Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti is a delicious comfort meal, but cooking it in the Instant Pot is a great way to bring comfort to a new level with this simple one pot recipe!
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Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel is a crowd-pleasing, one-pot meal that combines the zesty flavors of Rotel tomatoes with creamy, cheesy goodness, an upgrade from our Taco Mac and Cheese (with Rotel).
This cheesy chicken spaghetti is fantastic for busy weeknights or whenever you crave a comforting dinner without fuss. The Instant Pot simplifies cooking, allowing you to whip up a hearty, family-friendly meal in a fraction of the time it takes using traditional methods.
We adore simplified comfort meals in the Instant Pot, like Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole and Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs.
This easy, all-in-one meal with a kick is perfect for family dinners or impressing guests, it's sure to become a household favorite.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Pretty basic ingredients. This recipe can use up leftover shredded chicken, and a few basic ingredients to make a flavorful dish the whole family can love.
- Even the leftovers taste great! The leftovers are still incredible (and NOT dry) the following day when you reheat them for lunch. See How to Reuse Leftover Food if you want more creative ideas.
- You may not WANT to share. I swear that if given the chance, I probably could have eaten most of this batch to myself, but unfortunately, I have to share with the hubby and kids, haha.
🛒 Ingredients
Chicken broth. Provides the liquid for pressure cooking and adds more flavor than water.
Rotel. Adds heat and flavor. Choose mild, medium, or hot to suit your taste. We also use Rotel in our Walking Taco Casserole.
Shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken works well. I like using meat from Boiled Chicken Legs.
Cream of chicken. A can of condensed soup thickens the dish and adds extra flavor.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use leftover or rotisserie chicken: This cuts down on cost and saves prep time.
Choose store-brand dairy and soup: Generic cream cheese, sour cream, cheese, and canned soup work just as well for less.
Stretch the meal: Add extra pasta or a side salad to feed more people without increasing the main dish cost much.
🥄 Instructions for Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti
Step 1: Set the Instant Pot to Saute and set the timer for 5 minutes.
Step 2: In the pot, saute the butter and onion until soft (about 3 minutes). (Image 1).
Step 3: Add in the minced garlic and then press the Cancel button. (Image 2). Stir to incorporate the garlic.
Step 4: Pour in the chicken broth. (Image 3).
Step 5: Break the noodles in half so that they fit inside the Instant Pot. Place them inside the pot in a scattered manner. The more directions they go in, the less they'll stick together as they cook. (Image 4).
Step 6: Add the can of Rotel (undrained) to the top. DO NOT STIR. (Image 5).
Step 7: Scatter your shredded chicken over the top of the Rotel and sprinkle the seasonings over the chicken. DO NOT STIR. (Image 6).
Step 8: Dollop the cream of chicken over the top of the chicken. DO NOT STIR. (Image 7).
Step 9: Close the lid and then seal it shut. Set it to High Pressure for 4 minutes (Image 8), and do a 6 minute Natural Pressure Release before releasing the rest manually.
Step 10: Open the lid (Image 9) and add in the cubed cream cheese. DO NOT Stir. (Image 10).
Step 11: Close the lid again and continue resting on Keep Warm Mode for another 7-10 minutes.
Step 12: Add the cheddar cheese and sour cream (Image 11). Stir well. (Image 12).
Serve warm and enjoy.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Keep it simple. Follow the instructions closely for best results. Softened cream cheese blends faster, but cold cream cheese will still work.
- Prep the noodles. Break spaghetti in half or use pot sized noodles so they fit easily in the Instant Pot and don't stick together.
- Spread them out. Scatter the noodles in different directions when adding them to the pot to help prevent clumping and ensure even cooking.
- About clumps. Noodles that stick together will still cook, but the sauce may not coat them as evenly.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce as needed.
Make Ahead: This dish freezes well. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat until warmed through.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti with garlic bread, a simple green salad, or steamed vegetables like broccoli or green beans to balance the creamy pasta.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
If you plan to freeze leftover chicken spaghetti, I recommend placing it in a greased aluminum pan with foil or a lid on top. Keep it in the freezer for no more than 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F, until warmed throughout and reaching at least 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
While this pasta dish has a nice kick of flavor from the Rotel it can be served alongside any Italian or Mexican inspired side dishes as well as steamed vegetables or a side salad and garlic bread.
If properly stored in an airtight container in the fridge, I recommend storing for no more than 3-5 days. Reheat before eating.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- 5 Ingredient Instant Pot ChiliRecipe $11.26 / Serving $1.88
- Instant Pot Boxed Au Gratin PotatoesRecipe $3.02 / Serving $0.30
- Instant Pot Chicken QuartersRecipe $3.03 / Serving $0.77
- Instant Pot Beef Back RibsRecipe $15.34 / Serving $3.83
🐝 If you tried this Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - ($0.12)
- 1 small onion, diced, about ¾ cup - ($0.68)
- 1 clove garlic, minced - ($0.08)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth - ($1.00)
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles, broken in half - ($0.98)
- 1 can (10 ounces) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained - ($1.36)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded - ($2.08)
- ½ teaspoon salt - ($0.01)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper - ($0.02)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder - ($0.08)
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of chicken soup - ($0.54)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed - ($1.86)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded - ($0.99)
- ½ cup sour cream - ($0.50)
Instructions
- Sauté. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode for 5 minutes. Add the butter and onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then press cancel.
- Add liquid and pasta. Pour in the chicken broth. Scatter the broken spaghetti noodles over the broth, laying them in different directions to prevent clumping.
- Layer ingredients. Pour the Rotel over the noodles. Add the shredded chicken and sprinkle with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Spoon the cream of chicken soup evenly over the top. Do not stir.
- Pressure cook. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 6 minutes, then release any remaining pressure manually.
- Melt cream cheese. Open the lid and add the cubed cream cheese on top. Do not stir. Close the lid and let rest on keep warm for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Finish sauce. Stir in the cheddar cheese and sour cream until smooth and well combined.
- Serve. Serve warm.
Notes
- Cream cheese. Softened cream cheese blends more smoothly, but cold will work with extra resting time.
- Pasta placement. Scattering the noodles in different directions helps prevent sticking and uneven cooking.
- Noodle size. Break spaghetti in half or use pot-sized noodles so they fit fully below the liquid.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F until heated through to at least 160°F.
Nutritional Information
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FSethman says
I made this 5 months ago with raving results from DH! Making tonight using raw chicken, what time should I put to cook fully? I upped it this time to 6 minutes. Instead of totes, I used frozen fajita veggies. I doubled the shredded cheese and used 2extra c broth. Followed recipe your way other than these things.
Nicole Durham says
I think your changes sound great although I've never made this recipe using raw chicken breasts so I'm not sure how that will turn out. I do know that they'll cook faster if diced into smaller pieces though. I hope it turned out well!
Angie says
I often try a recipe and make changes on purpose. When I started this recipe I thought I had all the supplies. But, I didn’t. I used can chicken…2 cans, I with broth and one drained. I didn’t have cream of chicken soup, so used cream of mushroom and cream of celery. Otherwise it was awesome! This is a keeper!
Nicole Durham says
So glad you liked it!
Jackie says
Great recipe, but it never says WHEN to add seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder). I put it at the end once I realized it had been missed. But I bet it's best added after the broth. Thank you! I always appreciate a good IP recipe!
Nicole says
The recipe states to add the seasonings over the top of the shredded chicken. It says this both in the recipe card as well as in the post (near the image illustrating this step). I'm sorry that you missed it, but I'm glad you liked the recipe!