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Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

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Chicken Fettuccini is a favorite at our house, and I’m so excited that I can now make it super quick! Using the Instant Pot cuts the cooking time by more than half and the best part is I only dirty one stinkin’ pot. I’m tellin’ you this Instant Pot thing is a game changer, especially for this Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.Chicken Alfredo Fettuccini on a white plate with fork

You guys! I’m so excited about this recipe I could hardly wait to get it photographed and written out! I’ve been cooking A LOT with my Instant Pot (see my latest recipe here), and this one is pretty life-changing.

I’ll admit I miiiiight be being a tad bit dramatic about this, but seriously you guys– Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo DONE in under 20 minutes in one pot! I want to give this recipe all the exclamation points right now.

Chicken Fettuccini with alfredo sauce on a white plate

It’s made with real ingredients, too. I’m not dumping in a jarred sauce and covering the lid. We’re talking real cream, butter, and garlic. If I ever got a private concert from Julie Andrews, I’m pretty sure I’d have her sing “Favorite Things” with those three ingredients added to the song. You think she’s too classy to oblige?

Probably.

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Alfredo sauce over chicken and pasta on a white plate

This Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo recipe is pretty self-explanatory, so I’m just going to leave this right here and direct you to the recipe card below and make sure to read the recipe notes if you don’t want a mess in your kitchen. 🙂

If you have an Instant Pot make this like, now. If you don’t, this is the one I have and love. Much love to you all!

**UPDATE 1/5/2018**

I’m still very much learning about cooking with electric pressure cookers, and one thing has become evident to me as I’ve read the comments from those that have tried this recipe: All Electric Pressure Cookers are not made equal! It looks like even those that are the same brand and/or model are cooking this recipe differently.

According to the comments, about 75% of you that have made it had it turn out fabulous (yay!) and the other 25% had problems.

After testing the original recipe again and again in my Instant Pot 6 quart DUO60, I’ve made a few modifications to the recipe card.

The first is that I added an additional 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the recipe. Doing this will leave more liquid for the sauce and hopefully eliminate the “BURN” or “ovHT” notification that some of you are getting. I did a little bit of digging, and this is what I found:

This mechanism is called “burn-protection”. When a high temperature (140C or 284F) is detected at the bottom of the inner pot, the burn-protection mechanism suspends heating to avoid burning food. On Instant Pot IP-DUO series, a warning message “ovHt” is flashed on the display. — Instantpot.com

Apparently, dense foods with a high starch content, like fettuccini, can block the heat from distributing evenly in the pot, causing the sensors in the Instant Pot to suspend cooking, regardless of how much liquid is in the pot. If you are using a pot that is smaller than 6 quarts or using more chicken than is called for (causing the pasta to be weighted down more to rest on the bottom), you might run into this problem.

The second change I made to the recipe is an increase in cooking time by 2 minutes. The additional liquid and increase in cooking time should take care of any undercooked pasta. This said, due to the nature of cooking pasta in an Instant Pot, where the noodles aren’t able to move freely, you will end up with with a few that were not submerged all the way or were stuck together–It’s just part of this cooking method. Every time I’ve made it I’ve ended up with about 95% of my pasta being perfectly cooked. The other 5% is something I’m willing to sacrifice for the sake of how stinkin’ easy this recipe is. 🙂

I appreciate all your comments and am grateful for an opportunity to fine-tune a recipe with your feedback! Please continue to share your experiences with the recipe, and hopefully, we can create the ULTIMATE fettuccini alfredo recipe for the Instant Pot together!

Chicken Fettuccini is a favorite at our house and I'm so excited that I can now make it super quick! Using the Instant Pot cuts the cooking time by more than half and the best part is I only dirty one stinkin' pot. I'm tellin' you this Instant Pot thing is a game changer, especially for this Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.
4.53 from 17 votes
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Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

Chicken Fettuccini is a favorite at our house and I'm so excited that I can now make it super quick! Using the Instant Pot cuts the cooking time by more than half and the best part is I only dirty one stinkin' pot. I'm tellin' you this Instant Pot thing is a game changer, especially for this Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo.

