This Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta is the perfect one-pot shortcut: sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and a silky Parmesan cream sauce ready in about 30 minutes without boiling a separate pot of water.
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Why You’ll Love This Pasta Recipe
If you love the creamy sun-dried tomato and garlic combination, this Instant Pot version hits that flavor profile fast. It was the first one-pot “Marry Me” recipe on the blog and inspired several others: it’s rich, comforting, and surprisingly quick.
This dish is built to be a simple weeknight winner: sauté the chicken, pressure cook the pasta, and finish with cream and Parmesan — all in the same pot. It delivers restaurant-quality creaminess at home without extra dishes.
This recipe is a reliable weeknight keeper — bold, creamy, and fast.
Why Use the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot lets you brown the chicken, cook the pasta, and finish the sauce in a single vessel—meaning one dish to clean and a big time savings. Using pressure cooking, this meal is on the table in under 30 minutes.
You sauté, pressure cook the penne directly in broth, then stir in the cheeses and cream for a fast, flavorful dinner.
Ingredient Notes
(See the recipe card below for exact measurements.)
- Jarred Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Julienned variety saves prep time. Keep the oil — a couple of tablespoons are used to sauté the chicken for concentrated flavor.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chop into about 1″ pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. Thighs can be substituted for more richness.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes give the sauce its signature profile. Reduce red pepper flakes if you want less heat.
- Large Onion & Garlic: Finely dice the onion so it melts into the sauce. Fresh minced garlic is ideal; garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Penne Pasta: Short, ridged pastas like penne are best because they hold the sauce; rotini or farfalle also work. Avoid thin long pastas in this pressure-cooked method.
- Chicken Broth: The pasta cooks in the broth and absorbs the flavor while pressure cooking.
- Creams & Cheeses: Cream cheese, heavy cream, and freshly grated Parmesan create a silky sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese.
- Fresh Spinach & Basil: Stir these in at the end so they just wilt and retain bright color.
Additions & Substitutions
- Protein swaps: Swap chicken for steak or shrimp (sauté shrimp separately and add at the end to avoid rubberiness).
- More tomato depth: Stir in a spoonful of tomato paste before pressure cooking for a richer red sauce.
- Spicier: Double the red pepper flakes or add extra at the table for heat.
- Vegetarian: Substitute hearty mushrooms and vegetable broth.
- Low-carb: Pressure-cook only the chicken and sauce (reduce broth to ½ cup, cook 8 minutes) and serve over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free penne but reduce pressure time by 1–2 minutes according to the pasta package to avoid mushiness.
How to Make Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Sauté the chicken: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. When hot, add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil and the chopped chicken. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Brown for 5–6 minutes to develop a golden crust.
- Add aromatics: Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
- Deglaze: Pour in a splash of chicken broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon—this helps prevent a burn notice and builds flavor.
- Pressure cook the pasta: Add dry penne and the remaining chicken broth. Push the pasta down so it is mostly submerged but do not stir. Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on Manual/High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- Quick release and stir: Perform a quick release when the cook time finishes. Open the lid and stir—the pasta should be al dente.
- Build the sauce: Add cream cheese (in pieces), shredded Parmesan, heavy cream, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until the cheeses melt and the sauce is smooth.
- Finish with greens: Stir in fresh spinach and chopped basil about 5 minutes before serving so they wilt but stay bright. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.
Leftovers & Storage
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days to preserve flavor and prevent odors from spreading.
Reheating: Microwave single servings for about a minute, stirring, and adding 30-second intervals if needed. A splash of broth or water helps restore saucy texture.
Freezing: Freezing is not recommended; cream-based pasta textures often change after freezing and thawing. This recipe is best enjoyed fresh.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Watch the sauté: The Instant Pot heats quickly—keep ingredients moving to avoid sticking and burning.
- Layer, don’t stir: Place the pasta on top of the chicken and nudge it into the liquid without stirring to prevent sticking and burn notices.
- Check the seal: Ensure the silicone ring and floating pin are clean and correctly seated so the pot reaches pressure.
- Softened cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese melts faster and yields a smoother sauce.
- Shorter cook for firmer pasta: If you prefer more bite, cook at pressure for 3 minutes instead of 4.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
The name comes from the idea that the dish is so delicious someone might propose after tasting it. This Instant Pot version keeps those same flavors with less hands-on time.
Deglaze after sautéing by adding a splash of broth and scraping the pot bottom. Also layer the pasta on top and don’t stir before sealing the lid.
This is a satisfying main on its own. If desired, serve with a simple spinach salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables.
Yes. Sauté the chicken and aromatics in a skillet, cook pasta separately, then combine with the sauce and cheeses.
Any short, sturdy pasta (rotini, farfalle, rigatoni) works. Avoid thin long pastas that clump under pressure.
Yes—reduce the broth to ½ cup and pressure cook the chicken for 8 minutes, then finish with the cream and cheeses and serve over vegetables or cauliflower rice.
Add dairy after pressure cooking is complete; stirring cream and cheeses into the hot pasta prevents graininess caused by high-pressure cooking.
Frozen chicken releases water and can alter the pasta-to-liquid ratio, so thawed chicken is recommended for this one-pot method.
This is a keeper—try it and leave a rating if you love it!
Instant Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 8.5 oz jarred sun-dried tomatoes (oil reserved)
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1″ pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ large onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese, broken into chunks
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil and the chicken. Brown for 5–6 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and red pepper flakes as it cooks.
- Add the onion and garlic and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the pasta and chicken broth. Push the pasta down so it is mostly submerged but do not stir. Lock the lid, set to Manual/High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- When the cook cycle finishes, do a Quick Release, open the pot, and stir. Add cream cheese, Parmesan, heavy cream, and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- About 5 minutes before serving, stir in the spinach and basil to wilt slightly. Adjust seasoning and serve warm.
Notes
- Prevent the “Burn” notice by deglazing the pot after sautéing—add a splash of broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom.
- Layer the pasta on top of the chicken and don’t stir before pressure cooking to prevent sticking.
- For a smoother sauce, use room-temperature cream cheese and freshly grated Parmesan.
- If you prefer firmer pasta, reduce pressure cook time to 3 minutes.
- Reheat leftovers with a small splash of broth to restore creaminess.
Nutrition Facts
Carbohydrates: 71 g
Protein: 49 g
Fat: 29 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Sodium: 1811 mg
Fiber: 8 g
Sugar: 20 g