Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo

Ready in less than 30 minutes, Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo is a delicious, creamy, and filling one-pot dish.  It’s the perfect recipe for a family meal or date night at home.

Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo is a classic recipe!  It’s delicious, kid-friendly, and even the pickiest eaters love this recipe.

If you’re looking for a plain Instant Pot Alfredo recipe, make sure you go to that post because the cooking directions are slightly different.

Before you make this Instant Pot Alfredo recipe, let me answer a few frequently asked questions.

Can you cook pasta in the Instant Pot?

If you’ve been around here long enough, you know that Instant Pot pasta is a controversial topic.  In my opinion, cooking noodles in the Instant Pot does NOT produce the same result as stovetop pasta. 

Check out this post for a convenient breakdown of the pros and cons of cooking pasta in an Instant Pot.

Here are the reasons I love Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo:

• The fettuccine pasta, chicken, and sauce cook in one-pot. Less mess! The fettuccine absorbs the liquid as it cooks. No need to strain the pasta.
• Set it and forget it. This recipe allows you to dump the ingredients, start the machine, and walk away. There’s no need to stand around watching to ensure the pot doesn’t boil over.
• Adding back starch is a chef’s trick to thicken pasta sauces. Pressure-cooked noodles cook so quickly they don’t have time to release starch. The starch in Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo makes it extra thick, creamy, and delicious.
• Fettuccine, linguine, and pasta shell noodles actually cook significantly better in the Instant Pot than spaghetti noodles. So if you’re going to cook pasta in the Instant Pot, I recommend using anything but spaghetti.

This recipe is perfect for beginners.  It’s a quick meal on a busy weeknight, budget friendly, and sure to please the pickiest eater!

What chicken should I use for Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo

I’ve recently become converted to using chicken tenderloins in my Instant Pot! I use them in my Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie and Instant Pot Ritz Chicken recipes, as well as these 4 easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipes.

This recipe for Instant Pot Alfredo cooks up perfectly with chicken tenderloins, because the chicken is truly really soft and tender and it doesn’t dry out nearly as easily as chicken breasts.

They are small and easy to cut, which is always nice for kids or portioning as well.

If you prefer to use this recipe using boneless skinless chicken thighs, they will cook for the same amount of time. If you’d like to use chicken breasts, cut them into 1.5 inch wide strips or cubes.

You can even tear up a cooked rotisserie chicken and keep the cook time the same!

How to make fettuccine Alfredo in Instant Pot

• Add chicken broth, cream, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and butter to the Instant Pot.
• Break the fettuccine noodles in half so they will fit in the Instant Pot.
• Scatter the noodles over the liquid, alternating the direction of the noodles to prevent sticking.
• Pat the noodles down slightly to submerge them in as much liquid as possible.
• Add the chicken, spaced evenly over the top of the noodles.  (The chicken does not need to be submerged in the liquid.) Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Lock the lid, turn the knob to sealing, then pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Allow a 6-minute natural pressure release.
• Remove the lid. If you’d like to cut or shred the chicken, remove it now. This step is optional as I like to just serve two chicken tenderloins per person.
• Stir the noodles and sauce together. Slowly sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and mix to combine.
• If removed, add the chicken back to the Instant Pot alfredo.. Serve immediately.

Tips for Making Instant Pot Alfredo

• Do not substitute the cream with milk or half or half. I usually recommend against using dairy as your cooking liquid for pressure-cooking. However, this recipe works because the heavy cream is diluted enough by the chicken broth to not burn. Cream, in comparison to milk, has very little to no sugar in it. It’s basically butter in liquid form and doesn’t burn or curdle as easily. 
• Scatter the noodles as evenly as possible. Having anything clumped will make the noodles stick together and they will not cook evenly.
• Use shredded Parmesan cheese. If you grew up like me with a green can of Parmesan cheese for spaghetti, just remember to use that for red sauce or topping. To make this Instant Pot Alfredo recipe, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or pre-shredded Parmesan cheese. It will incorporate better and give the sauce a rich, nutty flavor. Yum!
• Slowly add the cheese. If you add cold cheese to boiling hot liquid, it will seize, curdle, or clump. For best results, stir the noodles after pressure-cooking to release some of the heat and redistribute the sauce. Then add the cheese slowly while mixing. Do not add frozen cheese to the dish.

Quick tip: I take cheese out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature before incorporating into sauces.

Can I double Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo

Yes! This recipe easily doubles.  If you have an 8-quart Instant Pot, you can double this dish and feed a crowd. 

Check out this post if you’re wondering which Instant Pot to buy!

How to store and reheat Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo

If you have leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Just like other pastas, fettuccine Alfredo dries out a bit after refrigeration, so you can add a little milk before reheating to add back some moisture.

How to season chicken fettuccine Alfredo

Garlic and salt are the key seasoning in most Italian dishes, including chicken fettuccine Alfredo.  It gives the dish a wonderful flavor. 

I season my chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before cooking this recipe.

However, any combination of parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme, (or a seasoning blend such as Italian seasoning) would work well in Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo.

Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo with cream cheese

Some people love an extra creamy Alfredo sauce. If you want to add cream cheese, just melt in a few softened chunks while you’re stirring together the sauce and noodles at the end.