Course Instant Pot, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Pressure Release time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 1272 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1 pound dry fettuccini noodles
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Press saute button on Instant Pot and heat olive oil until display reads "HOT". Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in the pot to brown. Cook 2 minutes per side just until lightly browned, but not cooked all the way through, remove from pot and place on a plate.
  2. Melt butter in the pot and stir in minced garlic. Cook for less than 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant and pour in cream.
  3. Bring cream and garlic to a simmer while scraping the bottom of the pot with a spatula to release the browned bits from cooking the chicken. Simmer sauce for 2 minutes until just slightly thickened and pour in chicken broth, salt and nutmeg.
  4. Break dry noodles in half and place into the pot, making sure all noodles are submerged, followed by the browned chicken breasts.
  5. Cover Instant Pot and set it to cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes.
  6. When time is up, allow Instant Pot to naturally release pressure-- about 8-10minutes (See Notes).
  7. Remove chicken and slice if desired before returning to the pot. Stir in cheese and fresh chopped basil before serving-- sauce will thicken as it cools.

Recipe Notes

The first time I made this I tried doing a quick release of pressure after the cooking time was up and I ended up with a literal volcano of cream coming from the spout of my Instant Pot! Ha! So, that's why I recommend you wait for a natural release. Cream has a tendency to boil up when being cooked and comes right up to the top of the pot, making for an easy escape when you release the valve. You may be able to get away with letting it cool for 5 minutes and then try a quick release, but do so knowing you might get a cream bath. 😉

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 1272 Calories from Fat 621
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 69g 106%
Saturated Fat 37g 185%
Cholesterol 431mg 144%
Sodium 1656mg 69%
Potassium 1354mg 39%
Total Carbohydrates 86g 29%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 2g
Protein 74g 148%
Vitamin A 44.2%
Vitamin C 18%
Calcium 36.6%
Iron 19.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I made this recipe as directed and tried very hard to get all the bits and pieces scraped off the bottom of the pot. I still got the burn error, 3 times, because the noodles stuck to the bottom of the pot and burned. Finally I just left it in the pot with the lid closed for 30 minutes and it did finish cooking. The recipe is delicious as the noodle soak up all the flavor of the sauce. Any suggestions to keep pasta from sticking and burning to bottom of the pot?

    Reply

  2. We love this recipe at our house. The kids jump up and down when they are I’m making it. Amazing! I follow the recipe just as it is and it comes out delicious every time for me.

    Reply

  3. I feel like I did something wrong. It tastes good but there is no cream. It’s like the noodles soaked up all of it. Very weird. I didn’t have heavy cream so I did try to cheat by using 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups milk. Maybe that’s why?

    Reply

    • Mine turned out a little dry, too. I plan to use at least an extra half cup of liquid next time. I made quite a few substitutions and it was still delicious. I bet it’s really great going strictly by the recipe. I used 2 and a 1/2 cups of milk and a pkg of cream cheese and 2cups of water with a pkg of chicken bouillon. I also used a bit of gouda instead of parmesan and I didn’t have any nutmeg. I had gouda available for sprinkling on each plate.I added a diced onion in with the garlic and used angel hair pasta broken up and shoved down under the sauce and cooked for 3minutes.

      Reply

  4. Nothing short of amazing! My family is very picky and are alfredo snobs who absolutely loved your recipe! Thank you for giving me such a hit! This is going to become a staple in my kitchen for sure.

    Reply

  6. I made this tonight. I just sautéed the chicken and some mushrooms. Then chucked everything else in. I used thin spaghetti instead of fettuccine. I added spinach at the end. I have a Kogan cooker and I don’t think it has a manual setting so mine was on for 20 mins. Came out perfect!

    Reply

  7. I used 1 lb. of bow-tie pasta, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, and it came out perfectly! Thank you!

    Reply

  8. I’ve made this recipes twice, I also add cream cheese to mine though! I did find the recommend time was not long enough my noodles were still crunchy. It is so delicious, I’m wondering if I Can I make this in a 6q with 5 chicken breast, I want to say recipe will likely be doubled.
    How long would I cook it for?
    Making for 5 adults

    Reply

  12. One more question:
    In your original recipe it says “2 chicken breasts” and in the updated one it says “2 pounds chicken breast”, which one is correct?
    Thanks

    Reply

  13. Hi Heather,

    Just wondering, in your original recipe you call for 8 oz of noodles and in this updated recipe you call for 1 pound of noodles (which would be 16oz). Which is correct?
    Thanks

    Reply

  15. I make this at least once a week. My picky toddler and preschooler love it, wanted it for birthday dinner! I cook it exactly to recipe, wouldn’t dare change a thing 🙂 Thank you!

