This 30 minute Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo recipe is a staple of our monthly meal rotation. Creamy, cheesy, and garlicky, it’s a pasta that makes everyone happy!
Love alfredo? This easy one pan Spinach Alfredo Pasta is a family favorite. Simply dump it all in a 13×9, bake, and enjoy! Or try our alfredo stuffed shells for an easy freezer recipe.
Instant Pot Alfredo Recipe
Making alfredo is already a simple dinner. For instance, this Sausage Alfredo is ready in under 30 minutes.
So why choose the instant pot?
Well, for one, less mess. The pasta, chicken and sauce all cook in ONE pot. Makes clean up so easy.
It’s also a wonderful method to use if you want a level of “set it and forget it” to your cooking. You can leave the pasta and chicken while it cooks and trust that it’s cooked to perfection when the timer goes off.
- 7 simple ingredients.
- One pot recipe.
- Extra creamy sauce.
- Perfect Parmesan flavor.
- An easy kid-friendly dinner any night of the week!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast. Boneless skinless chicken thighs make a great substitute!
- Heavy cream. Gives chicken alfredo the cream quality alfredo sauce is famous for.
- Chicken broth. Combines with the heavy cream to form a delicious savory sauce.
- Pressed garlic. For that irresistible aromatic flavor.
- Fettuccini noodles. Other long noodles can be used. Break them in half so they all fit into your Instant Pot.
- Parmesan cheese. Because what’s chicken alfredo without it? Grate it fresh before adding to the cooked pasta and sauce.
Recipe FAQs
In this recipe, the chicken breast should be sliced after cooking. This ensures it is done at the same time as the pasta and Alfredo sauce.
Chicken Alfredo is a versatile meal that tastes great with most vegetables.
Serve it with steamed broccoli and a mixed green salad for a full meal. Roasted vegetables would be delicious with this pasta dish too.
Store leftover Chicken Alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat and enjoy within 3-5 days.
For a little spice, sprinkle a few crushed red pepper flakes on your alfredo pasta before serving. If you love a super garlicky pasta, feel free to add a clover or two of additional pressed garlic, or a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Easy Instant Pot Alfredo Tips
- This recipe can easily be doubled without changing the cook time.
- You can also choose to skip the chicken altogether and make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth.
- Leftovers are great. Reheat with a splash of milk in the microwave.
- Some people LOVE their fettuccine alfredo thick and creamy. You can add in some cubes of cream cheese if this is you. My husband would freak if I did this, as he is a purist, haha!
- If you’d like your noodles a little more al dente, you can cut back the cook time by 2 minutes. But, I would first saute the chicken for two minutes then, to make sure it’s fully cooked. You can do this by setting your Instant Pot to saute, sear the chicken for two minutes, remove, then follow the directions as written, except cut your cooking time by 2 minutes.
- Love to add garlic to everything? This recipe calls for about 1 tsp of fresh minced, but feel free to add to your liking.
Want more Instant Pot Recipes?
Well, good news. I’ve got some great recipes up my sleeve for the New Year, so stay tuned.
- In the meantime, how about starting with the basics. Like this recipe for Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs. The simple 5-5-5 method for making perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs. You’ll be amazed at how easily they peel, and how creamy and delicious they taste!
- No more all day cooking to make a batch of fresh applesauce. This homemade Instant Pot applesauce recipe is ready for dinner tonight!
- Looking for a delicious, easy weeknight dinner idea? This Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole recipe is the perfect comfort food, and ready in under 30 minutes! Tastes just like mom’s homemade stuffed peppers, only easier and quicker!
- Tender roasted, Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches cooked in the Instant Pot. Piled on a crusty french roll with extra cheese, this flavorful dinner is then dipped in au jus!
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pressed garlic
- ½ pound fettuccini noodles broken in half
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, set your Pressure Cooker on your counter and plug it in. Find a safe spot that when you release the pressure, you have clearance above.
- Next, layer your ingredients in the order specified. This makes a difference. Start by adding your chicken broth, then heavy whipping cream, and fresh pressed garlic.
- Do not stir. Next, break your fettuccine noodles in half. This helps them fit in the pressure cooker. Place them in your milk and broth mixture gently, moving around slightly until they are covered completely.
- Top with 1 pound fresh chicken breast (or frozen actually works with this recipe too). Lay over the top (they don't need to be covered with liquid.
- Secure your lid and make sure your vent is turned to pressure (each version is different so check your manual to make sure you understand how to prep your Instant Pot for cooking).
- Set your Instant Pot for "Manual" for 8 minutes. Allow it to come to pressure, then the timer will count down the 8 minutes.
- Once the 8 minutes are done, allow it to "NATURALLY" release (meaning don't touch it) for an additional 8 minutes. Once that time is up, do a QUICK RELEASE.
- Open carefully (away from your face so the steam doesn't burn you)! Remove the chicken (to shred it, or slice it). Then add the parmesan cheese. I use freshly shredded parmesan (not the green can stuff). Stir your noodles with the cheese, then add back your chicken. Salt and pepper, generously, to taste.
