Savory Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti (Printable)

Tender chicken and spaghetti simmered in rich tomato sauce with vegetables, Italian spices, and Parmesan cheese—all in one pot.

# What you'll need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta

07 - 8 oz uncooked spaghetti, broken in half

→ Liquids

08 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
10 - 1 teaspoon paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Cheeses & Finishing

13 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

# How to make it:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode. Add a drizzle of oil, then sauté the onion and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
02 - Add chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown (they do not need to be fully cooked through).
03 - Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and deglaze the pot, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes and spread spaghetti evenly over the top, pressing down lightly into the liquid (do not stir).
06 - Secure the lid. Set Instant Pot to 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' on high for 7 minutes.
07 - Once cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully do a quick release.
08 - Gently stir everything together. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve garnished with parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing all those savory tomato flavors while the chicken becomes impossibly tender
  • One pot means virtually zero cleanup, which is honestly the best part of any weeknight dinner
  • The leftovers heat up beautifully for lunch the next day, sometimes tasting even better than the first time around
02 -
  • The pasta will look slightly undercooked when you first open the pot, but it continues cooking as you stir and the temperature remains high
  • Pressing the spaghetti into the liquid without stirring is absolutely critical to prevent the burn error that ruins so many Instant Pot pasta attempts
  • The sauce will seem much thinner than traditional spaghetti, but it thickens considerably as it cools slightly and as the pasta releases starch
03 -
  • Breaking the spaghetti in half before adding it prevents those frustrating long strands that are impossible to serve gracefully
  • Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up the browned bits when deglazing, as metal tools can damage the interior of your Instant Pot

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