This tortellini alfredo and chicken cook up quickly in the Instant Pot, for a flavorful and saucy pasta dish!

white bowl filled with tortellini alfredo and chicken

You won’t believe how easy it is to make this Instant Pot tortellini alfredo with chicken! A creamy parmesan sauce pairs with frozen tortellini to create a delicious Italian dinner!

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I am always looking for ways to use my Instant Pot to save time. Because when one kid has allowed the bathroom sink to overflow and another is tracking mud across the living room and the other one needs a band-aid for their boo boo, spending hours in the kitchen just isn’t going to happen.

Many people are surprised when I tell them that you can cook pasta in your Instant Pot.

But yes, it’s true–you can skip the boiling-over pot on your stove and instead use the hands-off method of putting the pressure cooker to work!

One of my favorite easy pastas is tortellini–and yes, you can even cook tortellini in the Instant Pot! It’s similar to how I cook frozen ravioli in the Instant Pot, and it works great.

That’s why I’m so excited to share this delicious Instant Pot tortellini alfredo with you!

More Instant Pot Tortellini Recipes:

bowl filled with tortellini and chicken in a parmesan cream sauce

Why You’ll Love Making Tortellini in the Instant Pot

I’ve made classic Instant Pot fettucine alfredo before, but since tortellini is one of my faves, I wanted to make tortellini alfredo!

It’s perfect because the tortellini and chicken cook at the same time, then you swirl in some cheesy goodness to create the sauce after it pressure cooks.

It’s a one-pot meal (who doesn’t love easy cleanup?!) that is both simple and delicious! I have a feeling this is going to become one of your favorite Instant Pot chicken dinner recipes.

How to Make Tortellini Alfredo in the Instant Pot

It’s really easy to make this simple Italian dish–you’re going to love it!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Boneless skinless chicken breast(s)
Chicken broth
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper
Frozen tortellini
Milk
Butter
Cream cheese
Flour
Grated parmesan
Frozen peas (optional)

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe is available below)

Pressure Cook. First, you’ll combine the chicken pieces, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in the insert pot of the Instant Pot.

chicken, broth, and spices in an Instant Pot

Add the frozen tortellini on top, then close the lid and program your pressure cooker.

Blend the sauce. While that’s pressure cooking, you’ll blend together the milk, butter, cream cheese, flour, and parmesan cheese. You can use an immersion blender, standard blender, or food processor to accomplish this. You just want it nice and smooth, because that will help it melt SO much easier.

Combine. Once the cook time is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.

Carefully remove the lid and stir the cheese sauce into the hot pot of tortellini.

Last, add the frozen peas and let them warm through.

chicken, peas, and tortellini in alfredo sauce

Let sauce thicken. At first, it will look very saucy and kind of soupy. That’s totally normal! Let it stand for a few minutes–the sauce will thicken as it cools.

Then, serve and enjoy!

peas, chicken, and tortellini that were cooked in the Instant Pot, in an alfredo sauce

Notes and Adaptations:

I have only tested this recipe with frozen cheese tortellini. In general, I don’t recommend using refrigerated tortellini, because it requires less cook time (which doesn’t match that required of the chicken). If using shelf-stable dried tortellini, you will likely need to add a few minutes of cook time.
Feel free to use a different veggie other than peas if desired–broccoli would be great–or omit all together.
You can leave out the chicken for a meatless meal.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 6 Servings

Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo with Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo with Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast(s), cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 19-oz frozen cheese tortellini; 1/2 cup milk; 1 Tbsp butter; 3 Tbsp cream cheese; 1 Tbsp flour; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional; or other vegetable as desired)

This creamy, cheesy Instant Pot tortellini alfredo with chicken is an easy Italian-style meal!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 26 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast(s), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
19-oz frozen cheese tortellini
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp cream cheese
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional; or other vegetable as desired)

Instructions

In the insert pot of the Instant Pot, combine chicken pieces, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Add the frozen tortellini on top and close the lid, setting the vent to the sealed position.
Select a cook time of 1 minute at high pressure. When the cook time is complete, allow a 5 minute natural released, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.
While chicken is cooking, combine milk, butter, cream cheese, flour, and grated parmesan cheese in a large measuring cup. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients together until smooth (alternatively, you can use a food processor or normal blender to combine).
When the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully remove the lid. Stir in the milk mixture until combined.
Stir in frozen peas (if using) and allow to warm through. Let stand for a few minutes before serving--the sauce will continue to thicken.

Notes

I have only tested this recipe with frozen tortellini. In general, I don't recommend using refrigerated tortellini in the Instant Pot, as it needs a shorter cook time. If you use shelf-stable dried tortellini, you will likely need to increase the cook time by a few minutes.
Feel free to use a different vegetable if you prefer--broccoli would be a great choice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 541Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 931mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 43g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.