Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta – chicken pasta loaded with cheddar, bacon and ranch! Seriously delicious! 4 minutes of cook time. We ate this two days in a row. Chicken, ranch dressing mix, bacon, chicken broth, water, cream cheese, penne pasta and cheddar cheese. Everyone cleaned their plate! Even our picky eaters!!
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Pin This RecipeHow many of you LOVE the Instant Pot?!?! I’ve owned one for over a year, but I just started using it. In case you aren’t familiar with the Instant Pot, it is an electric pressure cooker. You can cook just about anything in the Instant Pot. You can cook it fast or use it as a slow cooker.
Today I am sharing one of our favorite pasta dishes – Crack Chicken Pasta. Chicken and pasta loaded with cheddar, bacon and ranch. This is seriously DELICIOUS! The best part is that it takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Everything cooks in the Instant Pot – even the pasta! Woot Woot!
We made this Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta for lunch two days in a row. It was that GOOD!! I loved that I could cook everything in the Instant Pot. Only one pot to clean! I sautéed the chicken and then dumped everything else in and closed the lid. It takes the Instant Pot a few minutes to come to full steam, but once it is locked the pasta is ready in about 4 minutes. LOVE that!! Can’t wait to experiment more with the Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1- lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 (1-oz) package ranch dressing mix
- 1/4 cup cooked chopped bacon
- 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese
- 1- lb dry penne pasta
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat Instant Pot on “Sauté” setting; add oil, chicken, and ranch packet, stirring to coat. Cook chicken 2–3 minutes.
- Add pasta, broth, and water to pot.
- Close lid, lock pot, select “Manual” setting and 4 minutes time. Cook pasta until time is up, then quick release and open Pot.
- Stir in cream cheese, cheddar cheese and cooked bacon until combined; let pasta set
- 5 minutes to thicken. Serve immediately.
Steph
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Do I have to add more chicken broth or water if I have an 8 quart so it doesn’t burn?
If I wanted to double the recipe, would I double everything and would that all fit in the instant pot?!
If I double the recipe, should liquid be doubled as well or stay the same? Thank you!
Did you pre cook the chicken at all?!
Step 1
Since there are so many Instant Pot sizes, what size pot is this recipe intended for. I understand that most recipes are for the original 6 qt but I need to check as mine is only a 3 qt and I have to half the recipes.
I used a 6-qt Instant Pot
Would these ingredient amounts be suitable for a 3 qt size instantpot or would they need to be cut down somehow?
What setting would I use for the ninja foodi, it doesn’t have a manual option
High pressure – I’m not familiar with the Ninja foodi.
Just made this and it’s super easy and perfect!!! Yummy!! Thx!!!
I made everything to the recipe, but after 4 minutes on high pressure, there was still a lot of liquid in the pot. Is this normal?
The sauce should thicken as it cools.
I made this and both my husband and I loved it. Is there a trick to the quick release that doesn’t send steam loaded with the ranch dressing particles spewing all over my cabinets?
Can breasts be substituted with boneless thighs?
Sure!
I made this on the stove top and I would NOT normally experiment but it sounded to delicious! I’m stuck at home for a month so I’m need new recipes!!
I started with the chicken olive oil and ranch in a pan. Once that got going I put the chicken both, water and pasta in a pot and kept that boiling. Once the chicken was cooked I dumped everything into the pot and let that cook until the pasta was complete then added the rest on simmer until everything melted. Only thing I’d do different is to add more bacon next time. Hope this helps anyone!!
Can u use ranch dressing instead of the dry ranch seasoning,?
I have read in other recipes no it adds to much liquid you have to use the dry powder
The Ranch Powder flavors it….so you need it dry….also thickens it a bit
My instapot doesn’t have a manual button either but when I watched the video when you set the time for 4 minutes I see @ your end it’s on “high pressure” so I’m assuming you use “high pressure” then for the 4 minutes? I can do that if that’s the right pressure you should use??
yes – high pressure would work for this recipe
Any other seasoning ideas? I’m not a ranch fan 🥴
Great flavor! I used 2 breasts/1 lb and 4 slices of bacon (which was at least the amount called for). Next time, I’ll use a full package of bacon and a 3rd (maybe even 4) breasts. OR maybe I’ll just use less pasta. This recipe makes plenty, but the ratio of pasta to chicken and bacon = too much pasta. I think when the cheeses are stirred in and melted, I might also toss in a couple of handfuls of spinach. Good recipe!