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Creamy Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta

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A quick and easy 30-minute dinner featuring tender chicken breasts, creamy sauce with cream cheese and heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, all cooked together in the Instant Pot for a comforting Tuscan-inspired meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (jarred in oil preferred)
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 8 ounces penne or rotini pasta
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme blend)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, black pepper, and dried Italian herbs.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode and heat olive oil. Brown the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes per side until golden but not cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
  4. Pour in chicken broth and deglaze the pot by scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Add uncooked pasta and stir gently to submerge it in the liquid.
  5. Nestle the browned chicken breasts back into the pot on top of the pasta.
  6. Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on high pressure for 7 minutes.
  7. Perform a quick release of the pressure when cooking is complete. Remove the lid and check that the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
  8. Remove chicken breasts and set aside briefly. Stir in cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of broth or cream if sauce is too thick.
  9. Add baby spinach to the pot and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it back into the pasta and sauce.
  10. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Notes

Do not skip browning the chicken and garlic to build flavor. Thoroughly deglaze the pot to avoid burn errors. Use medium pasta shapes like penne or rotini for best results. Quick release pressure to prevent overcooking pasta. Let cream cheese come to room temperature before stirring in for a smooth sauce. If sauce thickens too much, add broth or cream to loosen. Leftovers store well for up to 3 days; reheat gently with added liquid.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot, Tuscan chicken pasta, creamy pasta, one-pot meal, quick dinner, easy recipe, chicken pasta, comfort food

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/creamy-instant-pot-tuscan-chicken-pasta-recipe-easy-30-minute-dinner/