This easy Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo recipe is a classic one-pot meal made even faster in the pressure cooker (or on the stove top) for a comfort food dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes or less.
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Silky, Saucy, Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe
I’ve finally felt a brisk bite in the air. Oh, why, hello October! I’ve yet to make the jump from t-shirts and flip flops to down coats and scarves, but layering is definitely a part of my current wardrobe.
It’s what I like to call hoodie weather. Which in my cooking world translates to comfort food.
I’ve not yet fully committed to the long braise I love so much in colder months, but my Instant Pot is totally getting a workout. And because you’ve asked to see more pressure cooker recipes here on le blog, I’m sharing this simple, silky, saucy, super easy chicken alfredo fettuccine.
This Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo comes together fast. The chicken and noodles are cooked together with the cooking liquid, becoming a creamy sauce you could slurp through a straw. It’s incredibly easy to create whether you have an Instant Pot or want to use the stove top instead.
And just like a zippered hoodie, it’s a simple classic, too.
This recipe comes from my fellow food-loving blogger Erica Acevedo, who blogs at The Crumby Kitchen. She recently released her new cookbook The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook for Two, a cookbook filled with fast and easy recipes all made in the pressure cooker with smaller portions in mind.
In my last reader survey, I was surprised to see how many of you said you cook for two. You edged out those cooking for a family and became the majority, so it’s just one reason I think you’ll love Erica’s cookbook. The other reason is the recipes are totally solid, and some you’ll want to make every day. The cookbook features recipes that are light and healthy, 30-minute meals, one-pot meals, vegan, vegetarian, meat and seafood lovers. No genre is glossed over. They’re all represented here.
However! Don’t pigeon-hole this cookbook into a cookbook just for two. The recipes are all easily scalable for family-size meals as well. In fact, it’s made it even easier to cook for my little family of three, and far fewer dishes to do, too. Winning.
This cookbook has also become one of my favorite wedding presents. So far, I’ve gifted the cookbook along with an Instant Pot to two sets of newlyweds to get them cooking together in the kitchen. Because isn’t that what keeps true love cooking?
see more: 31 Fast and Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes
What’s in This Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo?
To make this Instant Pot alfredo recipe, you’ll need:
- Butter
- Chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Garlic
- Chicken stock
- Fettuccine
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan
- Fresh parsley
see more: 31 Instant Pot and Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes
How to Make Easy Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine
Whether you make it in the Instant Pot or on the stove top, this Chicken Alfredo is a one-pot meal that comes together fast. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, the Instant Pot does take less time to cook than the stove top, clocking in at just under 10 minutes of actual cooking time, and requires less hands-on watching as well.
The ingredient list is short and simple. It starts with skinless, boneless chicken breast that’s simply seasoned and cut into strips, then sautéed right in a 6 QT Instant Pot.
The insert is deglazed with chicken broth, then the fettuccine noodles are layered into the Instant Pot insert. I criss cross the noodles so they don’t clump together as they cook. But, if they do, stir to loosen them, or use tongs to gently pull them apart from one another.
I use the same one-pot method for cooking this on the stove top as you’ll see in the recipe below.
The sauce will be broth-y after cooking, but give it a few minutes…it will set as it cools.You can always add a bit more Parmesan to thicken too, because at my house, there’s never too much cheese.
see more: 20 Healthy Dinners to Make In the Instant Pot
What Else You Can Add to Chicken Alfredo
Because this chicken fettuccine alfredo is so simple, it’s easy to customize and make your own. These ingredient additions add a little variety to this dinner-time solution:
- sautéed mushrooms
- spinach
- sun-dried tomatoes
- broccoli or broccoli rabe
- peas
- bacon or pancetta
- crumbled or sliced sausage
- caramelized onion
- garlicky bread crumbs
- butternut squash
- crispy cauliflower
- capers
- dried cranberries
- herbs like sage, thyme, marjoram
Can I Omit the Chicken?
If you’d rather make a classic Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo, I’m sure you can omit the chicken without issue.
Tips for Making Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
I cook the chicken breast in two batches with 1 teaspoon of butter each time so the chicken browns instead of steams. This adds that caramelization that creates more chicken flavor.
Swap out the heavy cream for half and half if you’d like, and cook down a bit longer to thicken.
This Instant Pot alfredo is best the day you make it, but leftovers can be gently reheated on the stove. You may need to add an extra drizzle of chicken stock to loosen up the pasta and prevent it from drying out.
What to Serve with Chicken Alfredo to Make a Meal
- Italian Chopped Salad with Chickpeas
- Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
- Killer Garlic Rolls
- Melted Mozzarella Caprese Crostini
- Easy Créme Brulee
- Mascarpone Pumpkin Mousse Cups
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below.
Easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (Instant Pot or Stove Top)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts , cut into strips (2 breasts)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 ounces fettuccine
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Minced parsley
Instructions
For the Instant Pot:
- Preheat the Instant Pot pressure cooker on sauté mode and add ½ tablespoon of butter to melt. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper, and add the chicken to the pot in 2 batches (use the additional ½ tablespoon butter for the second batch), and cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.
- Add the garlic to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Be sure to stir so it doesn’t burn. Add the chicken stock to the pot and scrape the pot with a wooden spatula to deglaze.
- Break the fettuccine noodles in half and lay half of them flat in the pot, then top with the other half in the other direction. Add water if needed to be cover the noodles. Add the chicken strips back to the pot, on top of the noodles.
- Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, then allow the pressure to naturally release for about 5 minutes. Open the vent and remove the lid. Press cancel and select sauté.
- Use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and set in a bowl, then set aside. Use the tongs to separate any noodles that may have clung together. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, the heavy cream, and the Parmesan cheese into the fettuccine in the pot and cooked until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and return the chicken to the pot, tossing in the alfredo sauce.
- Serve with more Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with parsley.
For the Stove Top:
- Follow the same directions as the Instant Pot, but use a large, high sided skillet for the stove top. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes or until cooked through, and set aside. Cook the noodles in the chicken stock for 10 minutes or until al dente. Then, add the butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Add the reserved chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning and serve with more Parmesan and minced parsley.
Notes
Swap out the heavy cream for half and half if you’d like, and cook down a bit longer to thicken.
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