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    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    15/04/2018 Chicken Recipes

    Pressure Cooker Creamy Chicken Pasta

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    This creamy chicken pasta is my all time favourite pasta recipe. With just a few simple ingredients and a pressure cooker or instant pot you can have a filling dinner on the table even on the busiest of weeknights!

    Quick pasta recipes are always a staple of our weeknight dinners. Especially when we've run out of other ideas it's pretty much always pasta, like this creamy chicken pasta, that we fall back on.

    Sometimes we go super simple like this kale pasta with chilli and garlic or make it all about the toppings like this garlic pasta with broccoli, chickpeas and chorizo and of course, who doesn't love a good one pot pasta?! But now that we have a pressure cooker it's made these easy weeknight dinners even easier.

    Creamy chicken pasta in a pressure cooker

    How do you go about meal planning? I'm pretty much always coming up with new ideas for recipes to try. I have a note on my computer that I continually update with ideas which come from all kinds of places.

    Conversations with friends, reading recipes online, flipping through cookbooks. They all give me ideas for recipes I want to create or remake with tweaks and changes ready for eventually posting on the blog.

    Bowl of creamy chicken pasta on a striped cloth with sun dried tomatoes, parmesan and pressure cooker in the background

    We do food shopping every few weeks, always online because we don't have a car and it's easier to budget when you're doing it online with a plan rather than throwing things randomly into the trolley.

    When we need to buy food I go through my big long list of recipe ideas and pick out things that I fancy at the time or use seasonal ingredients then we buy all the ingredients and we have recipes planned for the next week or two.

    Creamy chicken pasta in a bowl on a striped cloth

    I love the planning. As someone who is supremely obsessed with food, figuring out what we're going to be eating is one of my favourite things to do.

    And is there any better feeling than having a full fridge and the prospect of loads of yummy dinners to look forward to?

    Creamy chicken pasta in a pressure cooker

    But once we've run out of recipes to make and we're in between food shops then I have to get a bit creative to use up the things we've got in the cupboards or leftover ingredients.

    That's where the idea for this creamy chicken pasta came from. I needed something quick and easy and of course pasta is the first thing that sprang to mind. Easy pasta recipes are such a great go to and we usually have most of the ingredients on hand.

    Oh and my new favourite kitchen appliance, my pressure cooker, had to be involved because it makes dinner come together quickly, easily and with hardly any clean up (which is obviously my favourite thing about it). I have the pressure king pro and completely love it but an instant pot would work just as well. If you have the same pressure cooker as me then get all my favourite pressure king pro recipes before you go!

    This has fast become one of my absolute favourite pressure cooker recipes.

    Why we love this recipe...

    • First off, this pasta recipe is so quick to make. Thanks to the pressure cooker it takes just 15 minutes from start to finish which is just so awesome
    • It's also super comforting thanks to the creamy, cheesy sauce and rich flavour of sun dried tomatoes and chicken
    • Finally, it's so easy that it's perfect for a delicious family meal
    Bowl of creamy chicken pasta on a striped cloth with a pressure king pro and sun dried tomatoes in the background

    Up until this weekend the weather has been truly miserable so I've still been wanting all the creamy cheesy carbs I could get my hands on and creamy pasta is pretty much the ultimate cold weather food.

    I've made one other pasta dish in the pressure cooker (this pasta with Mediterranean vegetables) but that one was more of a healthier, veggie focused one and for this I really wanted to find a way to make everything in one pot but make it a little more indulgent.

    Ingredients

    • Chicken Thighs: Or you can use chicken breasts if you prefer
    • Olive Oil
    • Smoked Paprika
    • Butter
    • Onion
    • Garlic Powder
    • Dried Oregano
    • Chicken Stock
    • Milk
    • Penne Pasta: Or you can use any other short cut you like
    • Cream Cheese: Helps to make a rich and creamy pasta sauce
    • Parmesan Cheese
    • Sun Dried Tomatoes

    Keep scrolling to get the full recipe for this pressure cooker creamy chicken pasta...

    Overhead shot of pressure cooker pasta in a bowl on a striped cloth with a blue background

    What I love about this recipe is that the chicken and pasta all cook together in the pressure cooker and then you simply stir through melty creamy cheese, parmesan and chopped sun dried tomatoes at the end for that added bit of tang.

    I like finely grated parmesan and thinly chopped basil leaves sprinkled on top before serving. Obviously adding more cheese to anything = only good things in my world.

