Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini is a delicious easy one-pot pasta dinner. Preparing in the Instant Pot makes it even easier! The creamy chicken and mushroom pasta tastes amazing, and it takes less than thirty minutes to make in the pressure cooker. Stove top and slow cooker instructions are also included for this easy recipe.
This easy Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini is great comfort food. The pasta dish will soon be a family favorite in your dinner rotation! Don't have an electric pressure cooker? No worries. I've included stove top and slow cooker directions for the recipe as well.
What Is Chicken Tetrazzini?
Chicken Tetrazzini is creamy comfort food at it's best! The spaghetti dish typically includes tender chicken breast, spaghetti noodles and mushrooms covered in a creamy cheese sauce.
It was created in San Francisco during the early 1900's and named after the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini. [ref]
The dish is somewhat similar to my Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo Recipe.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini
Let's make a batch of this delicious instant pot chicken with cream of mushroom cheese sauce pasta together. I have step-by-step picture steps for you here or just jump down to the printable recipe card for the pressure cooker chicken tetrazzini.
The recipe makes 6 servings
Prep time 15 minutes|Cook time 20 minutes
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini
Here is all you need to make this easy Instant pot recipe:
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ onion diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream or 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, or sharp cheddar cheese
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
Instant Pot Preparation
Add 1 ½ cups of chicken broth, chicken, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 7-9 minutes. Make sure chicken is fully cooked. Manually quick release pressure when done.
Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
Add the chicken, cream of mushroom, sour cream, mushrooms, remaining broth and pasta. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Use manual pressure release to escape the remaining pressure when done.
Add cheese of choice and mix.
Even Faster Version of Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini !
If you are REALLY challenged for time and want chicken tetrazzini for dinner, a rotisserie chicken can cut out the initial chicken cook time. Just toss everything except the cheese in and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes to cook the pasta. Then stir in the cheese to melt. Easy peasy!
Even with raw chicken, cutting it in bite sized pieces would enable you to cook the chicken and pasta together. I would add another minute to pressure cook time to ensure all the cubed chicken as well as noodles are fully cooked (6 minutes on high).
Add-ins
While I am generally happy with just the fresh sliced mushrooms in my Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini, here are a few additions to the pressure cooker recipe you may like:
- Add frozen peas before you pressure cook.
- Toss some lightly browned bread crumbs on top of the noodles to serve. To make them mix a drizzle of melted butter into the bread crumbs, then sauté on stovetop in a skillet pan over medium-high heat or bake in the oven at 450 degrees for a few minutes.
- A few tablespoons of crumbled bacon would also make a tasty topping for this creamy pasta.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tetrazzini
Making Chicken Tetrazzini in a slow cooker is also an option.
To make this well in the slow cooker, I cook the pasta separately. You can add it in the Crockpot, but your pasta texture may not be perfect.
To make add all the ingredients except sour cream, cheese and pasta to the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours.
Then boil your spaghetti or linguini to al dente.
Stir in sour cream and cheese until melted then fold in the pasta until well coated. Serve and enjoy the Crock Pot Chicken Tetrazzini!
One Pot Stove Top Version
Don't have an Instant Pot pressure cooker? No worries, while I do recommend getting one you can make this easy chicken tetrazzini on the stove in one pot. A Dutch oven would be perfect for this.
I recommend cutting the raw chicken into bite-sized cubes or using shredded rotisserie chicken. I would also use a thinner spaghetti or even angel hair pasta to ensure it cooks through easily.
I would lightly saute the onions in a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat then add the rest of the ingredients (except sour cream and cheese), stir and cover. Once boiling, stir again, reduce heat to medium and cook until pasta is al dente. Then stir in the sour cream and cheese before serving.
What to Serve with Chicken Tetrazzini
The dish itself is quite satisfying, but adding a vegetable side dish such as baked asparagus or sauteed vegetables makes it a more nutritious meal. Breadsticks with butter, garlic bread or focaccia with a dipping oil are always nice along with Italian pasta dishes and of course a green salad with vinaigrette dressing is a great start to any meal.
For dessert go with something simple to prepare like my peach dump cake recipe, banana oatmeal cookies or a strawberry shortcake sundae!
Of course, serve grated Parmesan cheese at the table with this delicious pasta meal.
Cooked creamy pastas should be refrigerated within 4 hours of cooking. Refrigerate the pasta in airtight containers or seal dish well with plastic wrap. Properly stored, chicken tetrazzini will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, it is safe to freeze this chicken tetrazzini. I suggest doing so in individual servings for quick and convenient thawing and reheating later. It will last about 3 months frozen.
You can of course reheat the pasta in the microwave or stove top. Make sure is is fully reheated and you may need to stir more if your sauce breaks up. Add a couple teaspoons of milk, heavy cream or chicken stock if the leftovers seem dry.
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my easy Crock Pot Pizza Casserole, Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo, Slow Cooker Angel Chicken or Instant Pot Kielbasa Pasta recipes.
Instant Pot Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- ½ onion diced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream or 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 8 oz white mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
- 1 clove garlic minced or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Add 1 ½ cups of chicken broth, chicken, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 7-9 minutes. Make sure chicken is fully cooked. Manually release pressure when done
- Remove the chicken and shred, then return to the pot.
- Add the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, mushrooms, remaining broth and pasta. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Manually release pressure when done.
- Add cheese of choice and mix.
Nutrition
Easy Instant Pot Meals
Here are a few more easy Instant Pot dinner recipes you may like. Enjoy.
- Cheesy Instant Pot Kielbasa Pasta
- Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken
- Tuscan Chicken Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Pork Chops with Tomato Cream Sauce
Jessica says
So I love this recipe. But basic terrible cookers like me need that extra step where it says stir the dry pasta noodles into the mixture before cooking. LOL my noodles were not done at the end. OOPS.
Robin Gagnon says
Oh no. Usually if the pasta is pretty spread out and mostly covered it will cook OK.