanks.
Tracy says
Karen, I just went and checked. I wasn’t pressing the Print button on the recipe card. But when I do, it still requires a reduction because it wants to print as 3 pages (for this particular recipe). I don’t know if that is how it is supposed to print.
Also, I’m wondering if you can give me any suggestions on this recipe if you were to sub in wheat noodles instead of white?
Brenna says
The same printing issue happened to me. I printed from the recipe card and it printed two pages but cut off step 3 entirely.
Also, the noodles were soggy even though I did this for 3 min. Any idea why they were like that?
Karen says
Ugh. I’m not sure what’s going on with my print button. I need to figure it out. What kind of noodles did you use?
Pat says
Sherry, just do copy and paste
Jeff says
I would be interested in a cabbage roll soup recipe if there is one for the insata pot.Or are the slow cookers the same recipie
Karen says
I don’t have a recipe for that yet but I need to make one soon. It sounds fantastic.
Cathy Jeppsen says
So yummy. Made it for dinner tonight, it was simple to make and everyone liked it!
Karen says
I just ate my leftovers of this for lunch yum yum
Karen E. says
You can find sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joe’s, or use the ones in oil just drain and pat dry with a paper towels, these usually can be found by the olives in most grocery stores.
Karen says
by the olives!! I wish I would have looked there.
Becky says
Would like to see some diabetic recipes, for slow and pressure cooker.
Francesca Duffy says
Sounds delicious! Would love to see the slow cooker recipe posted sometime. Cheers!!
Michelle Pavano says
Me too! I as disappointed when I realized it was for a pressure cooker.
Karen says
Hi Michelle, anytime it makes sense I make both versions of a recipe. Sometimes making a recipe in the slow cooker just doesn’t make sense because it would actually take more work (unless you have a slow cooker that in like the Ninja that has the stovetop setting). You can make the original version of this recipe on the stovetop. Here is the link: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/2016/03/20-minute-tuscan-pasta-freezer-meal/
Karen says
Hi Francesca, anytime it makes sense I make both versions of a recipe. Sometimes making a recipe in the slow cooker just doesn’t make sense because it would actually take more work (unless you have a slow cooker that in like the Ninja that has the stovetop setting). You can make the original version of this recipe on the stovetop. Here is the link: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/2016/03/20-minute-tuscan-pasta-freezer-meal/
Susan Browning says
The stovetop version doesn’t have spinach but I would like to add it. At what point would I add the spinach?
Karen says
Hi there, just stir it in at the end.
Fran says
You should rename this blog “365 Days of Fast Cooking” or “365 Days of Instant Pot” — because this blog has really changed.
Karen says
Hi Fran, I’m actually in the process of changing the name to 365 days of slow cooking and pressure cooking. I have loved using my pressure cooker. I will always love the slow cooker too but it’s fun to experiment with a new appliance. My blog still has over 1000 slow cooker recipes on it so there’s something for everyone!
Sue says
How would you suggest I adjust the liquid portion/cooking time if I made this dish without the pasta? I’ll probably put it over roasted veggies.
Karen says
So you just want to make chicken in a creamy sauce?
Melissa says
I’m curious too, if I wanted to do just the chicken and sauce. Should I keep same cook time?
Karen says
Yep, same cook time!
Diana says
You mentioned doubling this recipe, would you also double the time or just cook same time? I’m still pretty new to cooking but loving my instant pot.
Karen says
same time!