This Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti is my take on a classic pasta dish typically made with velveeta cheese and canned soups. My version has less processed ingredients and more flavor. Don’t worry it is still loaded with cheese. Total comfort food.
I think I only had chicken spaghetti a handful of times growing up, which is surprising being from Texas. My mom typically did not make dishes with lots of processed ingredients.
I remember it being slightly bland but super creamy and cheesy. My Instant Pot creamy chicken spaghetti is far from bland.
I wanted to take this dish to the next level by making it without all of the canned soups and processed cheese. I also wanted to make it a one pot dish to make cleaning up as easy as possible. Hope you enjoy!! xx
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Highlights
- Simple ingredients - This instant pot chicken spaghetti is made without canned soups, processed cheese products, and is loaded with fresh veggies.
- One pot - This entire dish (including the chicken breast) is cooked from start to finish in the Instant Pot.
- Kid friendly - Chicken spaghetti is loaded with cheese and pasta, making it a great dish for picky eaters or children.
- Extra cheesy - This Instant Pot chicken spaghetti has three different types of cheese, cheddar, parmesan, and cream cheese.
- Versatile - You can use leftover or rotisserie chicken to make this instant pot chicken spaghetti recipe even easier.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Leftover chicken breasts (whole): Shred 3 fully cooked chicken breasts. Add the shredded chicken and the chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Start at step 5. Leftover shredded chicken breasts: 3 - 3.5 cups of shredded chicken = 3 chicken breasts. Follow the steps above for whole chicken breasts and start at step 5.
- Chili Flakes: If you are sensitive to spice reduce the chili flakes to ½ teaspoon or omit.
- Spaghetti: break the pasta in half so it will fit in the pot. See the variations below to use other shapes.
- Half and half: Swap for any kind of milk.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
- Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker: This is the Instant Pot that all of my recipes are tested in and that I use weekly. I love it! I have the 8 quart model so I can cook larger quantities if needed.
- OXO Good Grips Box Grater: This is one of my most used kitchen tools as I have stopped buying shredded cheese. Shredded cheese sold in bags contain anti-caking agents that do not allow the cheese to melt as well.
- Silicone Nonstick Mixing Spoons: These are the everyday cooking spoons I find myself reaching for constantly. I prefer them to wooden spoons because they clean better.
Instructions
Overview
- Cook the chicken breasts and shred them.
- Add in all of the species and herbs.
- Layer in the pasta, veggies, and pressure cook.
- Stir in the half and half and cheeses.
Step by Step
Step 1: On the Instant Pot, select the “Sauté” mode. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken. Sear on each side for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
Step 2: Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
TIP - Browning the chicken adds even more flavor.
Step 3: Select “Pressure Cook” and “High Pressure” and set the timer for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure (switch the valve to venting). Using two forks shred the chicken in the pot. Do not drain any of the broth.
TIP - Always be careful when releasing pressure. Water and steam will rush out of the valve.
Step 5: Stir in the garlic, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, chili flakes, chili flakes, and cumin.
Step 6: Place the spaghetti on top of the chicken in a few different layers, each going in opposite directions. Do not stir. Swirl the pot around gently so the liquid lightly coats the noodle.
TIP - Layer the pasta and vegetables. Do not stir. This ensures everything cooks properly.
Step 7: In this order, sprinkle on the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and tomatoes.
Step 8: Select “Pressure Cook” and “High Pressure” and set the timer for 4 minutes.
Step 9: Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure (switch the valve to venting). Stir in the half and half.
Step 10: Add in the cream cheese, cheddar, and parmesan. Fold continuously until the cheese is melted. This will take a couple of minutes.
TIP - The cheese will take a few minutes of folding before it is melted completely.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make Ahead: The vegetables can be chopped and the cheese can be shredded one day in advance. This instant pot chicken spaghetti reheats well and is a large chicken spaghetti recipe so it is great for meal prep as well.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover instant pot chicken spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing leftover instant pot chicken spaghetti because the pasta becomes mushy when reheated.
