Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta

You are in for a treat because this Instant Pot Chicken Pasta recipe is so easy to make! This recipe is easy to make gluten free; use gluten free penne pasta! Gluten-free pasta can be challenging, but it worked beautifully in this recipe! 

(*Arla® Cream Cheese sponsored this post, but the content and opinions expressed are my own.)

This post is going to be a lot of fun! Have you watched Chopped on the FoodNetwork? It is a fun cooking show where the contestants are given a basket of items. They must create a delicious recipe with all the ingredients in their basket.

If you love chicken as much as we do, you will want to check out ALL of my delicious Gluten Free Chicken Recipes.

My Challenge Basket Included:

Ingredients in my challenge basket included:

• Arla cream cheese (more about this yummy stuff shortly!)
• Chicken
• Baby Spinach
• Roasted Red Peppers

I have been experimenting quite a bit with my Instant Pot lately. My biggest challenge has been to get gluten free pasta to stay firm and not turn to mush when cooking in a pressure cooker. Cooking pasta in an Instant Pot isn't easy. You want the pasta to be al dente.

If you love using your Instant Pot, try this gluten free taco pasta recipe too!

The hero of this recipe is the Arla cream cheese. It makes such a delicious creamy sauce for this pasta! Arla cream cheese doesn't only come in the Original plain flavor I used for this recipe, but there are also fun flavors like Blueberry, Strawberry, Herbs & Spices, Mediterranean Garden, and Skyr.

Tips For Sucess:

• It is very easy for gluten free pasta to turn to mush. Be sure to add the pasta in the second part as directed by the recipe. If you put it in before the chicken cooks, your pasta will disintegrate.
• You can add vegetables to this recipe. I like to add carrots, red bell pepper, and canned artichokes.
• If you are dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese.

Arla's Original cream cheese is made with four simple ingredients that you can recognize: cream, skim milk, cream culture, and salt!

Top Pick

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, 8 Quart

This is the Instant Pot that I own and it is the perfect size for a family of four. It holds a lot of food and is really easy to use. Clean-up is easy as well.

Buy Now

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Recipe Step-By-Step Instructions:

Step 1: Add the oil and onions to the Instant Pot and hit the sauté setting. This will help you cook the onions in the oil for five minutes.

Step 2: Add one package of Arla Original cream cheese, chicken breasts, red peppers, basil, ½ of the chicken broth, and seasonings to the Instant Pot.

Cook on the Poultry setting according to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker directions.

Step 3: When the chicken is done, depressurize your pressure cooker according to the directions or allow it to slow release.

When it is done, open your Instant Pot. Add the spinach and stir. The leaves will wilt but not fall apart.

Step 4: Remove the chicken breasts and place them on a cutting board. Shred them with two forks or these easy-to-use Meat Claws. Add the chicken back into the pot. The chicken is so moist it will fall apart as you shred it.

How to cook gluten free pasta in an Instant Pot:

Step 5: Now for the instant pot pasta trick. If you add the pasta in the beginning, it will overcook and fall apart. Add the uncooked gluten free pasta to the Instant Pot. I dump it right in.

Next, add the second package of Arla cream cheese and the other half of the chicken broth.

Step 6: Set the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) to cook for just 5 minutes. That is all it takes. It will turn mush if you overcook the pasta in the pressure cooker.

Step 7: Let the pressure release when the pressure cooker is done. Open the pressure cooker when it is totally depressurized and stir. Enjoy!

Serve With:

Serve this Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken with these Gluten Free Breadsticks or Gluten Free Garlic Knots. They are both perfect for mopping up all of that cheesy sauce!

Recipe FAQ:

More Delicious Instant Pot Meal Recipes:

• Instant Pot Chicken Stew
• Grandma's Chicken Soup Instant Pot Version
• Instant Pot Cabbage and Meatballs
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Sandi Gaertner

An easy Instant Pot chicken pasta recipe.

4.86 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Meal Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 418 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 chicken breasts
• ▢ ⅓ cup roasted red peppers
• ▢ 32 ounces chicken broth
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves
• ▢ 14 ounces cream cheese plain flavor
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh basil
• ▢ 2 cups fresh spinach
• ▢ 1 small onion diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 10 ounces gluten free pasta uncooked
• ▢ ¼ cup parmesan

Instructions

 

• In the Instant Pot, add olive oil, garlic, and diced onion. Cook on Sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper, basil, chicken, broth, water, 7 ounces of the cream cheese, and roasted red peppers. Close and lock the pressure cooker. Cook on poultry setting or 15 minutes.
• Safely release pressure per your pressure cooker brand's safety instructions.
• Open the pressure cooker and remove the chicken. Shred the chicken and put back into the pot. Add the uncooked pasta to the pot. Cook on manual 5 minutes.
• Safely depressurize the pressure cooker again. Add raw spinach leaves and last 7 ounces of cream cheese and mix well. 
• Garnish with parmesan and more fresh basil.

Notes

1. I have found corn/rice blend gluten free pasta holds up better in the Instant Pot for this recipe.
2. If you are dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese.
3. You can add more vegetables like carrots and artichokes.
4. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing leftovers because pasta will turn to mush.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 418kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 21gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 1293mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

This post was updated from an older April 2018 post with more recipe details.

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