Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta is a super easy one-pot meal, with all of the flavors of your favorite enchilada recipe!
If you love chicken enchiladas but don’t have much time on your hands, use your Instant Pot to make this alternative pasta version! It’s quick and easy, with minimal clean up!
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I love chicken enchiladas, with tender chunks of chicken, warm Mexican spices, and lots of gooey cheese.
And although they aren’t really that difficult to make, it does take some time.
Between cooking the chicken, to mixing up the filling, rolling, and baking, it’s not exactly a super quick meal.
That’s where this delicious concoction comes in–Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta!
After making and loving my Instant Pot beef enchilada pasta, I knew I needed to create a chicken version, too!
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Pasta in the Instant Pot
Making chicken enchilada pasta in the Instant Pot is so easy, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner!
First, add the chicken breast pieces to the insert pot of the Instant Pot. I use one large chicken breast (almost 1 lb), cut into three pieces of fairly equal size. Just set those in the bottom of the insert pot.
Add some dry pasta (I used rotini) on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with taco seasoning, then pour some enchilada sauce and water over that.
You want the pasta to just be barely covered with liquid.
Add the drained beans on top. Don’t stir anything!
Cook for 4 minutes at high pressure.
Once the cook time is complete, allow a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.
Remove the chicken breast pieces to a cutting board. Stir in the shredded cheese, allowing it to melt while you shred or chop the chicken as desired.
Add the chicken back into the mixture, stirring until the cheese is melted well.
Initially, the sauce will seem a bit runny. The cheese helps to thicken it up, and I also let it set for 5-10 minutes, because the sauce will thicken as it cools and the pasta absorbs some of the liquid.
I like to add a sprinkling of additional cheese on top, but you could also serve this with a dollop of sour cream, some avocado slices, salsa, or whatever you desire!
Notes and Adaptations for Making Pressure Cooker Chicken Enchilada Pasta:
- I used a 4 minute cook time based on the type of pasta I was using (rotini). If you use a different pasta, you may need to adjust the cook time slightly. The general rule of thumb I follow is to take the cook time on the box, divide by 2, and subtract 1 to arrive at your cook time for high pressure. For example, if the box suggests a 10 minute cook time, divide that in half, which gives you 5, minus 1 which gives you 4.
- Instead of a whole chicken breast, you could easily substitute chicken tenders.
- If you prefer a spicier version, you can use spicier enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, or pepper jack cheese.
- Feel free to substitute different types of beans, or leave them out all together if you don’t care for beans.
- You could also add in drained diced tomatoes, frozen corn, or whatever floats your boat!
- I like to shred my own cheese, as I generally find it melts better, but pre-shredded bagged cheese is fine, too!
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant Pot – I have the DUO60 model, which I love
- Box Grater – if shredding your own cheese
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love:
- Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Cheesy Mexican Stuffed Shells
- Quick and Easy Taco Chicken in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
Easy, Cheesy Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta
This Instant Pot chicken enchilada pasta is an easy one-pot alternative to your favorite enchilada recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into three pieces of fairly equal size
- 1 1/2 cups dry rotini pasta
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 10-oz can red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In the insert pot of the Instant Pot, place chicken breast pieces.
- Add rotini on top, then sprinkle taco seasoning over the pasta.
- Pour in the enchilada sauce and enough water to just barely cover the pasta (this was 2 cups for me). If needed, press down any pieces of pasta that are poking out of the liquid.
- Top with drained black beans.
- Close the lid and set the vent to the sealed position. Select a 4 minute cook time at high pressure, using the Manual/Pressure Cook button.
- Once the cook time is complete, allow a 5 minute natural release of pressure, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.
- After the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
- Remove chicken pieces to a cutting board. Stir shredded cheese into the pasta mixture, allowing it to begin to melt.
- Shred or chop the chicken as desired and return to the pasta mixture. Stir again to incorporate the chicken and completely melt the cheese.
- Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, as the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Notes
- I used mild enchilada sauce, but you can increase the spice factor and choose medium or hot if preferred.
- Not a fan of black beans? Leave them out of swap for kidney or pinto beans.
- Feel free to add in some drained diced tomatoes or frozen corn if desired.
- I used cheddar cheese, but you can use pepper jack to increase the heat if preferred.
- Feel free to use a different pasta. Stay away from the teeny tiny pastas (like orzo or those little stars), but other short pastas would work fine (penne, farfalle, macaroni, etc.). I generally look at the cook time on the box, cut it in half, then take off another minute to find the cook time for high pressure (so if the box says to cook for 10 minutes, you'll cut that in half to 5, then take off one more minute, for a 4 minute cook time at high pressure). If your result includes a half minute, just round up.
- I generally shred my own cheese, because I find that it melts a little bit better. However, you can definitely use pre-shredded bagged cheese as well.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 334Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 1282mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 22g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Anastasia says
How would you adapt this for a slow cooker?
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Anastasia! I haven’t made it in a slow cooker, so I can’t say for sure. But I’d probably cook the chicken and beans in the liquid and seasonings for about 4-6 hours on low, until it’s cooked through. About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, add the pasta (you may need to add more liquid at this point, depending on how much has evaporated during cooking). Once the pasta is cooked, stir in the cheese at the end. If you try it this way, I’d love to hear how it works for you!