Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
This Instant Pot bruschetta chicken pasta is an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. It's packed with flavor, and done in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 15-ounce (400g) can diced tomatoes undrained, See note 1 for sub
- 2 cups water
- 12 ounces penne pasta uncooked, See note 2
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese freshly from a block
For the bruschetta topping:
- 4 plum tomatoes diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the bruschetta topping, in a bowl combine tomatoes, red onion, garlic basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir and set aside.
- To the instant pot, add the chicken, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, olive oil, and diced tomatoes. Give everything a good mix.
- Add the pasta so it’s on top of the chicken, then add water (the water should cover the pasta, or almost cover).
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure that the vent is in SEALING position. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 3 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 10 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking.
- When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam and remove the lid.
- Give everything a good stir (the pasta will absorb most of the water). Add parmesan, and bruschetta topping, stir well, cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with extra fresh basil and parmesan before serving.
Notes
- Diced tomatoes substitute: You can substitute crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes that you've diced yourself. If using whole peeled tomatoes, you might need to add a bit more water (you want to make sure that the pasta is almost covered in liquid before it's cooked).
- Pasta: I use 12 ounces (340g) of pasta to make this recipe, but if you want to use the whole box (16 ounces) that’s perfectly fine. You can also add one more chicken breast that’s diced up into pieces. The only thing to look for, is that the pasta is almost covered in liquid before pressure cooking so feel free to add more water if necessary.
- Using frozen chicken: I recommend always thawing the chicken before cooking, but if you're short on time you can use frozen chicken just dice it up into small pieces. You do not need to adjust the cooking time.
- Don't sear the chicken before pressure cooking. Chicken breast meat is very easy to overcook, so don't add an extra step of searing it before pressure cooking.
- For creamier pasta, mix in half a cup of heavy cream or sour cream at the very end.
- If you're serving this to children, adjust the amount of the fresh garlic. This dish is quite garlicky if you make it as written, so adjust to your preference.
- For extra flavor, you can add a drizzle of balsamic glaze right before serving.
- Storing: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw the pasta in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it with a splash of water on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 2mg