Pressure Cooker Chicken Pesto Pasta

Serves 4 in about 25 minutes. The pressure cooker brings heavy cream and parmesan cheese together.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ small yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 large chicken breast, cubed
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz cavatappi pasta
• 7 oz pesto, or to taste
• 3 oz fresh baby spinach
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Turn on the Sauté setting on the pressure cooker. When it is hot, add the olive oil and the butter. Then add the onion and cook it, while stirring now and then, until softened.
2. Tip in the minced garlic and cook for a instant, while stirring now and then.
3. Stir in the chicken and the spices. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink on the outside, but still raw inside. Cancel Sauté mode.
4. Tip in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and pasta. Use a spoon to press the pasta down into the liquid.
5. Close the lid and turn the steam release knob to the Sealing position, if pot is not self-sealing. Then Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 5 minutes (6 minutes for softer pasta).
6. When the cook cycle has finished, immediately turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to Quick Release the steam/pressure. If the sauce starts to come out of the vent, close the vent and release the pressure in shorter bursts until you are able to open it fully with no sauce coming out.
7. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid and stir the pasta and stir in the pesto.
8. Stir in the baby spinach and the parmesan cheese. Stir. Taste and adjust salt if needed, and add a little more cream, if you want it.
9. Plate hot.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.