Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles

Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles is the perfect comfort food recipe – ready in minutes. It combines the creamy filling of a pot pie with thick egg noodles and comes together so quickly to make a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.

Who doesn’t love a chicken pot pie? It is one of our favorite dishes, but sometimes you just don’t want to go through all the effort to make one. This easy-to-make chicken and noodles dish combines the feel of a rich, creamy pot pie filling with noodles, chicken, veggies, and tons of flavor. You don’t need any cream of chicken soup for this recipe, and it is still such an easy recipe!

This is such an easy dinner to make, which is great for those nights when you are exhausted after work and just don’t want to cook anything.

I made this last night, and from start to finish, we had a meal on the dinner table in less than an hour, and I could sit and relax while it cooked! It’s all made in the Instant Pot, so it’s an easy one-pot meal with minimal cleanup. My favorite kind of meal to make!

🥘 Ingredients Needed

• Butter – I prefer to use salted butter, but unsalted will work fine. You can also use Olive Oil.
• Diced Onions
• Black Pepper
• Dried Thyme
• Dried Parsley
• Kosher Salt
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Ground Turmeric
• Chicken Bouillon – I use my homemade paleo chicken bouillon.
• Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth
• Egg Noodles – I like to use the really thick “dumpling” style noodles or the Whole Foods Extra Wide Noodles, but regular egg noodles or my go-to, the Aldi Brand Reggiano Egg Noodles – these are thick and don’t get mushy as quickly in the Instant Pot.
• Frozen Vegetable Mix – I use a mix of peas and carrots or the Costco mix of peas, carrots, green beans, and corn.
• Chicken – You can use Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs. I recommend using chicken that is not frozen or is at least partially defrosted.
• Heavy Cream
• Optional Slurry for Thickening: Corn Starch and Water or Arrowroot and Water.

🍽 Equipment Needed

• An Instant Pot – I have made this recipe in my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo and most recently in my 8 quart Evo Duo Plus. (I have tested this in my 3 quart Instant Pot Mini and it required a lot more liquid to cover all of the noodles, so it came out a little runny – I would recommend cutting the recipe in half or using a larger Instant Pot if possible.)

• A Sharp Knife and a Cutting Board
• Measuring Spoons
• A Liquid Measuring Cup

🥣 How to Make It

Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles is a meal that the whole family will love, and it is so easy to make. The only things that you need to prepare are the onions and the chicken – you can dice the onion while your Instant Pot heats up and just cut the excess fat and gristle off the chicken.

Next, set the Instant Pot to sauté and let it heat up. When the Instant Pot is hot (it won’t take very long to heat up), add the butter and let it melt. (Picture 1)

Add the diced onions to the melted butter and cook on the sauté setting for 2 – 3 minutes, until onions are translucent. (Pictures 2 – 3) (You can also dice the chicken up and sauté it at this step – then it will cook in the broth. I have not noticed a huge flavor difference by doing this, and the method in this recipe is easier/faster, so I don’t bother.)

Add the spices next – dried thyme, dried parsley, kosher salt, turmeric, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, then stir. (Picture 4 – 5)

“Deglaze” the pot with the chicken broth (Pictures 6 – 7), then add the uncooked egg noodles. (Picture 8) Add the frozen vegetables and stir, or just layer the vegetables on top. (I have made this both ways, and both options work – the noodles are the only thing that really needs to be submerged in the broth.) (Pictures 9 – 10)

Lay the chicken over the noodles and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over it for extra seasoning. (Sometimes, I also like to add thin slices of butter on top of the chicken – it melts and absorbs into the chicken.) Again, make sure the noodles are submerged in the broth. (Picture 11)

Close the lid of the Instant Pot and set the vent to the sealed position. (Picture 12) Press the cancel button to cancel the sauté function, then set the Instant Pot to Manual Mode or Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 7 minutes.

When the cooking cycle is complete, let the Instant Pot do a natural pressure release, or “Naturally Release (NR),” the pressure for 3-5 minutes by just letting the Instant Pot sit. (Letting it sit longer will result in softer noodles.)

After 3-5 minutes of letting the pressure naturally release, manually release the remaining pressure.

Do this carefully using a controlled release. This means flipping the vent open and letting the pressure in small bursts, stopping if there appears to be any liquid coming out that is not steam. If liquid seems to be spewing out, turn the vent back to the sealing position and let the Instant Pot sit for a few minutes to continue to naturally release, then try to manually release the pressure again. (Manual releases can make your chicken tough if you do not do a Natural Release first, so try to allow it to rest as best you can.)

When all the pressure has been released, carefully open the lid and remove the chicken. (Pictures 13 – 14) (You can leave the Keep Warm option on – it will help the sauce thicken.) Place the chicken off to the side and let it rest for a few minutes, then shred or dice it. Leave it off to the side.

Add the heavy cream to the Instant Pot and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes, then add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot and stir. (Pictures 16 – 17)

After adding the chicken back to the Instant Pot, optionally add a slurry to thicken the sauce. (Picture 19) I like to use arrowroot dissolved in water, but you can also use corn starch. (This is optional as the sauce will thicken as it sits but it does help thicken it faster.)

Serve your Creamy Chicken and Noodles while it is still hot – seasoning with extra salt and pepper as needed. My husband also likes to add grated cheddar cheese to his bowl.

🍱 Recipe Yield

This recipe makes about 4 “I just worked out and am starving” or “growing teenage boy” servings – or 6 normal-sized servings.

🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

🍳 What to Serve with Chicken & Noodles

I like to serve chicken and noodles within a few minutes of cooking – the longer it sits, the thicker it will get, but it is best eaten hot. Serve a big bowl of chicken and noodles with some extra salt and black pepper. Mix in grated cheddar cheese if desired – I like it with and without cheese, but my husband swears by the addition of cheese.

On the side with chicken and noodles, we like to serve a side salad or some extra steamed vegetables or roasted vegetables. We consider this to be an entire meal since it has chicken, vegetables, pasta, and cream, so it really doesn’t need sides – but you can add what your family likes. You can also add some crunchy bread to dip in the creamy sauce.

🥫 How to Store Leftover Chicken & Noodles

Once cooled, leftover chicken and noodles can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week, or it can be frozen for a few months.

If you are freezing this recipe, let it defrost in the refrigerator or on the counter, and then heat it up or defrost it in the microwave. Do not put this directly in a hot pot while frozen because the noodles will start to fall apart.

✏️ Helpful Tips

• Let the chicken and noodles sit after cooking for a few minutes – it will thicken, and the noodles will absorb some of the cream to make a thick sauce – it’s so good.
• I like to use the Aldi Brand (Reggano) Egg Noodles because they are a bit thicker than the No Yolks brand and don’t get mushy when they are pressure cooked. You can also use the “dumpling” size noodles.
• After releasing the pressure, leave the Keep Warm option on – it will help the sauce thicken faster.
• Optionally, you can mix in some grated cheddar cheese to make the sauce really creamy and rich.

Other Chicken Soup Recipes

• Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup – While Paleo, this chicken noodle soup recipe can also be made with traditional noodles, and it is delicious!
• Instant Pot Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup – This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is my favorite way to make soup. It makes the best chicken noodle soup in a fraction of the time as making it on the stove.
• Paleo Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Paleo Egg Drop Soup (made with chicken stock)