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Home » Dinner » Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta

Published: Mar 20, 2018 · Modified: Jul 28, 2020 by heather · This post may contain affiliate links

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Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta can be made in just the pressure cooker…even the pasta! You won’t believe how simple this Instant Pot chicken recipe is to make. 

A bowl of chicken and pasta

If you are looking for a SUPER simple Instant pot meal like Instant Pot BBQ chicken, you will love this pesto chicken recipe! This chicken pesto pasta made in the pressure cooker has become a family favorite.

Why this chicken pesto pasta recipe works

  • Can be made quickly and in one pot using the Instant Pot.
  • Just a few ingredients pack a lot of flavor.
  • Perfect for an easy, weeknight meal. 

Ingredients needed:

Chicken – I like to use boneless, skinless breast cut into small pieces. 

Pasta – Use your favorite shape, we used rotini. Ziti, penne and mostaccioli also work well. 

Chicken broth – You can also substitute water or vegetable broth. 

Pesto – Feel free to use store bought or homemade. 

Butter and Italian seasoning – Add flavor to the meal. 

How to make chicken pesto pasta recipe:

Scroll to the bottom for full printable recipe and ingredients. 

  1. Prepare: Since we are making this dish in the pressure cooker, I like to cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Season the chicken with Italian seasonings.
  2. Cook chicken: Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and add butter. (You can replace butter with olive oil if you prefer.) Saute the chicken until all sides start to brown.
  3.  Pasta: Pour uncooked pasta over chicken and then pour in broth. Place lid on Instant Pot and set Manual cook for 4 minutes.
  4. Release: Once it has reached pressure and cooked, do a manual pressure release to let the steam out of cooker. Wait until the pin drops before removing the lid.
  5. Combine: Add in pesto and mix until chicken and pasta are coated. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve. 

Chicken Pesto pasta in the Instant Pot

What goes well with chicken pesto pasta:

  • Salad is always a great choice to serve with pasta.
  • My favorite, garlic bread is always served at my house when I make this meal.

Pasta and chicken in the instant pot

Optional additions:

If you want to “beef” up this meal you can add-in different vegetables like grape tomatoes, peas, mushrooms, or even cut asparagus. I also love topping my pasta with shredded Parmesan cheese and even pine nuts.

Tools used in this Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta:

Instant Pot: I love using my Instant Pot for easy meals. It has become one of my favorite kitchen tools.

More easy Instant Pot recipes

  • Instant Pot spaghetti squash: A quick and simple way to cook spaghetti squash. 
  • Instant Pot German potato salad: A warm potato salad with bacon and vinegar dressing.
  • Instant Pot country style ribs: Super tender country style BBQ ribs. 
  • Instant Pot vegetable soup: Very easy soup recipe, great for a busy night. 

*** If you made this recipe, please feel free to leave a comment and star rating below. 

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4.5 from 16 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta

Instant Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, chicken pesto, instant Pot
Servings: 6
Calories: 644kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breast
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 lb rotini pasta
  • 1 cup pesto
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to Saute setting. Add butter to pot. Season chicken with Italian seasonings and add to Instant Pot.
  • Saute chicken until sides start to brown. Pour in uncooked pasta and chicken broth. 
  • Place cover on Instant pot and set Manual to 4 minutes. Once finished do a manual steam release. Once stopper has dropped, remove lid. 
  • Add pesto to pot and stir to cover chicken and pasta. 
  • Serve and top with Parmesan cheese. 

Nutrition

Calories: 644kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1262mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 12.3mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 2.1mg
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Filed Under: Dinner Tagged With: chicken, instant pot, One Pot, pasta

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Comments

  1. Maria says

    December 4, 2020 at 11:37 pm

    4 stars
    This is very tasty and I appreciate the one pot concept to it. My only concern was I followed the recipe to the letter and when I was done releasing the steam I was surprised to find there was well more than a cup of liquid remaining. I thought adding the pesto and cheese would absorb it, however, it didn’t. My “fix” was to steam for an additional minute and then re-release the steam. Unfortunately, some bits of pasta got seared (was still edible though). I used a Crock Pot Pressure Cooker 6qt, not the traditional Instant Pot. Any tips or recommendations for the next time I make this? Thanks!!

    Reply
  2. Faith Romeo says

    September 12, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    Can I add vegetables to this recipe such as broccoli? If so when would I add the vegetables?
    Thank you

    Reply
  3. Lena says

    August 30, 2020 at 9:34 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy! Can you use Mozzarella cheese?

    Reply
    • heather says

      August 30, 2020 at 10:01 pm

      Yes, I love using mozzarella!

      Reply
  4. Klarimarie says

    June 1, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    Can you use boneless thighs? Do you cut the chicken in pieces?

    Reply
    • heather says

      June 1, 2020 at 5:58 pm

      Yes you could 🙂 Just cut in small bite sized pieces. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Robin Mace says

    May 12, 2020 at 3:46 am

    I made this Sat night the old way not even knowing you could cook pasta in the instant pot!!! I added zucchini to mine because I had it. I also had some great Italian cheese left over from lasagna. It was so good! Will definitely use my instant pot next time, thanks!!

    Reply
    • heather says

      May 12, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      Yay so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. Jamie says

    October 27, 2019 at 9:51 pm

    I did the manual for four minutes but the pasta was still hard. Has it taken anyone longer then the four minutes?

    Reply
    • heather says

      November 4, 2019 at 3:35 pm

      Mine usually only takes that long. You can try a few minutes longer if your pasta isn’t fully cooked.

      Reply
  7. Mackenzie says

    August 5, 2019 at 9:17 pm

    I have an 8qt instapot. Will I need to add more chicken broth to make this work? I’m new to the instapot world!

    Reply
    • heather says

      August 7, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      Should will be good leaving the measurements as they are in the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Jeanne says

    May 3, 2019 at 7:33 pm

    What kind of Pesto sauce do you use?

    Reply
    • heather says

      May 6, 2019 at 9:15 pm

      I use store bought pesto sauce like Bertoli (you can find in the refrigerated pasta section of the grocery store)

      Reply
  9. Marc says

    March 23, 2019 at 7:30 pm

    I didn’t notice on your recipe if you put the pressure cooker on high for the 4 minutes?

    Reply
    • heather says

      March 23, 2019 at 8:07 pm

      Hi Marc! Yes, you set it on pressure cook high for 4 minutes. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Phaedra Lerner says

    January 4, 2019 at 2:22 am

    5 stars
    I am relatively new to instant pot cooking but this was the best thing I’ve made yet! Thank you!

    Reply
    • heather says

      January 4, 2019 at 4:19 pm

      Thank You!!

      Reply
  11. Nancy says

    December 10, 2018 at 11:59 pm

    4 stars
    Made this for the first time and it’s deliciois! I added a little more pesto and Parmesan cheese.
    Easy and delicious

    Reply

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Hello and thank you for visiting Food Lovin' Family! With 3 kids I know it can be hard getting food on the table. Here you will find easy and delicious recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Read More…

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