Oh my gosh you guys, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?! You can make comforting, delicious chicken alfredo with broccoli, (um, everyone’s favorite, right?) IN FOUR MINUTES. FOUR. MINUTES. I’m so excited to finally share this with you. The idea for instant pot chicken broccoli alfredo has been rolling around in my head for months, ever since I tried this instant pot mac and cheese recipe. Could I take that basic recipe and add to it? So I tried, and holy crap it worked.
There’s something magical that happens inside the Instant Pot when cooking pasta. It’s like the steam clings to the starch in the pasta and the end result is perfectly creamy, thick alfredo sauce with no roux needed. You just stir in milk and cheese after the pasta, chicken, and broccoli cook (TOGETHER! Ah, it’s so easy). Four minutes. One pot. This is a freaking MIRACLE.
Ok, so let me talk you through the steps here.
1.) You’re going to put whole wheat pasta, (it holds up better than white pasta) small pieces of seasoned chicken, (the smaller the better, you want it to cook through in the 4 minutes) water, butter, and salt in the bottom of the instant pot.
2.) Then, you can rest a steamer basket on top of all that, (yep, it’s fine) and add broccoli florets.
Note: Originally I tried this with the broccoli added directly in with the pasta & chicken. This works totally fine taste-wise, but the broccoli turned everything an unappetizing dark green color. I recommend using a steamer basket to separate everything until the final step, but it’s not necessary if you don’t have one.
3.) Seal the lid, seal the vent, and set to “Manual” for 4 minutes, (this is the default when you press “Manual”). The Instant pot will take about 15 minutes to heat up, and then the 4 minute countdown will begin. Don’t be alarmed if it makes weird hissing noises. It’s all good under the hood.
4.) Release the pressure immediately after time is up by turning the valve to “vent”. Be careful of the steam! Once the steam escapes, remove the lid. If you let it sit in there too long after the time is up it will all turn to mush. DO NOT DRAIN THE EXCESS WATER.
5.) Remove the broccoli and set aside. Stir in the milk and cheese, (you’ll need to stir for a minute or two until it all comes together- persevere!) and then stir in the broccoli last.
YOU’RE DONE. Wasn’t that easy?
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You ready for dinner on the table in FOUR MINUTES? Let’s do this!
- ½ lb. whole wheat pasta, (I use whole wheat fettuccine)
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
- Salt and pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 lb. chicken, cut into small, ¼" thin pieces
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
- Place the pasta, water, butter, and 1 tsp. salt in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Season the pieces of chicken with a pinch of salt, pepper, and the garlic powder. Add the chicken to the Instant Pot on top of the pasta. Stir.
- Place a steamer basket on top of the pasta and chicken. Put the broccoli florets in the steamer basket, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot, ensuring the vent is sealed. Use the "Manual" setting for 4 minutes.
- When the time is up, quick release the steam by turning the vent. Once the steam is done releasing, open the lid and set the broccoli and steamer basket aside.
- Stir in the milk and cheese to the pasta and chicken, (do not drain the excess water!) You may need to stir for a minute or two until the liquid is absorbed and the cheese melts.
- Finally, stir in the broccoli and eat!
Is the pasta and chicken cooked before placing them into the instant pot?
Nope! The instant pot cooks them both
Are you able to cook the chicken frozen?
I wouldn’t put frozen chicken directly in the instant pot with the pasta because the cook times would be different.