This Instant Pot Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta uses Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce, and it is one of those recipes that tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did. The sauce does most of the work for you, and combined with cream cheese, parmesan, and chicken, it turns into this rich, creamy pasta dish that is genuinely hard to stop eating.
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The Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce is the star of this recipe, and I want to talk about it for a second because it surprised me. I expected it to taste just like a regular garlic parmesan sauce, but there is actually a little bit of heat at the end that you do not get when it is on wings. It is not spicy by any means, but it has just enough of a kick to keep the dish interesting. If you want to tone it down even further, just reduce the amount of sauce and add a splash of extra chicken broth to replace the volume.
One of the most important things to know about this recipe before you start is how to cut the chicken. Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into one-inch cubes is the way to go here. The reason is simple. Cubed chicken cooks in the same amount of time as the pasta does, and full chicken breasts do not. If you throw a whole chicken breast in there with the pasta, the pasta will be done long before the chicken is safe to eat. Cut it into cubes and everything finishes at exactly the right time.
When you add the pasta to the Instant Pot, do NOT stir it into the liquid. I know it feels wrong to just push the penne down and leave it sitting there, but stirring the pasta before pressure cooking can cause a burn notice. Just press it down until most of it is submerged, close the lid, and trust the process. It will cook evenly, I promise. Any pasta that looks slightly undercooked when you open the lid will finish cooking when you add the cream cheese and sauce on sauté.
Cream cheese is what takes this from a good pasta dish to a GREAT one. It melts into the sauce and makes everything thick, velvety, and rich in a way that milk alone just cannot do. Make sure you stir really well once you add the cream cheese, parmesan garlic sauce, milk, and parmesan cheese together on the sauté setting. You want everything fully combined so you get that creamy sauce coating every single piece of penne pasta instead of pools of unincorporated cream cheese sitting at the bottom of the pot.
This garlic parmesan chicken pasta recipe is not a low-calorie dish and it is not trying to be. It is a rich, satisfying, full-flavored pasta recipe that the whole table is going to want seconds of. Serve it with a simple salad and some garlic bread and you have a dinner that looks and tastes like you put in a lot more effort than you actually did. Leftovers reheat really well too, either in the microwave or back in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting with a splash of extra chicken broth to loosen the sauce back up.
Tips for making Instant Pot Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta
Yes, but you will still need to cut it into 1-inch cubes before cooking. Large pieces of chicken and whole chicken breasts take substantially longer to cook than pasta does, so it is not recommended to use whole pieces. A great tip is to buy boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut them into small pieces, and freeze them in a zip-lock bag so they are ready to go whenever you want to make this recipe.
Yes! When doubling, double all of the ingredients except the chicken broth. Instead of doubling the chicken broth, only add an additional 3 cups rather than the full 3.5 cups.
Technically yes, but the chicken broth adds so much extra flavor to the pasta that it is really worth using. If you use water instead, the flavor will taste more watered down and less rich overall.
No problem! For al dente pasta, take the recommended cooking time on the box, divide by 2, then subtract 2. For pasta cooked a little more, divide by 2 then subtract 1. For fully cooked and tender pasta, divide by 2 only. So a pasta with a 10-minute box time would pressure cook for 3, 4, or 5 minutes depending on your preference.
Yes, you can use whatever sauce you would like and it does not have to be Buffalo Wild Wings brand. That said, sticking with a mild and creamy sauce is a good idea for this recipe since it pairs so well with the cream cheese and parmesan. If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the amount of sauce and increase the chicken broth to replace the volume.
The main ingredients are garlic, parmesan, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, and usually some form of mayonnaise. You can make your own homemade version or buy it pre-made at your local grocery store. The Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce is what this recipe uses and it is genuinely delicious.
Leftovers reheat really well in the microwave or back in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. You may want to add a splash of extra chicken broth to loosen the sauce back up since it thickens in the refrigerator. Leftover pasta keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
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Ingredient tips and substitutions
The full ingredient list is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- Olive Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil can be used instead if you prefer.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken thighs work as a substitute, just make sure they are cut into small 1-inch pieces so they cook in the same amount of time as the pasta. Chicken cutlets or chicken tenders also work well.
- Chicken Broth: Water can be used in a pinch, but the chicken broth adds a lot of extra flavor to this garlic parmesan chicken pasta recipe and is worth using if you have it.
- Pasta: Any short pasta works here, including penne pasta, rigatoni, ziti, or rotini. Do not use already cooked pasta and do not use long pasta like spaghetti. If you use a different shape, calculate the pressure cooking time by dividing the box time by 2 and subtracting 2. Gluten-free pasta can be used but cooking times will vary.
- Cream Cheese: Regular or reduced-fat cream cheese both work fine for this recipe.
- Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce: Any mild and creamy wing sauce or parmesan garlic sauce can be used as a substitute. For a milder flavor, reduce the amount of sauce and replace the difference with extra chicken broth.
