Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Creamy parmesan garlic sauce coats tender chicken and pasta in this comforting Italian-American favorite, ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), cut into bite-size pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine, broken in half

→ Dairy

03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Liquids

06 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
10 - ½ tsp dried Italian seasoning (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
12 - Extra parmesan (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode. Melt the butter, then add the chicken pieces. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until just starting to turn golden (do not fully cook). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
02 - Cancel 'Sauté' mode. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
03 - Layer the pasta over the chicken. Press lightly so the pasta is slightly submerged but do not stir.
04 - Seal the Instant Pot. Cook on 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' (high pressure) for 6 minutes.
05 - Carefully quick release the pressure. Open the lid, add the heavy cream and parmesan. Stir vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and the pasta is fully coated and creamy.
06 - Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra parmesan if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce comes out impossibly creamy and clings to every strand of pasta without any fancy technique
  • You get that slowcooked depth of flavor in literally thirty minutes start to finish
  • The whole dish happens in one pot so cleanup is just a quick wipe down
02 -
  • The sauce will look thin at first but thickens beautifully as you stir and the pasta releases its starch
  • Layering pasta without stirring before pressure cooking prevents the dreaded burn error message
  • Quick releasing instead of natural releasing keeps the pasta from turning into mush
03 -
  • Use a wooden spoon to scrape the pot bottom after adding broth to prevent burning
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold cream straight from the fridge

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