    Bowl of creamy chicken pasta on a striped cloth with parmesan

    Sun dried tomatoes are one of those things that Will doesn't like very much but that I completely love so every now and then I include them in a meal to see if he's changed his mind yet.

    In this chicken pasta dish he actually got fully on board which shows that if there's anyone reading this who's about to click off because they think they don't like sun dried tomatoes then wait! Please don't go! I promise you'll like them in here!

    And if not you could totally leave them out and still dive head first into a bowl of this creamy, cheesy pasta heaven.

    FAQs

    Can I make this pasta on the stovetop?

    Absolutely! Cook the chicken thighs over a medium heat in the olive oil for 5 minutes on each side then remove to a plate. Follow the rest of the instructions adding enough stock to make sure the pasta is covered.

    Cook with a lid on for 10 minutes until the pasta is tender. Meanwhile chop or shred the chicken. Stir the cream cheese, parmesan and sun dried tomatoes through the pasta along with the chicken and serve.

    How to make this chicken pasta healthier

    • Try switching the cream cheese for a low fat version.
    • Use less parmesan. I always add plenty of cheese to things but this recipe would still taste fantastic with half the cheese.

    Pressure cooker creamy chicken pasta variation ideas

    • This recipe would taste great with other vegetables added. I think mushrooms or spinach would be fantastic in there.
    • Try making it into more of a creamy carbonara by adding chopped bacon.
    • Turn it into a pasta bake. Once the pasta has cooked in the pressure cooker, tip out into a baking dish, top with a few handfuls of cheddar cheese and place in a 200°C/400°F oven for 15 minutes until browned and bubbling.
    Overhead shot of a bowl of creamy chicken pasta on a striped cloth with a fork and parmesan

    Want more? Try these other pressure cooker recipes!

    • Instant Pot Coq au Vin
    • Pressure Cooker Creamy Mushroom Pasta
    • Sticky Instant Pot Asian Ribs
    • Easy Pressure Cooker Pork Ramen
    • Pressure Cooker Oxtail Soup
    • Pressure Cooker Vegetable Curry
    Bowl of creamy chicken pasta on a striped cloth with sun dried tomatoes, parmesan and pressure cooker in the background

    Pressure Cooker Creamy Chicken Pasta

    This creamy chicken pasta is ultimate comfort food. With just a few simple ingredients and a pressure cooker or instant pot you can have a filling dinner on the table even on the busiest of weeknights!
    4.44 from 16 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 871kcal
    Author: Amy Fulwood

    Ingredients

    • 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • Salt and Pepper
    • 2 tablespoon Butter
    • 1 Onion chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • 500 ml Chicken Stock
    • 250 ml Milk
    • 400 g Pasta
    • 170 g Cream Cheese
    • 100 g Parmesan Cheese grated
    • 200 g Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped
    UK Measures - US Measures

    Instructions

    • Set your pressure cooker to the saute setting. Add the olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with the smoked paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Fry in the hot oil for a couple of minutes on each side. Remove and set aside (they'll finish cooking through when you put them back in the pressure cooker).
    • With the pressure cooker still on saute setting add the butter and onion and fry the onion for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic powder, oregano, stock, milk and pasta. Return the chicken thighs to the pot. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
    • Release the pressure and remove the lid. Remove the chicken and set on a board. Add the cream cheese and parmesan and stir until melted. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Cut up the chicken and return to the pot. Give everything a final mix and serve topped with sliced basil leaves and extra parmesan.
    Nutrition Facts
    Pressure Cooker Creamy Chicken Pasta
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 871 Calories from Fat 225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25g38%
    Saturated Fat 11g55%
    Cholesterol 162mg54%
    Sodium 576mg24%
    Potassium 2551mg73%
    Carbohydrates 115g38%
    Fiber 10g40%
    Sugar 29g32%
    Protein 50g100%
    Vitamin A 1345IU27%
    Vitamin C 21.9mg27%
    Calcium 217mg22%
    Iron 7.4mg41%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @amycookreport on Instagram and hashtag it #thecookreport!
    Bowl of creamy chicken pasta on a striped cloth with parmesan
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      April 16, 2018 at 11:18 am

      5 stars
      Amy this looks incredible delicious! I'm an absolute pasta addict so this is right up my street! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Amy says

        April 16, 2018 at 1:12 pm

        Thank you Chris!

