Instant Pot Chicken Mac and Cheese
Creamy Instant Pot chicken mac and cheese with tender chicken, pasta, sharp cheddar, and a rich cream-based sauce made quickly in one pot.
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 SAUTE on the Instant Pot. When the display reads HOT, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (about 3–4 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 30–60 seconds).
- Add the cubed chicken breasts, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper over the chicken. Saute, stirring, until the chicken is opaque on the outside (about 3–4 minutes).
- If there are browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, pour a small splash of the vegetable stock into the pot and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
- Press CANCEL to turn off SAUTE. Add the 4 cups dried pasta in an even layer, then add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Pour in the 2 cups vegetable stock and gently stir to combine. Make sure the pasta is submerged in the liquid; add a little more vegetable stock if needed to cover the pasta.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on high pressure and set the time for 5 minutes. (The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.)
- When the cook time ends, perform an immediate (quick) release by carefully turning the valve to VENTING. When the steam has fully released and the float valve drops, open the lid away from your face.
- Stir the pasta and chicken to combine. Pour in 1 cup heavy cream and stir to incorporate.
- Add 2½ cups (250 grams) shredded sharp cheddar 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.