Expert Tips
- Let the cheese come to room temperature. Take the cheese out of the refrigerator 15-30 minutes before adding it to the pasta. This will take the chill off of it and help it to melt easier.
- Brown the chicken. Searing the chicken in some butter adds even more flavor.
- Crisscross the spaghetti. You can see in the photo above how the spaghetti was layered in opposite directions. This helps the pasta not stick together. If any of the pasta does stick together during cooking, it will separate as you stir in the cheese.
- Layer the vegetables. Each ingredient is layered in a specific way to help everything cook evenly and not stick. Be sure to layer the vegetables (pasta, and chicken) in the correct order. As the vegetables cook, they will release water. This will be absorbed by the pasta below. Do not stir until after cooking.
- Keep stirring the instant pot chicken spaghetti. It will take a few minutes of folding for the cheese to melt completely. If the cheese is struggling to melt. Place the lid back on the pot. Let it sit for a few minutes. The residual heat will help melt the cheese.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe has a mild amount of spice. Omit or reduce the chili flakes by half if you are sensitive to spice.
- Use caution when turning the valve to venting. Use a spoon or utensil. Steam and water will quickly rush out as soon as you release the pressure. This is why it is called a quick release.
Variations
- Ground beef: Swap the chicken for 1 ½ pounds of ground beef to mix things up. Follow the recipe as stated.
- Extra tomatoes: Some prefer their creamy chicken spaghetti with more tomatoes. Feel free to use an extra can. It will not affect the consistency.
- Pasta shape: Penne pasta takes 5 minutes (instead of 4 minutes). The general rule for cooking pasta in the instant pot is to divide the shortest cook time on the package by 2 and subtract 1 minute for a softer pasta or subtract 2 minutes for al dente pasta.
FAQs
Yes. It is completely safe to cook chicken in the instant pot. Raw chicken should always reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before consuming.
Yes. Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is different from boiling it on the stove. Depending on the recipe, you will need about one cup of liquid per cup of dry pasta.
I find the best way to keep the pasta from sticking is to layer it in opposite directions. If some of it does stick, stirring it after cooking will break it apart. Be sure you have enough liquid as well.
It could be that it was not cooked long enough. Instant Pot meat turns out better when it is cooked longer or until it is falling apart or able to be shredded.
Related Recipes
Watch the How to Video
Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ pounds (about 3) boneless skinless chicken breast*
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 heaping Tablespoon italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes*
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 16 ounces spaghetti, broken in half*
- 8 ounces mushrooms, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup half and half*
- 8 ounces cream cheese, diced, room temperature
- 8 ounces (2 cups) cheddar cheese, shredded, room temperature
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, room temperature
Instructions:
- On the Instant Pot, select the “Sauté” mode. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken. Sear on each side for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
- Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Select “Pressure Cook” and “High Pressure” and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure (switch the valve to venting). Using two forks shred the chicken in the pot. Do not drain any of the broth.
- Stir in the garlic, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, chili flakes, chili flakes, and cumin.
- Place the spaghetti on top of the chicken in a few different layers, each going in opposite directions. Do not stir. Swirl the pot around gently so the liquid lightly coats the noodle.
- In this order, sprinkle on the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and tomatoes.
- Select “Pressure Cook” and “High Pressure” and set the timer for 4 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure (switch the valve to venting). Stir in the half and half.
- Add in the cream cheese, cheddar, and parmesan. Fold continuously until the cheese is melted. This will take a couple of minutes.
My son can not eat Diced Tomatoes, what can I substitute them with? I’m new to the Insta Pot world so I’m not sure if it would mess with the cooking if I just leave them out
Yes, you are correct! You can't just leave them out because of the IP needs a certain amount of liquid to come to pressure. I recommend dicing up another veggie (zucchini, carrot, kale, or more onion/pepper/mushroom) about a cup or so in a measuring cup. Fill that up with some broth and crushed tomatoes until it equals about 1 3/4 cup which is the contents of a 14.5 ounce can. I hope this makes sense! I have never tried this but it should work fine.