- Allow it to sit for about 1 or 2 minutes to thicken if needed.
Notes
- For best results, pound your chicken breasts to even thickness.
- If using frozen chicken, cook time will remain same, but pot may take longer to come to pressure.
Video
Nutrition
Easy, inexpensive and completely delicious Chicken Alfredo Pasta is even easier when you use your Instant Pot!
I’ve been looking for meals to use with my new instant pot. I tried a few out and they all came out not what they were supposed to. This is the first meal that came out as it should have. The instructions were clear and included those small things a newbie would want to know.
The pasta came out really good and I’m excited for the next one!
Super good recipe! I doubled the recipe in the 6 quart Duo and it worked. I just did 10 minutes pressure cooker time instead Of 8 and about 15 minutes natural release. It was so good!
I made the chicken Alfredo, turned out pretty good. I’m new to Instant pot and was Wondering why you aren’t supposed to stir everything together?
This is a fantastic recipe! It stays on our monthly meal plan rotation! Depending on how many teens will be joining us for dinner I double it sometimes and it works in my 6 qt instant pot. I do make sure to put a towel over the vent when I do the release as it tends to spew liquid out. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome recipe which took about half an hour to make, for our family of two kids and the Mrs! Thanks again!
on the alfredo recipe; have you made it with fresh pasta? my husband has a wheat sensitivity so i make our pasta from einkorn flour. i can buy it in boxes from jovial foods as well, but i was just curious about using fresh pasta. thank you so much!
Hi, thank you for the recipe. I have made this 2x now and I really like the flavor. Both times it has come out very soupy thoug. Can you offer any advice for this? Can you double in a 6qt pot if the pot is only halfway full?
It was really good. I used Alfredo sauce instead of cream.
I tried the recipe for the chicken alfredo and turn out great except that I noticed the cream had curdled when opening the lid of the instant pot
My Italian grandmother called me from the grave.
She is coming out to look for you and that abomination.
Pasta Alfredo is something that can be defined as “Italian”in your American dreams, and the best way to cook pasta in a pressure cooker is by throwing the damn pressure cooker out the window, put water in a pot (good news: you can add salt whenever you like), wait for it to boil and then add pasta.
The sauce (not Alfredo, not with chicken) should be prepared in a SEPARATE pot, and the two should meet only before marriage (think an Indian arranged marriage).
Ah, and fettuccine (not fettuccini, what the BEEP is fettuccini) should NOT be broken in half. Unless you want to meet my grandfather as well, who died 16 years before my grandmother.
To sum it all up, visit the local McDonald’s.
It’s better.
Lmfao get over yourself dude
Wow, chill out. It’s an adaptation of a recipe for an instant pot. Chicken Alfredo isn’t even an Italian recipe, it’s American.
Fabio – dude, have some wine, take a xanax and back away from the keyboard. If something tastes good, who cares?
Has anyone tried using zucchini noodles in place of the actual pasta? This recipe works for a ketogenic way of eating, except for the pasta. Not sure about cooking times with the “zoodles.” Any ideas from anyone on this simple change?
I made this recipe and used half and half to cut down on the fat/calories. When I opened up my pot my dairy product had curdled and my noodles were stuck together and not done. Any advice? I want to try this recipe again, but I don’t want to mess it up again.
I tried this tonight in my yedi brand pressure cooker which is pretty much identical to the instapot. It was delicious but when I went to release the vent liquid sprayed out the top. Is that normal or what can I do to prevent that?
Sometimes with pasta you will get that, I cover my vent with a thin kitchen towel when I release pasta!
I love this recipe and make it ALL of the time. I recently found some chicken tortellini. Do you think this would be ok to substitute the tortellini and do no chicken? Thanks for any info.
I too had the “burn” come on. I may try to add less noodles next time but I barely used what it called for. I was so bummed as I tried to reset it like some said and it still did the “burn”. That was lunch today and here I sit tonight with noodles still soaking trying to get them off the bottoms of my new IP. Chicken also was raw underneath so I had to dump the entire meal. So disappointed as I wanted this recipe to work!
This recipe was fantastic! I doubled the recipe but only had two cups heavy cream so I added 1 cup whole milk. Added a generous dollop of minced garlic and a 1/4 cup of bacon crumbles (not the fake stuff) turned out so great! Thank you so much! I am new to the instant pot but your directions were clear and not confusing. Will make it again!
Do I double the recipe if using an 8qt or is your recipe for an 8 qrt??
I”m a new IP owner/user, this was my third meal I fixed. I adjusted the time to 14 minutes since I doubled the recipe for my family of 6 and used frozen chicken breasts. So, something went wrong…I went out to do chores and when I came back the “burn” signal was on. So, I turned it off, quick release, and the chicken was still raw on the bottom, so I set it for 8 minutes It came out really well. There were several noodles stuck on the bottom, but the crew liked it! I will be making this again!