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Instant Pot Creamy Pasta with Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms

Instant Pot pasta recipes are one of my favorite easy weeknight dinner solutions. This creamy chicken and mushroom pasta recipe cooks in one pot (your pressure cooker) in about 30 minutes. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • 1 Multi-functional Electric Pressure Cooker Such as an Instant Pot
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Slotted Spoon For removing solids while retaining liquid
  • 1 Wooden or Plastic Spoon For scraping the pot and stirring

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 16 ounce package sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 12 ounce package uncooked linguine pasta, broken in half
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, cubed
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Select the Sauté function on a multi-functional electric pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot). Melt the butter in the pot. Add the chicken, mushrooms, minced garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the pot and sauté until the chicken is just starting to brown and the mushrooms are starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Push Cancel to end Sauté function, and remove the chicken and mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the pot and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add linguine to the pot, making sure the noodles are all submerged in the liquid, but do not stir.
  • Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pot, placing on top of the noodles without stirring. Place the cream cheese cubes over the top of the chicken, and do not stir. Close and lock the lid, making sure the pressure/steam release switch is set to Sealing.
  • Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 6 minutes for al dente noodles, adding 1 minute if you want softer noodles. Allow 10 to 15 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 Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and parsley to the pot, stirring until the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese have completely blended into the pasta sauce and any noodles that were stuck together have broken up. Let the pasta sit in the pot, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, before serving.

Notes

To avoid a 'burn' notice, ensure all browned bits are thoroughly scraped from the pot's bottom after sautéing. Breaking the linguine in half is crucial for even cooking and submerging. For a richer flavor profile, consider deglazing with a splash of dry white wine after sautéing the chicken and mushrooms before adding the stock. Adjust seasoning at the end, as the Parmesan and cream cheese will add salinity. Don't rush the sauce thickening; a gentle simmer with occasional stirring will yield a perfectly creamy consistency. Freshly grated Parmesan will melt more smoothly than pre-shredded.