Instant Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese
Creamy Instant Pot chicken mac and cheese made with pasta, sautéed onion and garlic, cubed chicken, vegetable stock, heavy cream, and sharp cheddar.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?4 cups 400 gramspastadried
- ?2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
- ?1 oniondiced
- ?2 clovesgarlicminced
- ?1 pound 500 gramschicken breastsboneless and skinless, cubed
- ?2 tablespoonsbutter
- ?1/4 teaspoonground nutmeg
- ?1 teaspoonsalt
- ?1/4 teaspoonground black pepper
- ?2 cups 475 mlvegetable stockadd more if needed to cover the pasta
- ?1 cup 236 mlheavy cream
- ?2 1/2 cups 250 gramssharp cheddar cheeseshredded
Instructions
Instructions
- Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Heat until oil is shimmering.
- Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent (about 3–4 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cubed chicken breasts to the pot and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Saute the chicken, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are opaque on the outside and lightly browned (about 3–4 minutes).
- If there are browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, deglaze by pouring in a small splash of the vegetable stock and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck bits.
- Press CANCEL to turn off SAUTE. Add the 4 cups (400 g) dried pasta, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg to the pot. Pour in 2 cups (475 ml) vegetable stock (add a bit more of the stock if necessary to make sure the pasta is covered).
- Give the ingredients a quick stir to distribute the pasta, butter, and chicken, and press the pasta down so it is submerged in the liquid.
- Secure the lid and set the steam release valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) and set the cook time to 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking time begins.
- When the cook time ends, perform a quick release of the steam (open the valve carefully to release pressure immediately). When the pressure is fully released, carefully open the lid away from your face.
- Stir the pasta and chicken, then add 1 cup (236 ml) heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Add 2½ cups (250 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
Notes
If for some reasonyour sauce is still not thick enoughafter you stir in the cheese,just press on sauté and cook for a few minutesand this should solve the problem.
Depending on how salty your cheese is, your Mac and cheese may and may not need more salt. So at the end justhave a taste, and see if you need to add more salt or black pepper.
Feel free to add broccolito the mac and cheese at the end. Or check out myInstant Pot broccoli mac and cheese recipe.
If you have leftovers for the next day,reheat in the Instant Potby adding a little bit of water and press on SAUTE. Let it heat up while stirring with a wooden spoon. Once it’s warm enough, remove the IP inner pot from the IP to avoid burning the mac and cheese at the bottom of the pot.
If you like spice,you can add a little bit of cajunto the mac and cheese.
If you don’t have cream, then you can use a smaller amount of full-fat milk or evaporated milk.
I recommend buying a block of cheddar and shred it yourself rather than buying shredded cheese as it will melt better.
To get some stringy cheese, I sometimes add about 1/2-3/4 of a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
You can add more chicken to the recipe if you like, this won’t change the cooking instructions.
Depending on how salty your cheese is, your Mac and cheese may and may not need more salt. So at the end justhave a taste, and see if you need to add more salt or black pepper.
Feel free to add broccolito the mac and cheese at the end. Or check out myInstant Pot broccoli mac and cheese recipe.
If you have leftovers for the next day,reheat in the Instant Potby adding a little bit of water and press on SAUTE. Let it heat up while stirring with a wooden spoon. Once it’s warm enough, remove the IP inner pot from the IP to avoid burning the mac and cheese at the bottom of the pot.
If you like spice,you can add a little bit of cajunto the mac and cheese.
If you don’t have cream, then you can use a smaller amount of full-fat milk or evaporated milk.
I recommend buying a block of cheddar and shred it yourself rather than buying shredded cheese as it will melt better.
To get some stringy cheese, I sometimes add about 1/2-3/4 of a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
You can add more chicken to the recipe if you like, this won’t change the cooking instructions.