This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta is an easy to make dish that your family is going to love. It’s creamy, tangy, and so very simple to make in your electric pressure cooker.
If you’re a fan of easy Instant Pot recipes, this will be right up your alley!
This is one of our “emergency meals” for those nights when I haven’t planned ahead. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand already and since I just dump everything in the Instant Pot, prep time is next to nothing.
There are some weeks when our already busy family life gets a little more chaotic. Two sporting events at the same time in different locations, a shopping trip for school project supplies, an appointment that runs late — any of these can throw off our schedule and make it a little bit harder to honor our tradition of eating together as a family each night.
Ideally, every one of our meals would be 100% nutrient-rich, delicious, and made with careful attention to details. On nights when a sit-down dinner is looking like a near-impossibility, I throw those high standards out the window and aim for quick, appealing to the kids (because on nights like these a single complaint from the kids is likely to turn me into the Hulk), and not completely lacking nutrients.
Those are the nights that this Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta was made for. It’s a recipe that’s easy enough that the kids can make it, if necessary. It’s ready in under 30 minutes (and that includes time for the pot to come to pressure), just like my Instant Pot Tomato Feta Pasta.
And best of all, the kids eat it without complaining so I don’t have to lose my mind and start yelling about how ungrateful my family is.
How to Make Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta
To make this Creamy Chicken Pasta dish, you are going to need the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
- 1 packet of Italian dressing mix
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 box of rotini pasta
- 1 block of cream cheese
- 1 10-ounce bag of frozen peas and carrots
Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, you’re already halfway done with dinner!
Step 1 – Mix the Ingredients
First, pour the chicken broth into your Instant Pot.
Then add the butter, cream of chicken soup, Italian dressing mix, chicken, and pasta. Stir well to mix in the dressing mix.
Step 2 – Pressure Cook
Secure the lid of your Instant Pot and turn the valve to “sealing.” Press the Manual button (or Pressure Cook button on newer models).
Set the pressure to high and time for 4 minutes.
When the Instant Pot beeps at the end of the cook time, let it release pressure naturally for about 6 to 7 minutes before turning the valve to “venting” to quick release the remaining pressure.
Step 3 – Add Remaining Ingredients
Once the pressure has fully released (the pressure valve will drop), carefully remove the lid. Then, add the cream cheese and frozen peas and carrots and stir to combine.
A quick note about the vegetables: I used a 10-ounce bag of peas and carrots but actually didn’t use the whole bag. In the recipe card below, I specify two cups because that’s about what I added. Just eyeball it as you add your vegetables to get the proportion you think is right for your family’s taste.
Replace the lid and let it sit for another 5 minutes to steam the vegetables and melt the cream cheese. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir again to incorporate the cream cheese.
Your Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta is ready to serve! If you want, you can sprinkle on some fresh Italian herbs (e.g. basil, parsley, oregano) and/or parmesan cheese.
Can I use Frozen Chicken Breasts?
Yes, you can! But know that frozen chicken breast release extra liquid while they cook. I recommend reducing the amount of broth by 1/4 cup.
Can I Add More Vegetables and Seasoning?
Absolutely! I often switch up this recipe depending on what I have on hand.
Some additions we’ve tried are:
- Mushrooms (canned or fresh)
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Zucchini
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe
📋 Recipe
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 10.5 oz cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into cubes
- 1 16 oz box rotini pasta
- 1 8 oz block cream cheese 1 block
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
Instructions
- Add the butter, chicken broth, cream of chicken, Italian dressing mix, pasta, and chicken to the Instant Pot
- Mix the ingredients well.
- Close the Instant Pot and turn the valve to “sealing.”
- Press the Manual or the Pressure Cook button, high pressure, and set time to 4 minutes.
- Once the cook time is done, allow for a natural release for about 6 to 7 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Open the Instant Pot and add the cream cheese and the peas and carrots and stir. Put the lid back on the Instant Pot.
- Wait about 5 minutes then open the Instant Pot and stir the contents again until the cream cheese is mixed in.
This is such a very comforting food! Love this recipe!
Oh good, I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for commenting.
Can I use frozen chicken? And do you know the additional cook time?
You add an additional 2 minutes when you use frozen chicken.
Is there anything that I can use as a substitute for the cream cheese?
Since the cream cheese is what makes the sauce creamy, you can really substitute anything that achieves the same result. If you just don’t like the flavor of cream cheese, ricotta is a good substitute. You can also use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, but the result will be a thinner sauce and the flavor will be different.
I have a question about an ingredient on this recipe. Your photos show a packet of ranch dressing mix, but your recipe says Italian dressing mix and the optional additions states Italian seasoning. Could you please clarify?
You really can use either. This recipe is one of my favorites since I can work with items I have on hand. We’ve used both, but personally, I prefer the Italian dressing mix so that’s how I wrote the recipe. Both are tangy and flavorful, so it’s really up to your personal preference. Swapping one for the other doesn’t change the quantities needed of the other ingredients, just the flavor.
Very easy recipe and very tasty. Love using the Instant Pot
Did you cut up the chicken beforehand or shred it after cooking?
I cut the chicken into cubes before adding it to the pot.