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Instant Pot® Buffalo Chicken Pasta

This creamy Buffalo chicken pasta dinner is done in your Instant Pot®!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 people

Equipment

  • 1 Multi-functional Pressure Cooker (e.g., Instant Pot)
  • 1 Slotted Spoon
  • 1 Wooden or Plastic Spoon (for deglazing)
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 ½ pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
  • ½ medium onion finely chopped
  • 3 ½ cups chicken stock
  • 1 16 ounce package penne pasta
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, cubed
  • ⅓ cup Buffalo wing sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®), add butter, and select Saute function. Add chicken and onion to the melted butter and saute until chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Hit Cancel. Remove chicken-onion mixture with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add chicken stock to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden or plastic spoon to loosen any browned bits. Stir in penne, salt, and garlic powder. Layer the following ingredients on top of the pasta, without stirring: cream cheese cubes, chicken-onion mixture, then Buffalo sauce.
  • Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 5 minutes. Allow about 12 minutes for pressure to build.
  • Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
  • Add mozzarella cheese to the pot. Stir until cream cheese and mozzarella have completely blended into the sauce. Let pasta sit in the pot until sauce has thickened, about 3 minutes.
  • Garnish servings with blue cheese.

Notes

Achieving a good sear on the chicken and sautéing the onion initially builds a strong flavor base through the Maillard reaction; don't rush this step. Thoroughly deglaze the pot after browning to remove all browned bits, which is crucial to prevent the 'BURN' error during pressure cooking. When layering ingredients, especially the cream cheese and Buffalo sauce, avoid stirring them into the pasta before pressure cooking – this prevents ingredients from settling at the bottom and potentially scorching. For an extra kick, consider adding a dash of cayenne pepper, or use a higher quality Buffalo sauce. The blue cheese garnish is essential for balancing the richness and spice.