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 lb. Uncooked Fettuccine Noodles, or preferred pasta
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cubed
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 lb. 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
Equipment
- stirring utensil
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 Tips
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Robin says
I was surprised at how good this was since it was so easy! Layering the pasta as directed—all cooked perfectly and separated easily. I got sidetracked and left the natural release for 14 minutes, don't think it had any effect.
We did add a little cayenne pepper to the leftovers (along with a splash of cream as directed) and I think it enriched the flavors without being spicy.
Thanks for the recipe!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Robin! I'm so glad you made it and even better that you loved it! The ease and comfort of this pasta really make it a winner for us too. Thanks for the feedback .. much appreciated 🙂
Meredith says
Yum!!! So good! I used 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water! Came out perfect! Even the 3 year old enjoyed it! Thanks for the extremely detail instructions it made it almost foolproof!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awww yayyy Meredith! I'm so glad you enjoyed this and especially love to hear when the kiddos give the thumbs up. That is wonderful and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. Thank youuuu 🙂
Jeff says
Made this again recently and a huge hit as always. Chicken Alfredo in the Instant Pot, yep I'm sold on one pot dinners!
Amy says
Do you think I could add broccoli for the full time and it wouldn’t be mushy?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hiya, actually it will overcook and be mushy using the full cook time. I would cook it separately and add before serving. Let me know if you have more questions. Enjoy! 🙂
Vicki says
Hi, if I omitted the chicken, would any other changes be needed?
Thanks!!
The Kitchen Girl says
No, you can make it exactly as it is without the chicken 🙂 Thanks and enjoy!!
Karla says
Halved the recipe but as usual didn't have everything as written! After adding the half & half (substituted for heavy cream) and parmesan after pressure cooking I stirred rotisserie chicken (substituted for chicken breast) into the noodles (substituted for linguine). It turned out great and my husband confirmed it's a keeper recipe! I was worried about mushy pasta so cooked for 4 minutes instead of 5, but some of the noodles were a little chewier than I like so will cook for the 5 minutes next time. Pretty easy, too!
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad you both enjoyed ... it's a favorite over here for sure! Yes, 5 minutes is the minimum for the chicken and fettuccine noodles. We've tested it extensively to get the cook time right, but if you make changes, you may have to adapt. Sounds like you did 😉 Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Cheers!
Elissa says
Hi! I used a substitute for heavy cream (nonfat Greek yogurt and milk) and followed your substitute instructions and it didn’t come out good. Next time I’ll try the recipe as written.
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Elissa! I love NFGY and use it a lot, but I don't think it would create an ideal texture or flavor for chicken Alfredo. I hope you'll give this recipe another go and please let me know if you have questions about other substitutions in the future. Cheers!
Lauren says
I got the burn notice twice because the noodles stuck to the bottom. 🙁 How could I have avoided this?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Lauren, the IP user manual indicates that burn notices usually get sorted out without any action needed. In your case, it sounds like your cooker didn't pressurize properly. The sealing ring not seated properly is THE biggest culprit of this. Make sure to check the ring all the way around the lid before closing it. Hope this helps. Got more questions? I'm here for it 🙂
Mike says
Just made this and awesome is an understatement!
The ease of this dish doesn't match how delicious it is.
Thanks for sharing
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy!! I'm so glad to inspire your Chicken Alfredo happiness 🙂 Sounds like you love it as much as I do! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback. I super appreciate it!
Amanda says
Have you are anyone you know of tried gluten free noodles with this? Or could I just cook the noodles separately?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Amanda, I've had good reports from my readers that say yes, but I haven't tried it myself. Also, there are SO many gf noodles out there. I do recommend going with a thicker GF pasta, one that you know cooks at the same rate as regular pasta 🙂 Also, I recommend cutting the recipe in half when testing. Lmk how it goes!
Lisa says
Could I double the recipe in an 8qt instant pot?
The Kitchen Girl says
I have not, but others have done it with great success. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂 Enjoy!
Deborah says
Do you need to half the recipe if you have a 3 qt Instant Pot, or can you make the whole recipe in a pot that size?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hiya! I believe this recipe can be made as-is in the 3 qt without going over the max fill line. Also, make sure the noodles are short enough to be under the liquid. Enjoy!!
Jennifer says
Made this for supper tonight per the recipe. I got a thumbs up from the whole clan. It’s a keeper!👍🌟
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayyy! I love it when the family approves and so glad you found a keeper for your Instant Pot collection. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback. I really appreciate it 🙂
Kaylee says
Hi can I use chicken breast from frozen in this recipe?
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi! I don't recommend it because it won't cook properly in the given pressure cook time. Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂 Thanks!
Kelly says
This was good. The noodles & sauce were perfect, but my chicken was a bit bland and chewy. When I checked it after the npr, it was almost 165, so I covered it & let it sit for 5 minutes. It shredded easily, so I don't think it was over cooked. I also added salt & pepper. Anyone else experience this or have any suggestions? Maybe if I push it into the sauce it may be more flavorful? Thanks.
The Kitchen Girl says
Actually, chicken overcooks if it goes much above 145°F. Also, yours raised another 5° during your 5 minute rest, so it hit 170°F. That would certainly account for chewy texture. As for flavor, the recipe instructs to stir the chicken into the Alfredo sauce, which is quite salty from the Parmesan cheese. But, you're welcome to add more, or other seasonings. Lmk if you have other questions. Thanks!
Dee Smith says
Just tried this recipe and turned out pretty good. I am cooking for 1 person. Can your recipes be cut down or in half? If so, does it change the time for cooking? I have printed several of your recipes and can't wait to try more of them.
The Kitchen Girl says
Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, all of my recipes can be halved with no change in pressure cook time. Be sure to observe recipe yields for each one bc some yield as little as 6 cups. I would not halve those unless you have a 3 quart pot. 8 cups or more, go for it! Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks!
Debbie says
Sounds delicious can I use boneless thighs
The Kitchen Girl says
Yes! In fact the recipe calls for boneless thighs 🙂 I don't recommend bone-in thighs because they take longer to cook and the pasta will overcook. Let me know if you have further questions. Enjoy!
Pam says
Hi Traci,
Did you use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream? Just curious my grocery stores only carry whipping cream. I can buy the powder through amazon though lol Just curious what you used. ty Pam
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Pam, they are interchangeable. Thanks for asking and enjoy the recipe.
Pam says
Thank you for the reply and I have to say this recipe is the best and easiest out there 100* in my book 🙂 My son is coming home from the Army Saturday and he can't wait to try this .
The Kitchen Girl says
Awww you're so welcome and I'm glad you're as crazy about this chicken alfredo as I am. Enjoy that precious time with your son. I'm honored to be part of your experience in this way. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂 xoxo