The week after Independence Day usually involves leftovers… hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, barbecue, and so on. So here a week after the big day we’re all ready for something different, and this is pretty different. It’s also super simple to make, and can be served several ways (which I’ll list on the recipe card). Plus, cooking it in the Instant Pot keeps the kitchen cool and gives you more time to take advantage of the still-long summer days. Sounds like a summertime win all around.
There was one small issue I had with this dish: the sauce didn’t thicken up as much as I’d have liked. I’ll offer a few suggestions in the recipe notes.
Adapted from Season and Thyme
Instant Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken and Pasta
Description
A light and easy dinner that mostly cooks in an Instant Pot (the pasta is separate), keeping the dirty pans down to a minimum for a quick summer meal.
Adapted from Season and Thyme
Ingredients
Instructions
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Add the chicken stock to the bottom of a 6 quart or larger Instant Pot. Place the chicken on top of the stock, then evenly spread the 1/2 cup of pesto on top of the chicken.
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Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the vent valve to Sealing. Set the controls to pressure cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
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While the chicken is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
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At the end of cooking, allow the Instant Pot to natural release for 10 minutes, then turn the vent valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
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Carefully 0pen the lid and remove the chicken to a plate. Add the heavy cream, Mozzarella cheese, and additional 2 tablespoons of pesto. Stir until the cheese has melted. Taste and add salt if desired.
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Serve the chicken on a bed of pasta with sauce drizzled over both.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
Serving Size 4 oz chicken plus 4 oz cooked pasta
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 471kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 21.7g34%
- Saturated Fat 10.1g51%
- Cholesterol 151mg51%
- Sodium 453mg19%
- Potassium 26mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 31g11%
- Dietary Fiber 1.5g6%
- Sugars 1.6g
- Protein 39.2g79%
- Calcium 102 mg
- Iron 2 mg
- Vitamin D 600 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- Chicken thighs can be substituted for the chicken breasts with no change in cooking time
- Alternate serving suggestions for the pasta
- Mashed potatoes
- Mixed vegetables
- Plain with a side salad
- The sauce as prepared is somewhat thin. To thicken it, turn the Instant Pot to the Saute function and bring the sauce up to a boil for a few minutes. A cornstarch slurry can also be added by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
