Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta

from fabeveryday.com
Instant pot
40 min

This Instant Pot chicken pasta recipe is quick to prep, easy and hands-off to make, but full of flavor! My family requests Instant Pot chicken pesto pasta again and again.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoonolive oil
  • 1 ½ poundsboneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
  • ½ mediumonion, finely chopped
  • 2 clovesgarlic, minced
  • 3 ½ cupschicken stock
  • 1 teaspoonsalt
  • ½ teaspoonpepper
  • ¼ teaspoongarlic powder
  • 116-ounce package penne pasta
  • 18-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
  • ½ cupbasil pesto
  • ½ cupshredded parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
  • 1 cupcherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • crushed red pepper, for garnish (if desired)

Directions

  1. 1

    Select the Sauté function on a multi-function electric pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot). Heat the oil in the pot. Add the chicken, onion, and minced garlic to the pot and sauté until the chicken is just starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Push Cancel to end Sauté function, and remove the chicken and onion mixture with a slotted spoon and set aside.

  2. 2

    Add the chicken stock to the pot and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Stir in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

  3. 3

    Add the pasta to the pot, making sure the noodles are evenly submerged in the liquid, but do not stir. Without stirring, layer the cream cheese cubes over the top of the pasta, followed by the reserved chicken and onion mixture. Finally, pour the pesto sauce over the top of everything.

  4. 4

    Close and lock the pressure cooker lid, make sure the pressure/steam release switch is set to sealing, and set the cooking time to 5 minutes at high/normal pressure. It will take about 15 minutes for the pot to reach pressure before the cooking time begins. After the pressure cooking time ends, carefully release the pressure using the manufacturer’s quick release method.

  5. 5

    Open the lid and press Cancel to turn off the pot. Add the parmesan cheese to the pot, stirring until the cream cheese and parmesan cheese have completely blended into the pasta sauce and any noodles that were stuck together have broken up. Let the pasta sit in the pot until the sauce is thickened (about 3 minutes), then stir in the tomatoes. Serve garnished with additional parmesan cheese, and if desired, crushed red pepper.