If it isn’t softened, you an add cold chunks of cream cheese to the Instant Pot on top of the noodles before you press Pressure Cook.

You’ll want to taste and adjust with additional salt with this addition.

I’m a bit of an Alfredo sauce purist. In my opinion, this recipe is perfectly creamy without cream cheese.

Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli

The creamy white sauce with chicken looks beautiful and tastes wonderful when served with a green side dish.  For example, serve this recipe with your favorite salad. 

Or try it with a side of my perfect Instant Pot broccoli using my favorite steamer basket!

If you’d like to make this a one-pot meal with broccoli, simply pour in the uncooked broccoli florets into the Instant Pot after pressure cooking for 7 minutes. 

Quickly replace the lid so as not to let too much heat escape, then let the broccoli and noodles steam for 5-8 minutes or until the broccoli and noodles are al dente.  

What to serve with Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo

This is a wholesome, filling dish.  It just takes a simple side to complete the meal. I already suggested a crisp green salad or Instant Pot broccoli. 

I also love to serve this dish with crusty bread or breadsticks. Perfect for mopping up every last drop of creamy Alfredo sauce.

Quick Tip: My hungry kids tend to get impatient waiting for hot meals to cool.  So I just add some frozen vegetables, like corn or peas, to their bowls! I usually use this trick for my soup recipes, but it applies perfectly here too.

Mix the fettuccine Alfredo and frozen veggies together and let it sit for a couple minutes.  Mix again, and it’s the perfect temperature for kids! 

The hot noodles and sauce warm up the frozen veggies, and the frozen veggies cool down the fettuccine. 

My favorite vegetable to add to fettuccine Alfredo is frozen peas. Yum!

Instant Pot chicken fettuccine Alfredo with jar sauce

 This specific recipe is formulated for a homemade cream sauce. However, if you want to use a jarred sauce to make Instant Pot alfredo, this is what I would try.

I recommend adding the called for amounts of chicken broth and noodles into the Instant Pot, then 2 cups (usually one jar) of jarred Alfredo sauce.

Cook for the time my recipe calls for, then season to taste after pressure cooking.

If you like, you can add additional parmesan cheese for flavor and thickness after pressure cooking. 

Other beginner Instant Pot recipes

I mentioned that chicken fettuccine Alfredo in the Instant Pot is a great beginner recipe! Here’s a few other favorite beginner Instant Pot recipes:

• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Applesauce
• Healthy Instant Pot Taco Lettuce Wraps
• Kalua Pork
• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Frozen Chicken (Instant Pot)
• 4 Ingredient Instant Pot Country Style Ribs from fresh or frozen
• Instant Pot Chicken Legs from Fresh or Frozen

Instant Pot Italian/Pasta recipes

If you like Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo, here are a few other dishes to try!

• Chicken Con Broccoli (Olive Garden Copycat)
• Spaghetti Squash with Lemon Cream Sauce
• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
• Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
• Instant Pot Easy Mac

Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is an easy, inexpensive classic favorite! Simply add the ingredients to the Instant Pot and start for a rich, creamy, and delicious one-pot meal.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes minutes

Calories: 590kcal

Author: Lisa Childs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper divided
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 ounces fettuccine noodles broken in half
• 1 pound chicken tenderloins
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

• Add chicken broth, cream, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, parsley, and butter to the Instant Pot.
• Scatter the noodles over the liquid, alternating the direction of the noodles to prevent sticking. Pat the noodles down slightly to submerge them in as much liquid as possible.
• Place the chicken tenderloins on top of the noodles and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder.
• Lock the lid, turn the knob to sealing, then pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Allow a 6 minute natural pressure release. 
• Remove the lid, and stir the noodles and sauce together. If you’d like to cut or shred the chicken, remove it now. Slowly sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and mix to combine. Mix the noodles for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. If the noodles are not as soft as you'd like, press the Saute button and adjust to low or medium and continue stirring and cooking the Alfredo until it reaches the desired doneness. Return chicken to the pot. Serve immediately.

PRODUCTS WE LOVE

• Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Sterilizer, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart, 14 One-Touch Programs
• 717 Industries Steamer Basket, Stainless Steel Mesh Strainer Compatible Instant Pot Other Pressure Cookers, Fits 6 & 8 Quart Pots (Grey Silicone Handle)
• MY COOKBOOK! The “I Love My Instant Pot®” Cooking for One Recipe Book

NOTES

• Do not substitute the cream with milk or half or half. Cream (vs milk) has very little to no sugar in it (it is basically butter in liquid form), so it doesn’t burn or curdle as easily when diluted with chicken broth.
• Scatter the noodles as evenly as possible. Having anything clumped will make the noodles stick together and they will not cook evenly.
• Use shredded parmesan cheese. To make this Instant Pot Alfredo recipe, use freshly grated parmesan cheese, or pre-shredded parmesan cheese. It will incorporate better and taste better in the sauce.
• Slowly add the cheese. If you add cold cheese to boiling hot liquid, it will seize, curdle, or clump. For best results, stir the noodles after pressure cooking to release some of the heat and redistribute the sauce, then add the cheese slowly while mixing. Do not add frozen cheese to the dish (I actually like to take the cheese out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature before adding to sauces like this).

NUTRITION

Serving: 1g | Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 1390mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g

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