Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti

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This easy Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti is a true one-pot meal and no draining required.  Creamy and delicious, it’s an Instant Pot pasta recipe that the whole family will love and perfect for busy weeknight dinners – on the table in 30 minutes!

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I think cooking pasta in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker is a total game-changer. No more giant pasta pot of boiling water and no draining required! And the best part is that it is mostly hands-off. Add all of your ingredients to the Instant Pot and set to cook.

We are veering from traditional spaghetti today with this Creamy Chicken Spaghetti. It’s got peppers, onions, monterey jack cheese, cream cheese and Rotel for a kick without being spicy. The cream cheese creates a velvety sauce that coats the noodles and you’ve got a complete meal ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Spaghetti: You’ll need 1 (16 ounce) box of regular spaghetti pasta. If you only have thin spaghetti or shorter pasta like rotini or ziti, read the notes in the recipe card below for how to adjust the cooking time.

Chicken: I used chicken breast in this recipe, but you can absolutely use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or leave out the chicken for a vegetarian option. You will need to cut the chicken into approximately 1 inch cubes.

Chicken Stock: You’ll need 4 cups of chicken stock (or broth) which is the equivalent of one (32 ounce) container. Feel free to use vegetable broth or make your own chicken broth using bouillon (Better than Bouillon is my absolute favorite).

Onion and Bell Pepper: You’ll need one medium onion (white or yellow) and one bell pepper. I used a red pepper because that is my preference, but you can use any bell pepper or even pre-chopped frozen peppers and onions for convenience.

Rotel: Rotel is the common brand name, but most stores have their own version now. You’ll need 1 (10 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with green chiles.

Cheese: For this recipe, we are using half a block (4 ounces) of cream cheese and 2 cups (8 ounces) of shredded cheese. I recommend monterey jack or colby jack cheese. You can also use cheddar or pepper jack if you prefer. This is one application where using pre-shredded cheese works just fine.

Equipment

• Instant Pot (I use a 6 quart Duo)
• Cutting Board and Knife
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Tongs or Wooden Spoon
• Can Opener

Tips for Making Instant Pot Pasta

When you’re cooking a long pasta like spaghetti, break the pasta in half and lay in the Instant Pot in a criss-cross pattern. This helps prevent the pasta from sticking together while cooking. Some sticking may still occur, so just give your pasta a really good stir to help break everything up once cooked.

Everyone is familiar with boiling pasta in a large pot and then draining the noodles, so how do you know how much liquid is needed when you’re cooking in the Instant Pot? There is a handy ratio to remember: 2 cups of liquid for ever 8 ounces of pasta.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti

1. Break the spaghetti in half and place in the Instant Pot in a criss-cross pattern.
2. Add the chicken stock, cubed chicken, salt, pepper, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, garlic and Rotel and stir to combine. Make sure that the spaghetti remains covered by the chicken stock.
3. Close the lid, seal the valve and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release.
4. Stir the pasta a bit (there will still be liquid in the pot) and add your cream cheese and shredded cheese. Give it another good stir.
5. Close the lid again and let sit for 10 minutes. The cheese will melt and the remaining liquid will get absorbed during this time.
6. Remove the lid, give it a good stir and serve! Garnish with chopped parsley or green onion if desired.

More Instant Pot Recipes

• Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
• Easy Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
• Lentil Soup (Instant Pot and Slow Cooker instructions)

Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti

Print

This easy Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti is a true one-pot meal and no draining required.  Creamy and delicious, it's an Instant Pot pasta recipe that the whole family will love and perfect for busy weeknight dinners - on the table in 30 minutes!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 31 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces dry spaghetti
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound chicken breast, cubed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel)
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese, Monterey jack or colby jack

Instructions

1. Break spaghetti in half and place in the Instant Pot inner pot. Lay half of the spaghetti perpendicular to form a cross with the layered pasta. This will help prevent the noodles from sticking.
2. Add chicken stock, cubed chicken, salt, pepper, onion, bell pepper, garlic and tomatoes with green chiles. Gently stir everything together, making sure spaghetti noodles remain covered by chicken stock.
3. Close the lid and seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
4. Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes then open seal to release remaining pressure.
5. Remove lid and give the pasta a good stir. There will be some liquid remaining. Stir in cream cheese and shredded cheese. Close the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. The cheese will melt and pasta will absorb the remaining liquid.
6. Remove lid, stir and serve.

Notes

This recipe was written using regular spaghetti pasta. If you are using thin spaghetti or a shorter pasta like rotini or ziti, I recommend cooking your chicken breast in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes before adding to your Instant Pot. Then you'll reduce your pressure cooking time to 4 minutes with 5 minute naturally pressure release.

Variations: You can easily add additional vegetables such as broccoli or chopped mushrooms or leave out the bell peppers or onions with no change to the cooking time. For an italian version, use diced tomatoes with basil and garlic rather than green chiles and add 1 teaspoon italian seasoning. If you plan to use precooked chicken, add it to the Instant Pot when you add the cream cheese and shredded cheese.

Storing: To store leftovers, allow to cool completely and package in an airtight container. Your chicken spaghetti will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. When reheating, you may need to add a bit of water or chicken stock to loosen up the noodles and get the creamy sauce.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6 qt.
• 
  OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 537Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 916mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 38g

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