Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta [VIDEO]
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta is very easy to make and delicious, made with perfect juicy chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a creamy parmesan sauce. This easy instant pot recipe will quickly become one of your favorite recipes that the whole family loves.
We love making easy and delicious Instant Pot pasta recipes, like our popular Chicken Pot Pie Pasta, IP Pizza Pasta, and the cheesy Pressure Cooker Cheeseburger Macaroni. These are all great recipes you can make during a busy week. Dinner has never been easier and tastier!!
Instant Pot Pasta Recipe
This easy recipe is one of the tastiest things you can make in your electric pressure cooker. The take on the popular Italian dish is very easy to make and amazingly hearty. I love that you only have to dirty your pressure cooker and the end result is a very creamy chicken and cheesy pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.
After you cook the pasta it may look a little runny, don’t worry, you need all that liquid to create the creamy sauce. Also, I like to use a mix of cream cheese and Parmesan cheese because it adds richness and flavor to this delicious dinner.
The secret ingredient that I am also sharing with you, is adding evaporated milk to the pot. As a result, the pasta turns out perfectly cheesy, rich, and very creamy pasta. The sun-dried tomatoes add a bit of chewiness and tartness, while the spinach adds some freshness and a pop of color.
This simple recipe makes for such a hearty and easy weeknight dinner! A winner chicken dinner that will make you love even more your instant pot pressure cooker.
Ingredients Needed:
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this delicious recipe.
Chicken seasoning:
Chicken doesn’t have to be bland if you take a few minutes to mix these dried herbs and sauté the chicken you will end up with a very flavorful Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta dish! Here are the herbs that I used:
- Chicken: we used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs are delicious as well.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- Dried rosemary
- Dried thyme
For the Pasta:
- Olive oil
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic.
- Italian seasoning
- Sun-dried tomatoes: the ones in oil, make sure to absorb excess oil with paper towels.
- Chicken broth: Or chicken stock, for the vegetarian version use veggie broth.
- Evaporated milk: It works better in the pressure cooker than milk or cream that tends to curd.
- Pasta: We like to use small shell pasta, however, rigatoni or penne pasta work as well.
- Cream cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh baby spinach
How to make Instant Pot Tuscan chicken pasta?
For the exact steps and ingredient measures, please see the recipe card below. Also, watch the short video tutorial attached for easy step-by-step guidelines. But the general steps are the following:
- Season the chicken: Whisk the herbs above, and coat the poultry well.
- Saute the meat: Then, using the saute function of the IP, saute the breasts until nicely browned. Remove from the pot, and set aside.
- Add the veggies: Next, add some olive oil to the pot, along with chopped onion, sun-dried tomatoes, seasoning, broth, evaporated milk, and pasta. Mix well, and scratch the bottom of the pot. Add back the chicken.
- Cook: Close the lid and cook under HIGH pressure.
- Cut the poultry: Once done cooking, open the lid and remove the breasts. Chop them into smaller sizes. Add the cream cheese, and shredded parmesan cheese to the pot, and gently stir together. Then, add fresh spinach and mix together.
- Serve: Add back the chicken and serve warm.
Recipe Variations:
- Greens: You can use frozen-thawed and drained spinach instead of fresh. As alternative use kale and garnish the dish with basil leaves.
- Creamier: Also, light cream cheese will work in place of regular if preferred. Another option is to use creme frache.
- Aromatics: Garlic powder could be replaced with fresh, I’d go with about 3 minced garlic cloves.
- Veggies: Also, try adding more veggies like red peppers, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, or zucchini.
- Slow Cooker: If you have a slow cooker, then try making this Slow Cooker Tuscan Pasta.
- Seafood: Replace chicken with Salmon, and make Creamy Tuscan Salmon.
How long do you cook pasta in the Instant Pot?
Pasta is cooked in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cookers, usually between 4-6 minutes, depending on the recipe and type of pasta. Most of the time followed by a Quick Pressure Release.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: First, let the instant pot Tuscan chicken pasta fully cool after that transfer it to an airtight container. Next, refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Again, cool the leftovers and transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: When ready to thaw the frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight.
How do you reheat this dish on the stove?
Usually, when refrigerated the sauce will thicken because the pasta will also absorb the liquid. To reheat, add pasta to a medium-large saucepan over medium heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of milk.
Start with 1/2 cup, stir to combine and if needed add more, until you achieve the desired sauce consistency. You can also add cream instead of milk, or chicken broth.
More Instant Pot recipes:
Cooking Tips:
- You don’t have to pre-cook the pasta for this recipe, you add the uncooked pasta to the pot and cook for 4 minutes.
- Browning the chicken is strongly recommended. This will lock in the flavors, and make this dish extra flavorful.
- You can also add 1 cup of shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese at the end.
- Similarly, this meal can be made with other types of pasta, I like to use large shells or fusilli pasta.
- Instant Pot – I have the 6 quarts one. It makes weeknight meals so much easier.
Easy Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 regular boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4 smaller ones)
Pasta:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth water or veggie broth
- 1 cup evaporated canned milk
- 3 cups shell pasta
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups parmesan grated
- 4-5 cups fresh spinach
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FollowInstructions
- Add salt, pepper, dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to a large shallow bowl and stir to combine.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Once the IP is hot, add the oil.
- Toss chicken in the seasoning mix to coat on both sides and add to the hot oil.
- Cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pot and set aside on a plate, cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- If needed add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot still in Sauté mode.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Italian seasoning and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, stir to combine.
- Add chicken broth and using a wooden spoon, scrape well the bottom of the pot, trying to remove any bits that stuck to it.
- Add the pasta and evaporated milk. Stir gently and top with the chicken breasts.
- Cover and seal the lid. Make sure the valve points to Sealed. Change the setting to manual and adjust the time to 4 minutes on High Pressure.
- Once Instant Pot beeps to show that it's done, do a quick release, by changing the position of the valve to Vent. Carefully remove the cover.
- Remove chicken from pot, and set aside on a cutting board. Cover with foil.
- Select Sauté mode and add the cubed cream cheese. Gently stir to combine for 1 minute.
- Add the parmesan cheese and gently stir to combine for 1 minute.
- Add the spinach and stir to combine.
- Turn off the pressure cooker.
- Cut the chicken into cubes and add to the pot, gently give everything a final stir.
- Serve immediately garnished with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts
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