    Reply

  16. My family loves this. I have made it twice, and it’s been a hit- even with my picky teen who went for seconds! I upped the cream to 2 cups, and the cheese to 1 cup. Natural release for 11 min. I added steamed broccoli at the end with the chicken.

    Reply

  17. So delicious!! I used milk instead of cream and I threw in a brick of cream cheese. The recipe was so easy, I love it! Thank you thank you thank you!

    Reply

  19. I followed this recipe to a “T” and it came out fabulous. I have spent an hour plus on making alfredo on the stove top and this was better than any alfredo I ever made and I didn’t even have to watch it! The flavor was amazing and creamy. No hard noodles. Thank you!

    Reply

  20. Made this tonight- flavor was very good- chicken maybe a little dry. I used chicken breasts which were nice and plump, not thin tenders. The sauce was thin and had tiny curdles. Should I use more cream?

    Reply

  21. I made this tonight, I followed the directions pretty strictly, but I used capellini nests. It was very good, but next time I would use a more substantial pasta. Sauce was excellent!!! I also think this would be just great with rotisserie chicken. Kroger sells shredded rotisserie chicken in the deli. I think I’ll use that next time, which will also save time.

    Reply

  22. Can I make this early in the day and just let it sit on the warm setting. I am having company for dinner and would like to make in afternoon.

    Reply

  23. I am making it now with leftover turkey breast (baked previously and kept frozen). I added mushrooms and bell pepper, Cajun and cayenne pepper, as we like it spicy.
    I am going top cook pasta separately because there is just me and my hubby at home at this time. we will keep leftovers for tomorrow 🙂
    I might need to thicken the sauce… will see soon.

    Reply

  25. Absolutely loved this!!! So easy and so yummy. I added mushrooms and used angel hair pasta instead since my husband hates fettuccine noodles. Do you have suggestions for when to add shrimp if we wanted shrimp Alfredo instead?

    Reply

  26. Made this recipe and loved it! Good hint from the comment above! Don’t change a thing. I thought it was going to be too watery but I used my patience for once. It thickened perfectly when cooling a bit. I will make this again!

    Reply

  28. Tried this tonight and the sauce was waaaay too thin and it looks like the cream all curdled? Noodles were overcooked and chicken dry. Not sure what I did wrong as I followed the instructions exactly other than I doubled the recipe. I am a newbie instant pot user though, this is the first thing that hasnt turned out. 🙁

    Reply

  29. Hi, just bought an insta pot but it’s a 3 qt since I am single and don’t need to cook as much. If I made this should I just cut the recipe in half for the 3 qt

    Reply

  30. So I made this and read all the notes. My noodles were not cooked all the way and was sitting in soup. As I was reading your updates , the way I understood was adding the extra 2 minutes was changed on your directions. So I cooked for 8 minutes. Should it have been 10 minutes? So I ended up turning back in sauté mode to heat back up to get the noodles cooked. But still a lot of extra fluid. But still looks delish.

    Reply

  31. I made this tonight and it tasted good, but the sauce was quite thin. Do you have a suggestion for how to thicken the sauce? Should I have cooked it longer without the lid after adding the cheese at the end?

    Reply

  32. I was wondering the same as a couple of others. Can I double this in a 6 qt or is that too much to cook in the 6 qt?

    Thanks,

    Tracy

    Reply

  33. OMG!!!! I got an instant pot for Christmas and I have been looking through recipes and message boards galore trying to find one that maybe….just maybe….both of my kids will like as well as my husband. I read the reviews and recipe and I knew this was worth trying! I followed the recipe pretty much to the T (I think) and it was so so so good. My picky eater son….asked for seconds! I definitely had enough liquid and the sauce was to die for! My kids asked when I will make this again! I give 5 stars!!!!!!!
    Holly

    Reply

  34. I made this tonight and it was delicious! This was my first time using my instant pot and I will definitely be using it more. After reading the comments, I decided to add extra liquid (1 more cup of chicken broth) and the pasta turned out perfectly. Thanks!

    Reply

  35. So I made it. It didn’t turn out well. Some noodles weren’t cooked. And all the cream curdled into little chunks. 🙁

    Reply

  37. I followed the recipe and my instant kept saying burn and never would start cooking. The noodles were burnt on the bottom of the pot. Any ideas why?

    Reply

  38. Oh my!! as an alfredo fanatic, this turned out so good!! I ended up cooking the pasta for a few more minutes. Next time, I will half the recipe because it’s only for 2 of us. Thank you! This will be definitely be a staple in my instant pot recipe collection!

