Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta

At a glance

What stands out: This creamy Instant Pot Buffalo chicken pasta is comfort food perfected. If you’re a Buffalo chicken lover, you’ll go nuts over this pasta. This one pot pasta recipe is straightforward to mix and clean up is a snap.

How long it takes: 55 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: Instant Pot
Servings: 6

Fall has arrived in Michigan! As we write this, it’s gray and rainy outside but our porch is brightly decorated with giant pots of mums and all the pumpkins and gourds you can imagine.

We’re hosting a lot of friends and family over the next few weeks (this chili will be happening!), and we're feeling festive. We do love fall and with the cooler weather, we’re all craving cozier meals. This Buffalo chicken pasta fits the bill.

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Satisfying and cozy. This chicken pasta recipe is ultra-creamy, filling, and has just enough spicy heat to warm you up from the inside out. It’s reliable for game days, fall entertaining, or chilly nights when you need a speedy and straightforward meal.

Made in one pot. The Instant Pot does it all. It’s straightforward, you won’t believe it. Our Instant Pot pasta recipe with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes has been popular so we've been bringing you more pasta recipes for your pressure cooker. Instant Pot macaroni and cheese is so ridiculously creamy and Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce is another favorite. Keep reading for more recipes.

How it comes together

Start by sautéing the chicken, celery, and onions until the chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic, and your kitchen will smell heavenly.

Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and hot sauce (as little or as much as you like, you can always add more later). Scrape the bottom of the pan. This will prevent any of those pesky burn notices.

Add the pasta and submerge it all into the liquid. It’s time for the pressure cooker to work its magic. After it pressurizes (about 15 minutes), it only has to cook for 5 minutes.

The pasta will look a bit soupy when you remove the cover. Don’t worry! It will thicken when you add the cheese. Let it rest for 10 minutes or so, partially covered, to let the pasta absorb the liquid.

When you’re ready to serve the Buffalo chicken pasta, garnish it with blue cheese crumbles and green onions.

Straightforward Recipe Variations

• Not crazy about blue cheese? Substitute an equal amount of your favorite ranch dressing for the blue cheese dressing. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese.
• Make it a casserole. Spread the Buffalo chicken pasta in a baking dish coated lightly with nonstick spray (9 x 13 inch works well), top with a little extra cheese and bake at 350ºF or until golden brown and bubbling.
• Use regular pasta of your choice. This recipe is just as rich with regular white pasta instead of whole wheat pasta.
• More Buffalo chicken recipes: Try crockpot Buffalo chicken dip, crockpot Buffalo chicken sandwiches or air fryer Buffalo cauliflower bites!

Keeping leftovers

Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Buffalo chicken pasta reheats well. You can easily pop it in the microwave, but it’s also great baked.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 25 minutes
• Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces, about ¾ inch
• ½ cup diced yellow onion ( 1 small onion)
• 1 stalk celery, diced small
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained (no-salt-added, if possible)
• ⅓ cup hot pepper sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
• 12 oz. whole wheat rotini, uncooked (regular pasta is fine, too)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
• ¾ cup blue cheese dressing
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• crumbled blue cheese for garnishing, optional
• green onions for garnishing, optional

Method

1. Heat Instant Pot (6 qt.) to Sauté. Add oil, chicken, onion and celery; season with salt and black pepper Cook until chicken is no longer pink and onions are translucent, 6 to 8 minutes..
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
3. Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes and hot sauce. Stir to combine, scraping all browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add pasta, making sure pasta is submerged in liquid.
4. Set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook for 5 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes to pressurize. When the timer goes off, carefully quick release the pressure.
5. Remove lid, keeping Instant Pot on Warm. Add cream cheese, blue cheese dressing, and shredded mozzarella. Stir gently until cheese is melted. With Instant Pot remaining on Warm setting, let pasta rest for 10 minutes. It will thicken slightly.
6. Serve topped with blue cheese crumbles and green onions.

Notes

Amp up the vegetables: Add a diced sweet bell pepper or diced carrots when you sauté the chicken, onion, and celery.

To make ahead or turn into a freezer meal: Make as directed and then pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil. Freeze or refrigerate until ready to bake. Place cold pan in cold oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Cook for an hour, uncovering in the last 15 minutes, or until heated through. It may require slightly longer cooking time if frozen. Casserole can be thawed overnight in fridge before baking, if you prefer.