Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo is a toss-and-go one-pot creamy chicken pasta for the whole family. If you want a meal that practically makes itself, add THIS Instant Pot chicken fettuccine to your pressure cooker collection!
Calling all busy people and pressure cooker newbies! Get ready to crush dinner with my Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo. This dump-start chicken fettuccine practically makes itself into a creamy, delicious dinner the whole family will agree on...even the kids! It rivals my Taco Pasta and Instant Pot Spaghetti in convenience, comfort, and flavor.
Instant Pot chicken alfredo ingredients
Visit recipe card below ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️️ for printable amounts and instructions
- fettuccine - or linguini (or any pasta)
- water - or chicken broth or vegetable broth
- heavy cream
- butter
- fresh garlic - garlic powder ok too
- boneless skinless chicken breast - or chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
- shredded Parmesan cheese
How to make Instant Pot chicken alfredo (chicken fettuccine)
Visit recipe card below ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️️ for printable amounts and instructions
- Add ingredients to the Instant Pot - fettuccine, water, heavy cream, chicken breast, salt, and pepper.
- Pressure cook and depressurize - pressure cook 5 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Remove chicken - open the lid, transfer chicken out of the pot, check internal temperature, cover and rest 5 minutes, then shred into bite-sized pieces.
- Stir and rest - stir pasta and liquid until well-combined, close lid and let pasta rest for 5 minutes to absorb excess liquid.
- To serve - open lid, stir in Parmesan cheese, and add shredded chicken.
What to serve with chicken alfredo
- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Lemony Kale Salad
- Garlicky Oven Roasted Mushrooms
- Homemade French Bread
- Crostini Bread
Chicken Alfredo Instant Pot tips & FAQ
How to prevent pasta clumping
Break and scatter long noodles in the Instant Pot. Add liquids and press the noodles under the liquid surface. After pressure cooking, stir noodles and liquid thoroughly, then allow to rest so pasta can absorb excess liquid.
Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
Yes! But don't add it until after the pressure cook cycle is complete because it will overcook and become dry.
Can I use frozen chicken breast for Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo?
You can use frozen chicken tenders or Costco's frozen diced uncooked chicken for this recipe. But whole frozen chicken breast MUST be fully thawed for this recipe. This is because the pasta will overcook while the pot compensates to cook the frozen chicken. However, frozen chicken tenders do not require thawing because they're thin enough to cook in the given time.
Chicken breast vs chicken thighs
Your choice! You can use breast or thighs interchangeably, but they MUST be boneless to fully cook within the said pressure cook time. If you use bone-in chicken, you'll risk overcooking the past because you need longer cook time.
Why cook the chicken breast whole?
I cook the breast whole (as opposed to cutting into pieces) for convenience and moisture. Shredding chicken breast after cooking = less handling of raw chicken before cooking, which reduces cross-contamination. It also keeps juices in tact until you shred it. I do the same thing with my Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls.
Even though I haven't had a problem with chicken reaching the proper internal temperature, I always recommend testing it for good measure. As you can see in this photo, this chicken breast hit 205°F after the 5 minute pressure cook cycle, which is well over the recommended 165°F.
It won't look like creamy alfredo right when you open the lid
When you first open the lid after pressure cooking the pasta, it's not creamy yet, and it might even look scary for a minute (like the picture above). Trust me, it will be fine. Just stay the course of the recipe instructions and don't stray. I promise, it will be creamy. Just like this...
Recommended tools
- 6 quart Instant Pot
- oven mitt (optional to use to open pressure valve)
- tongs
- meat thermometer
More Instant Pot pasta dinner recipes
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Lasagna Soup for Instant Pot or Stove
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Orzo Italian Sausage Soup
- Instant Pot Shrimp Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce
- Ham and Peas Alfredo
More pasta recipes to love
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 16 oz Uncooked Fettuccine Noodles or any pasta
- 4 cups Water or broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter cubed
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast whole (do not cut)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 cup Parsley chopped
Recipe Instructions
- Break FETTUCCINE pasta in half and scatter in the Instant Pot.
- Pour WATER and HEAVY CREAM over the pasta. Push the pasta under the liquid to submerge it.
- Scatter BUTTER pieces and GARLIC over the pasta noodles.
- Lay whole CHICKEN BREAST on the pasta and add SALT and PEPPER. (we'll shred the chicken after it cooks) *see recipe footnote
- Secure the lid; turn pressure valve to "Sealing" and pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
- When cook cycle completes, let the pot sit undisturbed for a 10-minute (NPR) natural pressure release. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP ... the chicken and pasta are still cooking! *see recipe footnote
- Safely turn pressure valve to "venting" position to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid and use a meat thermometer to confirm chicken breast is 165°F minimum. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover with foil.
