Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo is a one-pot creamy chicken pasta for the whole family. If you want a meal that practically makes itself, add chicken Alfredo in the Instant Pot to your pressure cooker collection!
Calling all busy people and pressure cooker newbies! Get ready to crush dinner with my Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo. Just like my Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole, this toss-and-go Chicken Alfredo practically makes itself into a creamy, delicious dinner in minutes! Many families have told me it rivals my Taco Pasta and Lasagna Soup in convenience, comfort, and flavor. I think they're right!
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo ingredients
Ingredient amounts available in full printable recipe below.
- fettuccine - You can substitute a thick pasta of equal thickness (like elbow mac or bow tie). Angel hair is not recommended because it will overcook in said cooking time.
- water - or chicken broth or vegetable broth
- heavy cream - also called whipping cream. If using light whipping cream, half and half, or milk, wait to add until after cooking to avoid curdling (see recipe footnotes).
- butter - or olive oil
- fresh garlic - garlic powder is fine, but fresh is the best
- uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast - or boneless chicken thighs. Bone-in chicken is not recommended. If using precooked chicken or turkey, add it after the pressure cook cycle to prevent it drying out.
- salt and pepper - these can be added to taste
- shredded Parmesan cheese - or grated Romano (or even cream cheese)
- parsley - optional garnish
How to make Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo (chicken fettuccine) step by step
Get the full printable recipe card below.
- Break FETTUCCINE noodles in half and scatter in crisscross patterns in the Instant Pot.
2. Add WATER and HEAVY CREAM. Press the pasta under the liquid and don't stir.
Note: If using half and half or milk, wait to add until after cooking to avoid curdling.
3. Scatter BUTTER and GARLIC on the surface. Then lay whole chicken breast(s) seasoned with salt and pepper on top of noodles. The chicken will sit above the liquid. Note: if you double the chicken (and not the pasta), it's possible the pasta can become weighed down and not cook properly.
4. Select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" 5 minutes on HIGH followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release. Carefully open the pressure valve to release any remaining steam. There might be no steam and that's perfectly fine.
5. Open the lid and test the chicken to confirm 165°F minimum internal temperature in the center. Transfer chicken to a covered dish.
6. Stir the cooked pasta and sauce together. It might seem like too much liquid at first, but it will get absorbed by the pasta. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot with the pressure valve turned to "Venting". Allow chicken and pasta to rest about 5 minutes.
Note: If you're in a hurry, you can hit the "Saute" button and cook the excess liquid down faster, stirring as needed.
7. Shred the chicken breast.
8. Stir Parmesan cheese into the pasta in small amounts. Once the noodles are saucy and creamy, stir in shredded chicken. Serve warm.
Note: You can always add more Parmesan cheese, but I bet you knew that already.
Chicken Alfredo Instant Pot tips
We love reader feedback! Countless people have shared outstanding results for texture, flavor, consistency, and ease of use with this chicken Alfredo recipe. Others have discovered that if you stray from key ingredients and/or instructions, or if there's an issue with your cooker, you'll get bummer results.
That said, here are my tips for success based on reader feedback and my own test kitchen experiences.
Cooking tip #1: For the love of all things food safety, frozen whole chicken breast must be thawed completely because it will not reach the proper internal temperature in said cooking time. Adding cook time is not a good solution because it will overcook the pasta.
Cooking tip #2: Always allow the full 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR) after the cooker is done because the chicken AND the pasta are still cooking.
Cooking tip #3: When you first open the lid after pressure cooking, be sure to confirm 165°F minimum internal temperature of the chicken breast for food safety reasons.
Cooking tip #4: If your chicken breast doesn't reach 165°F (which is uncommon with this recipe), set it back on top of the pasta and run a 1-minute high pressure cook cycle with a 5 minute NPR. Test the temperature again.
Cooking tip #5: After pressure cooking, when first stir everything together, you'll see some excess liquid. This is how it's supposed to look. Keep calm and carry on.
Cooking tip #6: If you want softer pasta after the cook cycle is done, remove the cooked chicken breast and press the "saute" button to continue heating the pasta. Stir as needed and add a splash of liquid to help it stay creamy.
What to serve with Chicken Alfredo
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound Uncooked Fettuccine Noodles, or preferred pasta
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cubed
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (whole), we'll shred after cooking
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 4 cups Water, or broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream, also called heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, shaved, shredded, or fresh grated
- ¼ cup Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Break FETTUCCINE noodles in half and scatter in crisscross patterns in the Instant Pot.
- Scatter BUTTER and GARLIC over the noodles.
- Lay whole CHICKEN BREAST(s) on top of the noodles. Add SALT and PEPPER. (The chicken gets shredded after it cooks).
- Add WATER and HEAVY CREAM to the pot. Push the pasta under the liquid to submerge. *See recipe footnote for instructions on using an alternate to heavy cream.
- Secure the lid. Turn pressure valve to "Sealing" position. Select "Manual" or "Pressure cook" on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes.
- When pressure cook cycle completes, let the pot sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR).DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP because the chicken and pasta are still cooking!
- Carefully turn the pressure valve to the "Venting" position to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid and use a quick-read thermometer to confirm chicken breast is at least 165°F. Press "Cancel" on the Instant Pot. Transfer chicken to a covered dish and let it rest 3-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, use clean tongs to stir the cooked fettuccine noodles into the liquid until well-combined. Separate the fettucine noodles from each other, as needed. It's going to look watery, but it won't for long, I promise.
- Add the PARMESAN CHEESE to the cooked pasta, stirring until evenly distributed. Loosely cover the pot and let it rest about 3-5 minutes.
- Shred or slice the chicken and stir it into the pasta.
- Serve warm. Garnish with PARSLEY (optional).
Storage and reheat instructions
- To store, cool the pasta completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to five days.
- To reheat, add a splash of liquid or heavy cream to revive the creaminess (you'll need this because the pasta soaks up the excess moisture). If you add too much liquid, stir in more Parmesan to get the thickness you want.
Traci's Recipe Notes
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Pat says
OMG.....I made this chicken alfredo the other night. It was sooooo good and even better the next day. Hubby loved it. Very easy recipe.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! So glad to hear it was a hit! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Debbie says
This is the second time I have made this recipe. This time I added peas after cooking. It is so good and so easy. Definitely a keeper.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome! Yeah, this is definitely one of our favorite Instant Pot dinners. I'm so glad you're enjoying it and thanks so much for the feedback 🙂