Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo is a restaurant-style dinner that couldn’t be any easier! It’s a true dump-and-go cooking method that results in tender pasta, thick, creamy sauce, and juicy chicken.
Table of Contents
- Why This Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe Works
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Tips for Success
- Substitutions & Recipe Variations
- What Goes With Chicken Alfredo?
- How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Can I Freeze Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo?
- More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
- Get the Recipe
Why This Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe Works
Let me introduce you to the new love of my life: this Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo! Inspired by recipes like my Homemade Alfredo Sauce, this pasta dinner has become a staple in my house for the following reasons:
- Super creamy and comforting. The Alfredo sauce, made with heavy cream, nutty parmesan, fragrant garlic, and more, is perfectly rich and creamy. Smother some juicy chicken and tender pasta in it, and you’ve got the best dinner!
- Quick and easy. This is a true dump-and-go, one-pot meal. That alone makes it a total Mom win in my book. Besides all this, I can make this Instant Pot chicken Alfredo quicker than I could go pick up takeout, and it’s much cheaper than what you would pay at a restaurant.
- Crowd-pleaser. Shredded chicken, heavy cream, and parmesan – what’s not to love? It is creamy pasta perfection, and I promise the whole family will inhale it and beg you to make it again tomorrow.
What You’ll Need
The key to spectacular flavor is good ingredients. Since this is such a simple, basic recipe, the ingredients really get a chance to shine. Here’s what you’ll need (check out the recipe card below for exact quantities):
- Chicken Stock – Feel free to use low sodium chicken stock, if you like.
- Heavy Cream – Don’t substitute half and half or milk here, because both will curdle in the Instant Pot. Heavy cream, however, will not.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is best, but you could substitute bottled lemon juice, if needed.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves give this dish the brightest flavor. Mince them or press them with a garlic press. If you don’t have fresh, you can use garlic powder or garlic in a jar.
- Seasoning – Simply add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pasta – I like to use dry fettuccine noodles, broken in half.
- Chicken – This is a great way to use leftover shredded chicken. Alternatively, you can make your own Shredded Chicken or just buy a rotisserie chicken for an easier dinner.
- Shredded Parmesan – Shredded parmesan cheese gives the sauce its signature flavor and thick, ultra-creamy texture.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
It’s very important to remember one thing about this cooking method: do not stir! You want all of the pasta covered in the cooking liquid, but stirring before the dish is done will really spoil the texture. Just poke and push the noodles under the liquid, if they’re sticking out.
Here’s how everything comes together (full directions can be found in the recipe card as well):
- Place the ingredients in the Instant Pot. First, add the broth, heavy cream, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pot. Add the pasta next, and do not stir, just make sure all of the noodles are covered by gently pushing them into place. Finally, add the chicken. It’s fine if the chicken sticks out of the cooking liquid a bit.
- Cook the ingredients. Lock the lid onto your instant pot, make sure the valve is sealed, and set your Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
- Carefully release the pressure. Once the cooking is done, let the Instant Pot naturally release its pressure for 10 minutes before carefully sliding the valve to do a quick release of the remaining pressure.
- Add the parmesan. Unlock the lid of the pressure cooker, and gradually stir in the parmesan cheese, until the pasta is creamy.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately, with your favorite sides.
Tips for Success
Doesn’t that sound easy? Not to mention wholesome, free from artificial ingredients and preservatives, and totally delicious. Here are some additional recipe tips to make sure your Instant Pot Alfredo turns out perfectly:
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- Fresh is best. If you really want this dish to sing, make sure you use fresh lemon and fresh garlic. Powdered and bottled versions just don’t have that bright, tongue-tingling flavor.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. You want to use good quality parmesan cheese. The freshly grated kind in the refrigerated section is great.
- Don’t skip the natural pressure release. The Alfredo will continue to cook as the pressure naturally releases for 10 minutes, so don’t skip this part!
Substitutions & Recipe Variations
Want to switch things up a little? Feel free! Here are some changes that you could make to this chicken Alfredo Instant Pot recipe:
- How to make vegetarian fettuccine Alfredo. If you want to skip the chicken and make a vegetarian version of this recipe, that works too! Just leave out the chicken, and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
- Possible substitutions for the chicken. You can skip the chicken and top the Instant Pot Alfredo with shrimp or steak once it’s done cooking, if you want. Yummy! Diced ham would also taste good.
- Add vegetables. Lightly sautéed vegetables, like bell peppers or mushrooms, would be great as add-ins here. Steamed broccoli florets or sun-dried tomatoes are also good ideas for mix-ins!
- Switch up the seasoning. Add Creole seasoning to kick up the heat a little bit.
What Goes With Chicken Alfredo?
To serve Instant Pot chicken Alfredo, I recommend adding an easy, veggie-heavy side dish or two. These are a couple of ideas that my family loves:
- Stuffed avocado. A Caprese Stuffed Avocado is the perfect light salad option. With pesto, tomatoes, and balsamic dressing, it’s amazing when served with creamy pasta.
- Chopped salad. Green salad, tomatoes, bacon, and blue cheese make this Copycat Maggiano’s Chopped Salad a firm favorite as a leafy main dish, but also as a generous side dish to share.
- Buttery rolls. Store-bought or homemade rolls are a wonderfully warm, comfy side dish to serve. The flaky texture and buttery taste of Homemade Crescent Rolls will have everyone reaching for “just one more!”
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftover chicken Alfredo is pretty easy to store and save for later! Here’s how to do it:
- To store. To store leftover Instant Pot chicken Alfredo, place the leftovers in an airtight container or a food storage bag, and place it in the fridge. The dish will keep for 3-4 days.
