Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo (Print)

Tender chicken and fettuccine in a rich parmesan garlic cream sauce, made effortlessly in the Instant Pot.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-size pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine, broken in half

→ Dairy

03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Liquids

06 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
10 - ½ tsp dried Italian seasoning

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Extra parmesan cheese

# How To Make It:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode. Melt the butter, then add the chicken pieces. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until just starting to turn golden (do not fully cook). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
02 - Cancel 'Sauté' mode. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
03 - Layer the pasta over the chicken. Press lightly so the pasta is slightly submerged but do not stir.
04 - Seal the Instant Pot. Cook on 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' (high pressure) for 6 minutes.
05 - Carefully quick release the pressure. Open the lid, add the heavy cream and parmesan. Stir vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and the pasta is fully coated and creamy.
06 - Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing all that garlic parmesan flavor instead of boiling in plain water
  • One pot from start to finish means almost zero cleanup—just your instant pot insert and a serving spoon
  • The sauce thickens beautifully as you stir it, coating every strand perfectly without any separate roux or reduction step
02 -
  • The sauce will look thin immediately after adding cream, but keep stirring—it thickens beautifully in those first few minutes
  • Quick release the pressure as soon as the 6 minutes are up, otherwise the pasta continues cooking and can turn mushy
  • Freshly grated parmesan makes or breaks this recipe—the pre-grated stuff just won't give you that smooth, velvety texture
03 -
  • If your pasta feels slightly underdone after pressure cooking, let it sit in the hot sauce for 2-3 minutes before serving
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well in the microwave—just add a tablespoon of cream or water and stir halfway through

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