Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles
This easy, Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles recipe combines hearty favorites like tender chicken breast, gluten-free pasta, carrots, celery, onions, and peas with a simple, dairy-free creamy sauce. The resulting chicken dinner is one of those healthy comfort foods that the whole family will love. From start to finish in just 40 minutes, and just one pot to clean up, you will love this instant pot recipe! Classic comfort food made gluten free.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Makes This Recipe Great
It’s the middle of winter here in Maryland and yet we’re still as busy as ever! With three kids and all of their activities, I am always looking for easy, healthy meals to put on the table. I also really like it when they’re quick and require minimal cleanup. Right?! This easy recipe is one of my favorite things and can be on your dinner table in no time.
Enter, this Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles! Packed with chicken, veggies, and gluten-free pasta, this comforting recipe has all the satisfying ingredients, but is also dairy-free, gluten-free, and full of protein! This recipe also doesn’t require any cream of chicken soup. Just fresh, real ingredients! Healthier comfort food that my kids love, and I do too!
If you’re looking for even more one-pot, healthy, kid-friendly meals, I’ve got you covered with this Dairy Free Beef Stroganoff, this Mac & Cheese with Broccoli, or this Paleo Hamburger Helper.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Pasta: I used Jovial Foods farfalle pasta (the bow ties!). If you choose to use a different pasta shape, see my tips & tricks for cooking time adjustments! Any type of thick egg noodle or pasta will work.
- Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes. I prefer using lean chicken breasts, but you can use boneless chicken thighs if preferred. Rotisserie or leftover shredded chicken is also an option.
- Minced Garlic: Mince fresh garlic cloves, or use a jar of minced garlic. Either will work! If you don’t have this one hand, you can substitute ¼ + ⅛ teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Carrots, Onion, & Celery: If you don’t want to dice these yourself, many grocery stores carry a “Mirepoix” mix of freshly diced carrots, celery, and onion.
- Peas: Use fresh or frozen peas. If frozen, be sure to thaw before using.
- Chicken Broth: Use chicken broth, chicken stock, or bone broth.
- Sherry Cooking Wine: You can omit this if needed.
- Spices: Dried sage, dried, thyme, dried rosemary, sea salt, and pepper.
- Ghee: If you are dairy-free, swap this for olive oil.
Dairy-Free Cream Sauce
- Raw Cashews: If you choose to make the cashew cream, you will need raw, unsalted cashews and water. If you prefer not to use cashew cream, you can use regular heavy cream, half & half, or full-fat canned coconut milk! Making cashew cream and stirring it into chicken broth makes a great substitute for a can of cream of chicken soup.
Recipe Step by Step
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles
- Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and heat 1 tbsp oil.
- Add the chicken breast cubes and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until they are browned and mostly cooked through. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the pot, then add the remaining tbsp oil. Add onion, carrots, and celery and saute for 3-4 mins until they begin to soften. Add in garlic and saute for 30 seconds more. Pour in the sherry and stir, using a spoon to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the cooked chicken back in along with the broth and spices. Stir. Add the pasta to the pot and gently push down with a spoon. It should be barely covered by the broth.
- Lock the lid of the instant pot, turn the valve to the sealed position, and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. (See notes below for cooking times if using a different pasta!)
- While the pot is coming to pressure, make the cashew cream. Combine the cashews and water in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until very smooth. Set aside.
- Quick release the steam using the steam release handle when the timer goes off. Remove the lid and pour in the cashew cream and peas. Stir over saute mode for a couple of minutes until it thickens up and the peas are warmed through. Serve topped with parsley and enjoy!
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes, then remove using a slotted spoon.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan along with the carrots, onion, and celery. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add in the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken back in along with the thyme, rosemary, sage, and salt. Pour the chicken broth over top, then add the uncooked pasta. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 9 minutes (or according to the time on the back of your pasta package).
- While the noodles are cooking, make the cashew cream. Add the peas and cashew cream at the end and stir over low heat for a few minutes until thickened. Top with parsley and enjoy!