- Let the pasta and chicken rest for 5 minutes. Then shred or slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces, cover, and set aside.
- Stir SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE into the pasta. Do this in small amounts to avoid clumping (trust me on this one). If it starts to clump, rest the lid on the pot and allow it to rest a few minutes.
- When pasta and cheese are saucy and creamy, stir in the CHICKEN.
- Serve warm garnished with PARSLEY.
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.
RECIPE NOTES
You can use frozen chicken tenders in place of fresh chicken breast. Can I use pre-cooked chicken? Yes! But don't add it until after the pressure cook cycle is complete because it will overcook and become dry. INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTION IDEAS:
- Use chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts for even juicier results.
- Use half and half or milk in place of heavy cream (add it after the pressure cook cycle is done, otherwise it can curdle)
- Substitute linguini noodles (or any pasta) for fettuccine.
- You can use cooked chicken (such as shredded chicken, canned chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Don't add it until after the pressure cook cycle because it will become dry from overcooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
More EASY DINNER RECIPES from Kitchen Girl
Can I double the chicken?
Sure! I'm pretty sure you don't need to increase the timing either. But, to be on the safe side, make sure every chicken piece registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer before shredding it. Enjoy the recipe 🙂
This recipe looks delicious, but I would need to halve the recipe. I assume I halve all the ingredients, but would I need to adjust timing at all?
Hi Annie, you can cut it in half but keep the same timing. Hope you enjoy as much as we do 🙂 Thanks!
I made this for dinner tonight. Excellent. My husband loved it. I just added a little extra S&P at the end and it was a perfect weeknight meal with leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thank you and so appreciate.. from Phoenix
Awesome!!! Sounds like you love it like we do 🙂 I truly appreciate this feedback...I'm so glad you enjoyed!
Hi!
If I wanted to add broccoli to it, when would be the best time to do so?
Hi Alyssa, I would cook it separately and add it at the end. It will become mushy if cooked with the pasta. Let me know if you have more questions 🙂
second time making this. My family loves it!
Awesome, Renee! It's popular in our house too 🙂 I always look forward to Chicken Alfredo night. Thanks for taking the time to let me know...really appreciate it ????
I made this, but I doubled the noodles and water. I also added sour cream, spices, mushrooms, onions and broccoli. Sooo good! I was nervous that the pasta would stick together or be too hard, but it was perfect!
Thank you!!
Awesome, Mkenzie! So glad you gave it a go and experimented. Love those add-ins...we do something similar 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to review...much appreciated! ????
I'm taking one star off because it needed a lot more seasoning (I used Tony's, red pepper and more black pepper) but the ease, consistency and creaminess make adding the extra spices so worth it! After I doctored it up to my taste, it was easily the best chicken alfredo I've ever made!
Hi Cindy, this classic chicken alfredo isn't intended to be spicy. I'm a super fan of creole, but my Cajun Chicken Alfredo just hasn't hit the blog yet. Anywho, glad you found your happy place with the seasonings 🙂
Hi, if I doubled the noodles, how would that affect the other ingredients and cooking time?
Hi Caitlin, if you're doubling the noodles, double everything. You don't need to adjust the pressure cook time either. The Instant pot will take care of it for you.
Delicious!! Perfect for a night where I don't feel like cooking. The kids LOVED it. Next time I will add some bacon and serve with veggies.
Yay, Jessica! Always a WIN when the kids give it the thumbs up too! BIG thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. SO appreciated ???? Happy ???????????????? to you and yours!
This chicken alfredo beats the socks off jarred alfredo and just as easy! I'm no cook, but this dish makes me look like one. Highly recommend following this recipe TO A TEE bc Instant Pot Alfredo can be tricky. Pro tip: add bacon or peas or whatever "after" everything has cooked ????????
Awesome! I love it that a one-pot, dump-and-start alfredo pasta can make a rockstar dinner maker out of a non-cook. Win win!!! Thank you 🙂
Can I made this without the chicken?
Hi Sara, you sure can! You'll need to adjust the time to 2 minutes pressure cook (instead of 5 minutes) and still do the 10 minute natural pressure release. Enjoy!
Can I use silk almond (milk) ?
You're welcome to, but it will likely lack the richness. Could always add parmesan cheese.
Thanks, Janet...sounds like you'll have it dialed in for next time. Enjoy! 🙂