Instant Pot Bruschetta Pasta with Chicken

Instant Pot Bruschetta Pasta in white bowl on light wood.

Instant Pot Bruschetta Pasta with Chicken

Well balanced on every level - the sauce is rich, creamy, and savory; while the topping is light, fresh and acidic in the best way. This is what pasta is all about!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Marinating Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 539kcal

Author Gary White

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

32 oz. grape tomatoes sliced
0.5 oz. fresh basil chiffonaded (shredded)
1 Tbsp. garlic minced
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 oz. feta cheese crumbled
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tsp. garlic salt
¼ cup yellow onions diced
1 lb. penne pasta
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add tomatoes, basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Then add feta cheese and mix again. Set aside and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
Using sauté setting – once hot, add oil and chicken (seasoned with garlic salt) to pot. Let cook undisturbed for about five minutes. You kinda want it to stick, so don’t move it around. Once you’ve got some decent color on it, flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
Add onions and give a good mix. Once the onions begin to sweat, use the liquid to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom. This is why we let the chicken stick, so that flavor could be developed and make its way into the sauce.
Add penne pasta and chicken broth to pot, but DO NOT SITR at this point. Just gently press down so that the pasta is mostly submerged. Lock lid and cook for 3 minutes at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure. Then gently give a mix.
Pour in cream and parmesan cheese. And again, give a good mix to incorporate completely.
Drain off any liquid from tomatoes, then add most of them to the pasta. Reserve some to add to the top of each bowl. Give one final mix and serve.

Notes

When I say “let the chicken begin to stick,” what you’re actually doing is allowing flavor to develop. Then all those delicious brown bits dissolve into the sauce for a next level experience. Our tendency is to flip things too quickly, but be patient. Note: this method definitely works best when your protein has some fat on it, so I actually wouldn’t recommend this for boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Here’s the “how to cook pasta in the Instant Pot” rule-of-thumb. Whatever the cook time says on the box, divide that in half and subtract 2 more minutes. So, if the box says 10 minutes, divide in half (which is 5), then subtract 2 (which is 3). That’s why I say cook this recipe for 3 minutes, because my pasta said 10 minutes.

Can I use other types of tomatoes? Yes, you can use any type of tomatoes you have or like. However, I will say that not all tomatoes are created equally. I don’t think those perfectly pretty “tomatoes on the vine” (with the weird green stems) have any flavor at all.

Can I use other types of pasta? You can certainly use any pasta that you have on hand, including gluten-free pasta. But you may need to adjust the cook time based on what the box says. Just use the formula… box# divided by 2 minus 2.

Can I use boneless skinless chicken breasts? Yes, you can use them, but for this recipe I don’t prefer it. Here’s why… We actually use the fat from the chicken to enhance this sauce, rather than butter. So you will miss that element of the sauce which gives it its richness.

Nutrition