- To reheat. To reheat, place the desired amount of chicken Alfredo in a covered skillet over low heat. Stir now and then until everything is warmed through. You can add a splash of cream if the dish seems a little dry.
Can I Freeze Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo?
Yes, you can, but keep in mind that the texture of the pasta and sauce may change and break down a bit after freezing and thawing. For the best results, cool the dish down, and pack it into a freezer bag or an airtight container. Mark with the date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
You can make some pretty fabulous dinners in the Instant Pot! These are a few more of my favorites:
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ pound dry fettuccine noodles, (8 oz) broken in half
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 12 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
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Instructions
- Add the broth, cream, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and noodles to the instant pot in that order. DO NOT STIR, but make sure all noodles are covered in the liquid (to do this, just gently push them until the fall below the liquid level).
- Top pasta with chicken. Place lid onto instant pot, lock the lid and close the seal to the pressure cook setting.
- Set your Instant Pot to Manual pressure on high for 7 minutes and then let it naturally release its pressure for an additional 10 minutes then do a quick release.
- Gradually stir in the parmesan cheese, until creamy. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Storage: To store leftover Instant Pot chicken Alfredo, place the leftovers in an airtight container or a food storage bag, and place it in the fridge. The dish will keep for 3 – 4 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, place the desired amount of chicken Alfredo in a covered skillet over low heat. Stir now and then until warmed through. You can add a splash of cream if the dish seems a little dry.
- Freezing: Keep in mind that the texture of the pasta and sauce may change and break down a bit after freezing and thawing. For the best results, cool the dish down, and pack it into a freezer bag or an airtight container. Mark with the date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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This is my “go to” recipe for alfredo now. SO good and SO easy! My picky 8 year old requests this often!
Absolutely perfect! I was skeptical- Alfredo in an instant pot? Heck yeah! The lemon adds brightness and a bit of acid to cut the cream (I used half and half). The noodles were perfect and I cut in 3oz of cream cheese and a dash or two of cayenne for a bite. I baked lemon pepper chicken in the oven and this is my new go to. Yum!
It was wayyy too cheesy. I used shredded Parmesan from a bag since I’m definitely not grating that much. It was clumpy/string and just wat overpowering, not creamy like I had hoped. Maybe half that amount? But I can’t figure out how it wasn’t too cheesy for you??♀️
It turned out that way because you used shredded cheese and didn’t add it in slow enough. Try the grated cheese and stir in VERY slow!
I added a little more liquid, but very happy with the way it turned out! One pot/instant pot meals are my fav. Thank you for this!!
Can I add broccoli to this
Yes you can!
This is my “go to” recipe for alfredo now. SO good and SO easy! My picky 8 year old requests this often!
So glad you both enjoy it Lisa!
This was Amazing, everything cooked perfectly including the noodles The flavor was great and I liked the fresh squeezed lemon juice, everyone enjoyed it!!! Will definitely make it again, Thank You❤️
Glad you enjoyed it Annie!
Very tasty. I did sub out milk for the cream, only because we’re watching our calorie intake. I also added some lemon rind because we love lemon. The noodles were a bit more al dante for my preference, so will maybe increase pressure time by 2 minutes. I even let it sit 5 more minutes after NR.
I followed the recipe exactly as posted and used bags of shredded Parmesan cheese. Fettuccini was cooked perfectly. No burn notice. I weighed out exact amounts. But… the flavor was not good to me. It was way too tangy, probably because of the lemon juice. I used the juice of 1 lemon. I prefer a more butter taste. Maybe without the lemon juice….
This came out amazing. Tasted great. I will use 1/2 cup more of the heavy cream to make it a bit creamer but it was a hit at the dinner table tonight. We added steamed broccoli after mixing in the Parmesan cheese & it was yummy! Thanks for the recipe, will definitely be made again!
Hi, thanks for your delicious recipe. If I want to use penne, will I have to change the time? If I double or triple this recipe will I have to increase the time? Thanks
This recipe is so delicious! But I usually have leftovers and I’m not sure how to best re-warm them. It ends up very oily next day. Any ideas?
I prepared it exactly like the recipe stated and it burned and did not cook the noodles throughly. What did I do wrong?
This turned out great! Very tasty. Next time though I will add a minute or two to cook time. A few noodles were alittle aldente and I’ll add alittle more both. Thanks for the yummy and easy recipe!
Hi,
Is the Manual setting is different the button pressure cook? When I hit manual nothing happens. Can I do this recipe for 7 at pressure cook setting ?
Please help
do I have to use heavy cream? I want to make it but not with heavy cream.
How can I add mushrooms or broccoli to this?
If I wanted to add broccoli to this, would I add it at the beginning and cook it together or cook separately and stir in at the end? And would there be enough sauce if I did both chicken and broccoli? Thanks!
I would steam it and add it at the end! And yes, if you add less cheese the sauce will be thinner and go farther. But there should be enough sauce for some added broccoli. 😉
I’m using penne instead of noodles, does that mean I need to change the cooking time?
I would add a couple of minutes, and be forewarned, sometimes when trying to use something like Penne, I get the burn notice. Just FYI in case it happens to you!
I got a burn notice not long after the insta pot had finally reached pressure. What do I do when this happens. Has it happened to anyone else with this recipe? I turned it off. Released pressure. Stired it. Closed and turned back on. Hoping it turns out okay.
Delicious! My sauce was a little thin but that’s on me. I misread the recipe and didn’t have enough parm. Even still it was a huge hit and so easy!