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
- Pasta cooking times: If you have to use a different gluten-free pasta, the rule of thumb for cooking in the Instant Pot is to divide cooking time on the box by 2 and then subtract. So if it says 10 mins, divide by 2 = 5 and then subtract 2 minutes = which is where I got the 3 minutes from! Cooking pasta in an electric pressure cooker takes a fraction of the time of cooking it on the stove.
- Chicken swaps: Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs or even a leftover rotisserie chicken if you have it. If your chicken is already cooked, skip the chicken portion of the first step and just focus on sauteeing the veggies.
- Adding veggies: If desired, you can add more sauteed veggies like broccoli, or throw in some spinach at the very end and stir.
- Easy Swaps: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, or swap dairy-free ingredients for regular dairy if desired. If you’re not gluten-free, feel free to swap for regular pasta. The same quantities apply.
- Spice it up: If you like a little kick to your meals, garnish with crushed red pepper flakes.
- Alternative Cooking Methods: If you don’t want to cook your chicken and noodles in the Instant Pot, see the stovetop method I’ve included in the recipe card below!
Serving Tips
- Serve this delicious meal warm on its own or with a side salad. Top with dairy-free or regular parmesan cheese, if desired. Stirring in some cheddar cheese would also be delicious if you tolerate dairy.
Storage Tips
- Store leftover Instant Pot chicken and noodles in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat with a little extra broth, ghee, or vegan butter to loosen the noodles. I would not recommend freezing this recipe. The gluten free cooked noodles tend to turn into a weird texture after being frozen.
Recipe FAQs
Quick release: When you manually move the valve from the sealing position to the venting position to let the steam out.
Natural release: When you let the Instant Pot de-pressurize on its own by letting it sit for 10 minutes after finishing cooking. Then, you move the valve from the sealing position to the venting position to let out the last bit of steam.
This happens when chicken is undercooked. Sauteeing the chicken first should help you avoid this from happening.
You can! Store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat over the stove with some ghee or broth. Keep in mind that past three months, the cooked pasta won’t hold up well.
You can use 1/2 cup coconut cream or heavy whipping cream (or 1/2 and 1/2) instead!
Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee, or olive oil
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ½ onion, diced
- 3 pieces celery, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp sherry cooking wine, can omit if needed
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 1.5 tsp sea salt, more to taste
- ½ tsp pepper
- 12 oz Jovial Foods Gluten Free Farfalle pasta, see notes below for cooking times if using another pasta!
- 1 cup peas, thawed if frozen
Cashew Cream (sub 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut cream for a nut free alternative)
- ¾ cup raw, unsalted cashews
- ¾ cup water
Equipment
Instructions
- Set instant pot to Saute mode and heat 1 tbsp oil.
- Add the chicken breast cubes and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until they are browned and mostly cooked through. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the pot, then add the remaining tbsp oil. Add onion, carrots, and celery and saute for 3-4 mins until they begin to soften. Add in garlic and saute 30 seconds more. Pour in the sherry and stir, using a spoon to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chicken back in along with the broth and spices. Stir. Add the pasta into the pot and gently push down with a spoon. It should be barely covered by the broth.
- Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. (See notes below for cooking times if using a different pasta!)
- While the pot is coming to pressure, make the cashew cream. Combine the cashews and water in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 30 second to 1 minute, or until very smooth. Set aside.
- Manually release the steam when the timer goes off. Remove the lid and pour in the cashew cream and peas. Stir over saute mode for a couple of minutes until it thickens up and the peas are warmed through. Serve topped with parsley and enjoy!
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes, then remove using a slotted spoon.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan along with the carrots, onion, and celery. Saute 3-4 minutes, then add in the garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken back in along with the thyme, rosemary, sage, and salt. Pour the chicken broth over top, then add the uncooked pasta. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 9 minutes (or according to the time on the back of your pasta package).
- While that is cooking, make the cashew cream. Add the peas and cashew cream at the end and stir over low heat for few minutes until thickened. Top with parsley and enjoy!