    Reply

  39. Loved it! I agree with some of the others that the noodles were a bit too al dente (for my taste) so I will cook them a bit longer next time…but there will definitely be a next time! The chicken was delicious! I like all the add in ideas from other posters & will try some of those in the future. (Spinach, broccoli, mushrooms etc.)

    Reply

  40. I just tried this recipe and my instant pot is reading burn. Did anyone else get this message when trying this recipe?

    Reply

    • Yes, mine went back and forth from “burn” to “on.” I asked a question on one of the Instant Pot sites on Facebook and someone said to let the pressure come down, add some chicken broth or water and then start the 6 minutes. I added one cup of each, so 2 cups total. It worked perfectly and was really, really good.

      Reply

  41. I have a 6 QT instapot. Is it possible to double this recipe? If so, do I need to change times at all. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  42. This was very good. I made it with shrimp but will also try the chicken next time. The one thing I will do is use far less noodles, as for our taste, there wasn’t enough sauce to coat the noodles adequately. What I will try is half the amount. It is a very versatile recipe and I will also add spinach or mushrooms on occasion as well. Again, this was an adjustment I would make due to our preference. Flavor was excellent. I used fresh grated parmesan cheese also which was very flavorful.

    Reply

  43. Too many noodles for the amount of sauce. Had to add two more cups of cream at the end. Perhaps half the amount of noodles would work better. Good flavor..

    Reply

    • I would add mushrooms to the pot just after browning the chicken and before the garlic. You may have to add an extra tablespoon of butter since mushrooms tend to absorb more. 🙂

      Reply

  46. I took the advice of another poster on here and steamed the pasta for 2 more mins, the pasta was a perfect al dente for me but not my other half! I also added some cooked veg when I put the cheese and sliced chicken back in. It was my first ever attempt at using my Xmas present amd I’m a huge fan!!! As good as any (if not better) Italian Restaurant version!!!

    Reply

  47. Instant Pot newbie here. After sauteeing the chicken, your recipe says to cover and cook on high for 6 minutes. Am I wrong to assume this is a manual setting? Or do I use another function?

    Reply

  48. Made this last night – my first Instant Pot cook.

    Proud to say it came out great. A few noodles stuck to the bottom of the bowl, and I did get a hard one or two here or there (could be my own fault as some of the noodles I threw it were on top of the chicken, could have affected the cooking of these since they weren’t in the broth/sauce).

    The chicken came out absolutely perfect and the dish was a hit with the family. Very pleased with this recipe and I look forward to trying it again, thank you.

    Reply

  49. Instant pot fail! I followed your recipe as is… and my noodles were not cooked when it came time to take the lid off. I had to high pressure Cook for an additional 10 mins (with more milk added so it would come back to pressure which took away from the garlic flavor). The chicken was good but the noodles just did not come out right. My IP was in sealing mode. I’ve made so many different instant pot recipes and they’ve all come out great… this one sadly did not.

    Reply

  50. I’ve made this a few times and the noodles are never cooked in the amount of time it states. I’ve tried 8 minutes and that still doesn’t work. My friend and sister have both tried as well and the noodles are never done. The flavor is great but I won’t make noodles in the instant pot again.

    Reply

    • Hmmm, sorry about that! I’m learning not all Instant Pots or electric slow cookers are equal in their cooking times and some need more liquid, etc. I’ll do some experimenting. Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply

  51. Can I add frozen broccoli florets to the dish (ie put on top of the noodles/chicken/sauce) before sealing and cook all together? Thanks!

    Reply

  52. Yummy!! after reading reviews first, I changed things up a bit. I used a pack of chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts. The heavy cream I doubled the amount so 4 cups. My noodles were a bit hard still so added a bit of broth and let saute for about a minute more , than it was perfect. Will be making this again. My kids loved it.

    Reply

  53. Came out really dry, not saucy like typical fettuccini or like the pic shows. I’ll be making sauce to pour over the leftovers so I’ll have to dirty two pans anyway.

    Reply

  55. Great recipe. I deglazed with white wine and accidentally added more than a pinch of nutmeg but still awesome. This will be added to the permanent files. Thank you!

    Reply

  56. Thanks, Heather, for this delicious recipe! The noodles were a little too “al dente” after the natural release time, so I simmered them with a pinch of extra broth, using the “low saute” setting on the IP for an extra minute and then put the lid on to let them steam a bit more. Perfect! Both of my picky kiddos liked it and told me to put it on the “Please make again” recipe list. Trust me–that’s saying something!

