Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
This creamy and flavorful one-pot dish combines tender chicken, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and al dente pasta in a rich Parmesan and cream sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, this Instant Pot version of Marry Me Chicken Pasta is comforting, quick, and full of Italian-inspired flavor.
Servings: 6
Calories: 646kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth divided
- 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- Optional garnish: fresh basil
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil and chicken pieces, cooking for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Pour in ½ cup of chicken broth and deglaze the pot by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a spatula.
- Add the remaining 3½ cups of chicken broth. Layer the uncooked penne pasta on top (do not stir). Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, paprika, and black pepper.
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- Once the cooking time ends, quick release the pressure by switching the valve to Venting.
- Open the lid and stir the pasta mixture. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and well combined.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach, stirring until the spinach is wilted.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh basil if desired.
- Notes
- You can substitute penne with rotini, fusilli, or ziti.
- Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce.
- Add red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.