Notes
Mary’s Tips & Tricks
- Pasta cooking times: If you have to use a different gluten-free pasta, the rule of thumb for cooking in the Instant Pot is to divide cooking time on the box by 2 and then subtract. So if it says 10 mins, divide by 2 = 5 and then subtract 2 minutes = which is where I got the 3 minutes from!
- Chicken swaps: Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs or even a leftover rotisserie chicken if you have it. If your chicken is already cooked, skip the chicken portion of the first step and just focus on sauteeing the veggies.
- Adding veggies: If desired, you can add more sauteed veggies like broccoli, or throw in some spinach at the very end and stir.
- Easy Swaps: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, or swap dairy-free ingredients for regular dairy if desired. If you’re not gluten-free, feel free to swap for regular pasta. The same quantities apply.
- Spice it up: If you like a little kick to your meals, garnish with crushed red pepper flakes.
- Alternative Cooking Methods: If you don’t want to cook your chicken and noodles in the Instant Pot, see the stovetop method I’ve included in the recipe card below!
Serving Tips
- Serve warm on its own or with a side salad. Top with dairy-free or regular parmesan cheese, if desired.
Storage Tips
- Store leftover in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat with a little extra broth, ghee, or vegan butter to loosen the noodles.
Nutrition
This recipe was published on January 26, 2023 and updated with new content on November 13, 2023.
28 Comments on “Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles”
This was so quick and easy and the whole family loved it. I made the stove top version and used the coconut milk substitution for cashew cream and it was so creamy. Will definitely be adding this to our regular rotation of meals!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this a couple times and it never disappoints! I have a very picky 9 year old and this is one of the only meals I make that he doesn’t complain about! I usually always use Jovial noodles, but my store was out this last time I made this recipe so I had to use a different brand and they needed to cook a little longer. Definitely recommend Jovial!
Thanks Sara! Good to know 🙂
Tasted like chicken noodle soup in a pasta dish! Overall pretty good! Don’t use low sodium broth, I ended up having to add salt. Used half and half creamer and next time would do the cashew sauce to make it more creamy than liquid-y (which eventually just got soaked up by the pasta).
If you love Mary’s chicken pot pie soup, you’ll love this too! It’s easy, full of flavor, and total comfort food. We LOVE it!
YAY! Thanks Jessica!
This pasta was so comforting and had major chicken pot pie vibes! My family all enjoyed it!
Thank you!
wow!!! so yummy and super easy to make. will be in our rotation for sure
Thanks Nicole!!
I made this the other day and it was SO good. All of Mary’s recipes are always a hit and this one didn’t dissapoint !
Thank you, Sam!!
Comfort in a bowl. It brought me back to my childhood except much healthier. My 2 yr old devoured it!(which says a lot) The whole fam did. Don’t let cashew cream intimidate you- Mary showed how incredibly easy it is!
But anyway I loved how this introduced my picky kids to veggies being mixed into their food and to not be afraid of it! It’s the most peas theyve eaten haha
So glad you all loved it, thanks Krissy!
I’m a big fan of this recipe. It’s hard to believe it’s gf and df because it’s so creamy. Definitely a good comfort meal!
So good and so easy to make! This will definitely be on repeat!
Made this for dinner tonight was so creamy and delicious!
Thank you Carol!
Nailed it again! I used coconut cream and it was delish. Keep these coming please!!
Thanks Kristin! Will do!
This was so delicious – the ultimate comfort food. It’s the same flavors as Mary’s chicken pot pie soup, which I’m also obsessed with. For this dish, I used the brown rice and quinoa noodles from Trader Joe’s and cooked for about 7 minutes. It was perfect!
Thanks Kaylyn!
SO delicious and easy to make! I loved the suggestion of adding in even more vegetables- we had a total of seven in ours! This will definitely be in our rotation!
Amazing, thanks Melissa!
This recipe is fabulous! Huge hit with the family 😊
Thank you!!
This recipe is fabulous! Huge it with the family 😊