Instant Pot Chicken Florentine Pasta
The ultimate comfort food, Instant Pot Chicken Florentine Pasta combines tender chicken, creamy sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta for an easy weeknight dinner. It’s packed with flavor and nutrients, making it a must-try tonight!
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 9 ounces button mushrooms white or brown
- 2 pieces chicken breasts diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 cups uncooked penne pasta
- 2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan grated
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves loosely packed
Instructions
- Press on SAUTE on the Instant Pot, then add the vegetable oil and butter. Let the butter melt until it’s bubbly but not browned.
- Add the button mushrooms and sauté them for a couple of minutes until they begin to brown slightly and release their moisture.
- Next, add the diced chicken breasts, season with salt and Italian seasoning, and sauté for another couple of minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Now, add the crushed garlic and cook for about a minute, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Switch off the SAUTE setting to prevent burning. This step is crucial for maintaining the sauce's creaminess.
- Add the uncooked penne pasta to the pot, followed by the vegetable stock or chicken stock. Ensure the pasta is covered with liquid. If needed, add more water to ensure it’s fully submerged.
- Seal the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 4 minutes on high pressure.
- While the Instant Pot takes around 6 to 7 minutes to come to pressure, take this time to gather your garnishes. Prepare some extra parmesan for serving!
- Once the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam by turning the vent to VENTING. Carefully remove the lid once the pressure has fully released.
- Give the pasta and chicken a quick stir, then stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. If the cheese isn't melting, it means the pasta isn't hot enough. Simply switch on the SAUTE setting for a moment and stir until you achieve a creamy consistency.
- If the sauce appears too liquidy, thicken it with a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, then adding it to the sauce while stirring until it thickens up to your liking.
- Finally, add the baby spinach leaves and stir until they wilt, which should only take a minute.
- Garnish with extra grated parmesan cheese and serve warm!
Notes
Feel free to turn this into a dump and start recipe if you’re in a hurry. The flavors will be a bit milder though. Never pressure cook dairy as it might curdle. I recommend that you only add the cream after pressure cooking. You can add more seasonings to the chicken such as smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and/or chili flakes. Feel free to add sundried tomatoes. Just chop them up and add them in after pressure cooking as I did in my Instant Pot Tuscan chicken recipe. This is a lightened-up version of the chicken florentine and the sauce is still super creamy and delicious. I don’t recommend using whole chicken breasts in this recipe, as the cooking time won’t be enough to cook them and if you increase the cooking time then the pasta will be overcooked. Just dice the chicken into 1-inch pieces. This chicken pasta reheats beautifully in the Instant Pot, or in the microwave. You might need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce a little.