    Reply

  58. i made your recipe tonight YUMMY YUM YUM !!!!! Now, I didnt do the chicken part in your receipe exactly like you did as I already had cooked shredded chicken thighs and legs and I used that and added in at the very end. I also didnt have Fettuccini and used Tagliatelle instead. PERFECTO! Thank you for your recipe.

    Reply

  59. Do 2 chicken breasts mean 4 pieces– whole breasts? I assume so or it could not feed 4. If not, can I make it with more chicken? How do I adjust if it is only 2 pieces of breast, which equals 1 whole breast? Thanks!

    Reply

    • To clarify, I use 2 breast halves but you shouldn’t have any problem adding an additional two halves. The cooking time should stay the same.

      Reply

    • So Does that mean you cooked the sauce without the pasta? If so, how did it thicken? What was your time adjustment?

      Reply

  63. Did anyone try this with shrimp? I was wondering how the cooking time would change as to not get rubbery, overcooked shrimp.

    Reply

    • I know this is super late but I am making this for the second time tonight. I did it last time with two fairly large, individually frozen breasts and it came out awesome.
      I browned the frozen breasts with sauté function for about five minutes each side and then I pulled from the pot and began to follow the normal directions. After the cream, garlic, and spices were added, I put the breasts back into the pot and cooked for 12 mins and then did a natural release of 12 mins, and quick released the rest. I threw in penne , mixed and made sure noodles were submerged, then put it back on for 3 minutes , then another natural release of about 15 more minutes. The sauce wasn’t very thick but it was delicious anyways. It was even better the next day though. I hope this helps someone else!

      Reply

  66. Just got an Instant Pot and made this tonight and it was delicious. I doubled the cream because we like a lot of the sauce, and my chicken breasts were those big, fat ones they sell at Sprouts, so I was worried that because they were so large, they wouldn’t cook through for the 6 min. time, but they came out perfectly moist and done. The pasta was perfectly al dente and was not all clumped together like someone else said that theirs did. I think you just need to stir it really good in the cream before putting on the lid.

    Reply

  67. Made this recipe tonight. Very good! I did a quick release after 6 minutes and put a paper towel over it to catch any liquid. Chicken was very tender, and not dry. We did use chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts.

    Reply

  68. I’ve made it a few times and it came out really good. Keep the chicken breasts whole though and cut up after the cooking has finished otherwise small pieces will get rubbery. I also add broccoli and carrots. The broccoli dissolves somewhat but it’s there!

    Reply

  69. Did you use 2 lb chicken or 2 chk breasts ? Can we add cream in the end. Pressure cooking cream changes its texture and we are not a big fan of it.

    Reply

  70. I have a 8-quart instant pot. Can I double the recipe? How do I adjust the cooking time? Thanks!

    Reply

  71. Turned out really well for me. Would I need to make any changes in the cooking time if I cut the chicken into bite sized pieces before browning it?

    Reply

  72. Pasta didn’t cook all the way 🙁 I even let it do natural pressure release for like 13 minutes

    Reply

  74. I made this tonight. My chicken turned out really hard. It was fresh chicken. Any thoughts? I did a NPR after 6 mins

    Reply

    • Quick release can tighten up protein fibers in meats, turning them tough and chewy. I’d let it go the full recommended 8 minutes.

      Reply

  75. I made this last night and it was so good! I had used the timer on my IP and got home a little later than planned so I had to think it out a bit. Love that there was only one pot to wash!will be making this again!
    ,

    Reply

  77. What if I were to add spinach and tomato to this recipe? During which step would I add them in and would it change the cooking time?

    Reply

    • I add these ingredients in after it’s been opened and just fold them in. It’s plenty hot, so the spinach will wilt and the tomatoes heat up. You could even the pot on “keep warm” for about 5 min and set the cover back on.

      Reply

  79. I’m so sorry Jim! I just went in and fixed the typo. It’s supposed to be 1/2 cup cheese, added at the end after cooking. I’ve made this multiple times with no issue. I’ll be making again to be certain. My apologies!

    Reply

  80. Hi Heather,

    My daughter will be trying this recipe out in the next couple of weeks. We are a bit confused as to how much parmesan cheese to use. It says 1/21 of a cup, but I’m assuming it should be 1/2 of a cup?

    Thanks!

    Reply

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