Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta

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The absolute easiest way to make Instant Pot chicken parmesan pasta. Just dump the ingredients, no prep work! Simple ingredients like chicken tenders, penne pasta and jarred marinara make this an easy one-pot dinner. Plus, lots of irresistible melted cheese and a crunchy breadcrumb topping.

White bowl filled with Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta made from penne pasta, tomato sauce, chicken tenders and melted cheese topped with crunchy breadcrumbs

When I'm craving lasagna or baked pasta but don't feel like putting in that much effort, this Instant Pot chicken parmesan pasta is the perfect dinner.

Just combine the ingredients in the Instant Pot - no chopping or prep needed - and return to a creamy and cheesy pasta that both kids and adults will happily dig into.

Honestly, I wish I didn't love the combination of pasta and melted cheese as much as I do. But why fight it, right?

This chicken pasta has all the elements of traditional chicken parmesan combined into a simple one-pot dinner: tender pieces of chicken, marinara, and melted cheese. Instead of breading the chicken, I top the pasta with crunchy panko breadcrumbs and fresh basil.

Hungry for more Instant Pot pasta? Try my Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs or Instant Pot bowtie pasta. You might also like Instant pot hamburger helper. Or, for something new, try oven-baked spaghetti squash chicken parm.

Why This Chicken Parm Pasta is the Best

Simple, short list of ingredients
No prep work, just dump all the ingredients in the Instant Pot
Use whole chicken tenders, no cutting raw chicken
Flavorful, with lots of sauce and cheese
A crunchy breadcrumb topping, just like real chicken parmesan

Ingredients

Chicken: Whole chicken tenders cook quickly and there's no need to cut raw chicken. Win, win!

Marinara: Use your favorite jarred marinara. Cup of Jo has a helpful round-up of the best tasting jarred marinara. Lately I've been buying Trader Joe's Organic Marinara because it's cheap, convenient and tasty.

Cheese: For convenience, I use pre-grated/shredded cheese. Mozzarella is fine, but you'll get more flavor with a pizza blend or Italian blend.

Pasta: Penne cooks quickly and the tube shape holds the sauce well. I have not tested this recipe with other pasta shapes, but if you stick with a short pasta it should work okay.

Salt and garlic powder: An easy way to give the chicken more flavor. You can also add Italian seasoning if you want.

Olive oil: A light layer of oil helps prevent the chicken from sticking to the pot

Panko: A crunchy breadcrumb topping is optional, but easy to add. Just toast panko with olive oil in a saute pan for a few minutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Pour a thin layer of olive oil in the Instant Pot. Add chicken tenders. Season with salt and garlic powder.

raw chicken tenders seasoned with salt and garlic powder in an Instant Pot

2. Pour marinara sauce on top of the chicken. Add the penne pasta in an even layer.

marinara sauce poured over pasta in an Instant Pot

uncooked penne pasta in a pressure cooker

3. Add water. Press down the pasta so the noodles are covered by water.

penne pasta, marinara and water in an Instant Pot

4. Seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, with a quick release. The pasta will look watery and might not be fully cooked when you remove the lid. Don't worry!

Stir the pasta well and take out the chicken tenders. When the chicken cools slightly, cut the tenders into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt if needed.

An Instant Pot filled with penne pasta and marinara next to a plate of cooked chicken tenders

5. Add cheese to the pasta. Add the cut chicken back to the pasta. Stir well and set the lid back on top of the pot. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so before serving. The pasta will finish cooking and get softer as it absorbs more of the liquid and sauce.

pieces of cooked chicken tenders in an Instant Pot with marinara sauce and penne pasta

penne pasta in a pressure cooker pot with marinara and grated cheese

6. If you'd like a crunchy topping, toast panko in a saute pan with olive oil until lightly browned (about 4 minutes).

Top with fresh basil before serving.

a bowl of instant pot chicken-penne pasta with marinara and cheese

FAQ About Chicken Parm Pasta

Can chicken thighs or chicken breasts be used instead of chicken tenders?

Only if you cut the raw chicken into small pieces first. The cooking time for this pasta is only 4 minutes. Chicken tenders will cook in this amount of time, but large pieces of chicken thighs and chicken breast won't.

Can frozen chicken be used?

No. Frozen chicken won't fully cook.

Can the chicken be left out?

Yes, you can make this a vegetarian meal by simply leaving out the chicken. Otherwise, follow the same recipe instructions.

How long to leftovers stay fresh?

Leftovers will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. But keep in mind that the texture of pressure cooked pasta gets softer the longer the pasta sits. So any leftovers you save will have a softer texture.

Cooked pasta doesn't freeze well. The texture gets mushy when defrosted. Luckily, you aren't likely to have a large amount leftover so freezing shouldn't be necessary!

Can I add less marinara?

An entire jar of marinara is used in this recipe to add maximum flavor. No one likes bland pasta! But if you prefer less red sauce, you can cut back on the amount of marinara and keep the rest of the recipe the same.

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