Instant Pot Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken Penne
Making good pasta in the Instant Pot takes some practice and a good recipe. This recipe for Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken Penne is that recipe. It’s an all in one pot meal, that is fresh, flavourful and ready in under 3o minutes. The chicken in marinated in my tangy Lemon Garlic Marinade, and then cooked in the Instant pot with ingredients you likely have on hand. Trust me, that’s a good thing. This Instant Pot Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken Penne is perfect for a family dinner but also a great choice for entertaining. It’s prepaheadable, uses only one pot and leaves you time to spend with your guests instead of in the kitchen.
Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken Penne
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Zester
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 lemon garlic marinade
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole onion diced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms cremini or white
- 4 cups penne pasta uncooked
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese extra for sprinkling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- In a medium sized bowl prepare Lemon Garlic Marinade
- Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces and toss well to coat. Let marinate at least 20 minutes, but preferably 24 hours.
Cooking Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot on and set to medium in saute mode
- Once the indicator says HOT, add in onion and mushrooms. Let saute 2-3 minutes
- Add in cubes of chicken and saute until the chicken begins to brown.
- Pour uncooked penne noodles on top of chicken and mushroom mixture. Do NOT stir. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth.
- Cancel saute setting and set to High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- Once the time is up and the Instant Pot beeps, allow to do a Natural Pressure Release for 4 additional minutes. Turn the sealing valve to open and finish with a Quick Release of any remaining pressure.
- Remove lid, and stir penne to combine with the chicken and mushrooms. Pour in 1 cup cream and 2 cups of Parmesan Cheese and chopped parsley. Let sit on warm for 2-4 minutes to allow sauce to thicken, stirring often to avoid sticking.
- Serve with additional chopped parsley and a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan on top.
Although this is a cream based sauce, and uses heavy cream, the garlic, lemon and herbs from the Marinated Chicken add a depth of flavour and freshness to the sauce. The lemon cuts through some of the richness and sweetness of the whipping cream. The cook time is quite short, so the basil and thyme don’t lose their intensity. You can taste lemon, and herbs and most definitely the garlic!
What can I serve with Instant Pot Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken Penne?
My youngest son loves Caesar salad, so while the Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken cooks in the Instant Pot I quickly mix up a batch of the Worlds Best Caesar Salad dressing. Both these recipes have a LOT of garlic… you’ve been warned! This is not a first date meal, if you know what I mean.
Don’t worry, making the Worlds Best Caesar Salad Dressing is really easy and you probably have all the ingredients you need in your fridge already. Well, actually you might be missing the anchovy paste. I like to buy mine in a tube as it keeps really well, and honestly the only recipe I use it in is this one. If you’re thinking of skipping them, I recommend you don’t! It really makes a difference.