- Milk: Whole milk is what I used, but skim, 1%, or 2% all work. For an extra rich and creamy pasta dish, heavy cream can be used instead.
- Parmesan Cheese: Shredded or grated parmesan cheese both work great here. If you do not have parmesan, a small amount of mozzarella can be used, but stir continuously while it melts to prevent it from clumping.
Directions for Making Instant Pot Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta
- Turn Instant Pot on saute, high for 15 minutes.
- Pour in Olive Oil.
- Once the Olive Oil is hot, pour in the chicken. Saute chicken until lightly browned on all sides.
- Once the chicken is lightly browned, pour in chicken broth. Stir and lightly scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any browned chicken bits. If using a nonstick pot, use a silicone spatula.
- Add the pasta on top. DO NOT STIR PASTA! Simply just push all of the pasta down, so most of it is covered by the liquid.
- Close pressure cooking lid, and move valve to the seal position. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.
- *If you are using a different shape of pasta, follow these instructions to determine the proper pressure cooking time: Take the recommended cooking time that is on the box of pasta and divide by 2 and then subtract 2. Pressure cook for that many minutes. For example, if the box recommends 10 minutes of cook time, divide 10 by 2=5. Subtract 2. 5-2=3. Pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps and the Instant Pot is finished pressure cooking, move the valve to the vent position and release the pressure. If a lot of liquid starts to come out of the Instant Pot, close the vent, wait 3-5 minutes and then try to release the pressure again. Continue to do this until all pressure has been released.
- Stir chicken and pasta together. Don’t worry if all of the pasta isn’t cooked all the way. It will continue to cook as you add the additional ingredients. Turn Instant Pot on saute and add cream cheese, parmesan garlic dressing, milk, and parmesan cheese. Stir well until all ingredients are evenly combined.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Recipe
Instant Pot Parmesan Garlic Chicken Pasta-Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Olive Oil
- 2 (2) Chicken Breasts (Boneless; Skinless; Cut into one inch cubes)
- 3 ½ cups (828 ml) Chicken Broth (Low Sodium)
- 16 ounces (453 ⅗ g) Pasta (I used Penne, but any short pasta may be used.)
- 8 ounces (226 ⅘ g) Cream Cheese
- 8 ounces (226 ⅘ g) Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesean Garlic Sauce
- ⅔ cup (157 ¾ ml) Milk
- ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on saute, high for 15 minutes.
- Pour in Olive Oil.
- Once the Olive Oil is hot, pour in the chicken. Saute chicken until lightly browned on all sides.
- Once the chicken is lightly browned, pour in chicken broth. Stir and lightly scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any browned chicken bits. If using a nonstick pot, use a silicone spatula.
- Add the pasta on top. DO NOT STIR PASTA! Simply just push all of the pasta down, so most of it is covered by the liquid.
- Close pressure cooking lid, and move valve to the seal position. Pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. *If you are using a different shape of pasta, follow these instructions to determine the proper pressure cooking time: Take the recommended cooking time that is on the box of pasta and divide by 2 and then subtract 2. Pressure cook for that many minutes. For example, if the box recommends 10 minutes of cook time, divide 10 by 2=5. Subtract 2. 5-2=3. Pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps and the Instant Pot is finished pressure cooking, move the valve to the vent position and release the pressure. If a lot of liquid starts to come out of the Instant Pot, close the vent, wait 3-5 minutes and then try to release the pressure again. Continue to do this until all pressure has been released.
- Stir chicken and pasta together. Don't worry if all of the pasta isn't cooked all the way. It will continue to cook as you add the additional ingredients. Turn Instant Pot on saute and add cream cheese, parmesan garlic dressing, milk, and parmesan cheese. Stir well until all ingredients are evenly combined.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.
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Knee says
This is 10/10 lazy cook certified. My husband really liked this!
My chicken thighs were frozen solid so I ended up trying this with ground Italian sausage. The instructions worked perfectly fine (I just browned the meat)
It turned out perfect. It needed some veg so I threw some cooked peas in at the end. Worked out fantastic.
Lauren Cardona says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Barb says
It was delicious. Next time would add some cooked broccoli. Will make again!
Sophia says
W
TayPenn says
SOOO delicious and picky kid approved! I used heavy cream because I didn’t have milk and I seasoned my boneless/skinless chicken thighs with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder before cooking on sauté mode. Otherwise I followed this recipe and it’s absolutely going to be added to the rotation for busy sport practice days! Would be great with broccoli or spinach in it or something.
Lisa Jeambey says
This was very good…but so much left over and it is just my husband and myself. Do you think this would freeze well?
Lauren Cardona says
Generally, I don’t like to freeze meals that have cooked pasta in them because they get mushy when thawed out. But, if you have to freeze it, I would put it in a casserole dish of some sort, freeze it, and then when ready to eat put it in the oven to thaw and warm up. Otherwise, freeze it in individual serving containers and microwave it when ready to eat. Try not to stir it too much when reheating otherwise the pasta will break up and get very mushy.