Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
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A one pot, no fuss, no babysitting dinner! Even the uncooked pasta cooks right in the IP, soaking up all that creamy goodness!
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reasons to make instant pot chicken alfredo
- Super speedy dinner. With a short ingredient list with pantry staples, this homemade alfredo comes together very quickly in just 30 min, start to finish. Perfect for busy weeknights that the whole family will love, even the little ones will gobble this up!
- No babysitting, no fuss. Thanks to the Instant Pot, this is truly a one pot dinner where even the uncooked pasta gets cooked right in the IP soaking up all the saucy, cheesy goodness.
tips and tricks for success
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your alfredo sauce. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Freshly grated cheese goes a long way. While pre-grated Parmesan cheese will save a few minutes in the kitchen, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or domestic Parmesan is ideal. This gives the favorited rich, nutty flavors of alfredo sauce, creating a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Mix it up. Swap out the fettuccine noodles for penne or rotini, use chicken breasts (or tenders) instead of thighs or add in some broccoli florets for sneaked-in veggies.
- Use a bigger Instant Pot when doubling. When doubling the recipe, opt for an 8-qt Instant Pot® instead to allow for enough room, filling just before the max line.
pro tip
Let the pressure naturally reduce for a few minutes.
Letting it sit for about 5 minutes will help avoid a sudden burst of starchy water from the release valve.
what to serve with chicken alfredo
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Additional chicken stock can be used for white wine as a non-alcoholic substitute.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Penne or rotini would work very well here!
Pasta is very starchy, causing foam to spray from the valve. Natural release for 5 minutes first, then carefully pulse the steam release valve to allow the foam to settle until the pressure is fully released.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, adding a splash of chicken stock as needed when reheating.
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces fettuccini noodles, broken in half
- 3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Melt butter; add chicken, and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute; set aside chicken.
- Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in chicken stock, heavy cream and pasta; top with chicken. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 6 minutes. When finished cooking, natural-release for 5 minutes first, then quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Stir pasta; let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until half the liquid has reduced, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan until melted, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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This was truly delicious. Made it for dinner last night.
Although I was caught off guard when the vent started to sputter sauce, I pushed through it and it turned out perfect. My family devoured it so I will definitely be making it again.
I just made this for dinner and it was amazing!!!!
Loved this recipe! Want to make it again for more people…would the cooking time change if I doubled the recipe?
Consistently one of my go-to recipes for an easy, delicious week night dinner! Always a crowd favorite!
This was delicious! Definitely adding this to my rotation.
This was so great and so easy on a work night! Thanks so much for your amazing recipe!!!
We loved this, it’s an easy dinner for days when you can’t do much. Very damn delicious, I will worry about the carbs tomorrow. Would love to know cooking time for a double batch.
We did double batch and doubled time/ I set an alarm on my phone 4 mins less than double time and checked the food- it was ready to go and still delicious
I tried this recipe and it was almost a disaster! The “quick release” squirted Alfred sauce all over my kitchen. After cleaning that up I put my pot on sauté and cooked off the excess liquid after about 40 minutes. We’ll have it for dinner tomorrow. Fingers crossed!!
I used Italian seasoning with salt and pepper on the chicken along with shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese with parmesan at the end and it came out amazing.
As the website says…..”Damn delicious”!! That turned out so good. Who needs Olive Garden with this recipe and an Instant Pot!!!
Yum!!! Made it for the first time tonight. Chicken came out a littleee dry but I realized 3/4 through browning the chicken I needed the sauté on high (defaulted to med) so maybe that was the issue. I did have to put a teensy bit of arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce however I did put a little more broth (used beef as that’s what I had opened) than called because I used 1.5lbs of chicken. Other than that, it was easy and will be making again!! Thanks!
ps. 4.5/5 stars for me!! I didn’t see the rating option.
Amazing! Made with GF noodles, fast and delicious!
Best fettuccine Alfredo recipe ever!!!!! Can’t believe it was so easy to make?!
Hands down best/easiest alfredo sauce!! I have tried many alfredo recipes before and oftentimes are too thick or the flavor lacks. This was SPECTACULAR — thin, but just enough flavor to coat the noodles. Served with a side of broccoli. Adding this one to the tried & true recipe book!
This is a great recipe for the Instant Pot. Instead of chicken, I usually add broccoli florets after step 5.
What if you use frozen noodles??
well it might do the same thing hopefully
Whoa! I just made this for lunch and this is possibly the best alfredo sauce I’ve ever tasted! And I made it?! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. As a note, I made this without the white wine (I didn’t have any on hand) and it’s still divine.
Can I make this in slow cooker as well?
The pasta was phenomenal, but my chicken was dry unfortunately. Will have to spring for the chicken thighs next time or just cook the chicken separately. I also added a squeeze of lemon on top to brighten it up. Thanks for the recipe!
Should I cut up the chicken before cooking it in the instant pot or wait until it’s done cooking?