        Reply
    2. liz says

      April 16, 2018 at 11:34 am

      5 stars
      I didn't realize pressure cookers were so versatile! I might need to get one!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        April 16, 2018 at 1:13 pm

        It's honestly my favourite kitchen appliance!

        Reply
    3. Claudia says

      April 16, 2018 at 11:50 am

      We all love a good pasta and this is so versatile great keeper!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        April 16, 2018 at 1:12 pm

        Thanks Claudia 🙂

        Reply
    4. Thanh | Eat, Little Bird says

      April 16, 2018 at 12:11 pm

      I need to try this recipe, mostly because I'm curious about cooking the pasta at the same time as other ingredients in the same pot. Sounds too good to be true! Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        April 16, 2018 at 1:12 pm

        It's so good and makes dinner so much easier, I love it!

        Reply
    5. Demeter says

      April 16, 2018 at 12:11 pm

      You're motivating me to do a better job with meal planning! This is such an easy dinner with the Instant Pot!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        April 16, 2018 at 1:10 pm

        Thanks Demeter!

        Reply
    6. Claire says

      October 27, 2018 at 6:20 pm

      Which setting should I choose , I have a 3 lr king pro , I think the 8 in 1

      Reply
      • Amy says

        October 27, 2018 at 10:41 pm

        Hi Claire, does that one have the pasta setting? That's the one I normally use for this 🙂

        Reply
    7. Brian Beausoleil says

      January 09, 2019 at 10:10 pm

      I’m going to make this tonight. I’m going to use the Instant Pot. Any idea how long I should set the sauté timer for? I’m very new to the IP though so I haven’t learned everything yet.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 09, 2019 at 11:09 pm

        Hi Brian, I haven't tried making this recipe in an instant pot but on my pressure cooker I can just turn the saute setting on and off rather than setting it for a specific amount of time, I think the instant pot should be the same - you'll just need it to run long enough to sear the chicken thighs and then fry the onion and garlic.

        Reply
    8. Pam says

      January 21, 2019 at 10:01 pm

      Im going to make this tonight and want to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. What should the cooking time be for breasts? I'm new to Insta pot!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 21, 2019 at 10:45 pm

        Hi Pam, I haven't tried it with chicken breasts but I think the best method would be to cook them on the saute setting for a little longer on each side, 4-5 minutes, then cooking the rest of the recipe as instructed 🙂

        Reply
        • Joelle W. says

          January 28, 2019 at 12:32 am

          5 stars
          I use chicken breasts and as she said, just cook them a little longer, or slice them in half lengthwise before searing g and it works very well.

          Reply
    9. Joelle W. says

      January 28, 2019 at 12:30 am

      5 stars
      I absolutely love this recipe! My kids (4 & 7) love it as well so it is a winner! I like mine a little cheesier so I double the cream cheese and use more shredded parmesan instead of grated. Also, thank you for making me use my math skills to do conversions. It's been a long time!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 28, 2019 at 1:53 pm

        Thank you so much Joelle, so glad you love the recipe!

        Reply
    10. Steve says

      February 27, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      Tried this recipe last night in my pressure king pro, using the ‘meat’ function. I replaced the tomatoes with broccoli and mushrooms, and I also doubled the cream cheese. It was delicious, I will be making this again

      Reply
      • Amy says

        February 27, 2019 at 8:31 pm

        Sounds fantastic, thanks so much for your comment Steve!

        Reply
    11. Ange says

      December 17, 2019 at 2:33 pm

      Hi, Great recipe inspo! Does the milk not curl? I added milk to the pasta before to my PKP and it curled for some reason,

      Do I need to warm the milk first?

      Also what setting did you use when you say cook on high pressure? I have a pressure king pro

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Amy says

        December 23, 2019 at 5:05 pm

        Hi Ange, I haven't ever had an issue with the milk but you could try heating it first if you're concerned about that. I used the pasta setting 🙂

        Reply
    12. Jimmy says

      April 01, 2020 at 10:51 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe! It's great, I've cooked it a bunch of times. Quick question though: if I want to double the amount of meat, do I reduce/add liquid? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        April 27, 2020 at 6:13 pm

        Hi Jimmy, so glad you like the recipe! I haven't tried it with more meat so can't say for sure but I think you should be fine keeping the amount of liquid the same!

        Reply

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