Instant Pot Taco Pasta with Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Taco Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 lb chicken (diced); 1 taco seasoning packet; 1 cup onion (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 bell pepper (red, yellow or orange); 16 oz short pasta (uncooked); 4 cups water; 1 ½ cups salsa; 1 15-oz can corn; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 2 cups dairy milk (evaporated, full fat, or heavy cream); 2 ½ cups cheddar cheese (shredded); cilantro (for garnish)

Instant Pot Taco Pasta is like eating an unstuffed chicken taco, with lots of creamy melted cheese! Made with only 10 ingredients and in less than 30 minutes in 1 pot, taco pasta is a fantastic flavorful dinner for families on busy or lazy nights.

Instant Pot chicken taco pasta on a white plate topped with cilantro and cheddar cheese

Instant Pot Taco Pasta combines the ease and comfort of pasta with the flavors of chicken tacos and their traditional toppings. Plus lots of cheese!

Diced chicken is sauteed with taco seasoning (use my fabulous homemade version!), then mixed with bell peppers, onions, salsa, corn and lots of cheddar cheese. It's all pressure cooked with the pasta- in only 3 minutes! The flavor is incredible!

Yes- that's chicken that I make taco pasta with. Most recipes use ground beef, but we love it with chicken. Letting the pasta cook in the taco seasoning, vegetables, and broth takes the flavor intensity to the next level.

⭐️ This recipe works in a 6 or 8 quart pressure cooker of any brand. It has not been tested in a 3 or 10 quart cooker.

Instant Pot chicken taco pasta in 3 bowls on a white background, garnished with cilantro and cheddar cheese — I

Why You'll Love Making Chicken Taco Pasta in the Instant Pot

Just 10 ingredients.
It's a true one pot meal.
It is ready in less than 30 minutes, from preparation to completion.
It's cheesy and creamy!
It's versatile- use beef, ground turkey, or make it vegetarian.

Ingredients

To make it you need:

short pasta (shells, cavatappi, ziti, or your favorite short pasta)
diced chicken
taco seasoning
onion and garlic
colorful bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow are the best)
milk (I use evaporated, but any dairy milk will do)
salsa
cheddar cheese

Garnishings: fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa or diced tomatoes.

💡 Tip: For the cheese to melt and turn creamy, you must use freshly shredded cheese and not pre-shredded bags.

Variations

Make it spicy by using hot salsa or adding jalapenos.
Keep it kid-friendly with mild salsa.
Keep it extra kid-friendly and don't add "green" cilantro when serving.
Use ground beef or ground turkey without changing the recipe steps or time.
Add black beans and/or fresh diced tomatoes along with the corn.
Change up the cheddar cheese and use taco, Mexican blend, or monterey jack cheese (or a combination).
For a thicker sauce, use heavy cream

For a veggie loaded taco pasta, double the amount of peppers and corn.

chicken taco pasta in small bowls for kids, topped with cilantro and cheese

Step-By-Step Directions

Here's how to make Instant Pot taco pasta:

Step 1. Set the Instant Pot to saute for 5 minutes. Add olive oil, diced chicken and the taco seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes. During the last minute, add the peppers, onion and garlic.

chicken and vegetables in an Instant Pot

Step 2. Add 1 cup of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Then put in the pasta and rest of the water, salsa, corn, salt and pepper. Do not stir. Seal the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.

water and pasta added to vegetables and chicken in the Instant Pot

Step 3. Do a controlled quick release of the pressure by pressing on the steam release valve in short bursts until depressurized. Remove the inner pot to a trivet.

Step 4. Add the milk, stir well, and wait 2 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese in handfuls, not all at once. Stir as it's added and then until the cheese is completely melted. Taste and add additional salsa if desired.

⭐️ Use this quick calculation to determine pressure cooking pasta cook times. Find the cook time range on your box for al dente pasta. Divide the lower number in half and subtract 1. For a more al dente pasta, subtract 2. Pressure cook on high for that length of time.

Then serve and enjoy! Recommended garnishings are extra cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro.

Chicken taco pasta in a white bowl topped with cilantro

What Should I Serve with Taco Pasta?

Taco pasta is a full meal on it's own. But if you'd like to serve it with a side dish, a simple salad is a great choice. Chips and salsa also make a good appetizer for taco pasta.

You can even make salsa right in the Instant Pot too!

💡 Tip: Let the pasta sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will thicken the sauce and allow the flavors to intensify. The longer it sits, the more the taco flavors will stand out!

Storing

Instant Pot taco pasta keeps in the fridge for around 5 days. It is not freezer-friendly, as the pasta will lose it's texture.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Please let me know what you thought about it in the comments below.

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Recipe

Instant Pot Taco Pasta

Kristina Tipps

Instant Pot Taco Pasta is like eating an unstuffed chicken taco, with lots of creamy melted cheese! Made with only 8 ingredients and in less than 30 minutes in 1 pot, taco pasta is a fantastic flavorful dinner for families on busy or lazy nights.

4.86 from 27 votes

Bookmark Recipe

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings

Calories 433 kcal

Equipment

6 or 8 quart pressure cooker

Ingredients

1 lb chicken diced
1 taco seasoning packet
1 cup onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 bell pepper red, yellow or orange
16 oz short pasta uncooked
4 cups water
1 ½ cups salsa
1 15-oz can corn
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dairy milk evaporated, full fat, or heavy cream
2 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to saute for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil, diced chicken and the taco seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes. During the last minute, add the peppers, onion and garlic.
Add 1 cup of the water and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Then put in the pasta and additional 3 cups of water, salsa, corn, salt and pepper in that order. Do not stir. Seal the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.
Do a controlled quick release of the pressure by pressing on the steam release valve in short bursts until depressurized. Remove the lid and transfer the inner pot to a trivet.
Add the milk, stir well, and wait 2 minutes. Now add the cheddar cheese in handfuls, stirring as it's added. Mix until the cheese is completely melted. Taste and add additional salsa if desired.
Serve garnished with cilantro, extra cheese, sour cream, or diced tomatoes.

Notes

For the cheese to melt and turn creamy, you should use freshly shredded cheese and not pre-shredded bags.

Use this quick calculation to determine pressure cooking pasta cook times. Find the cook time range on your box for al dente pasta. Divide the lower number in half and subtract 1. For a more al dente pasta, subtract 2. Pressure cook on high for that length of time.

Instant Pot taco pasta keeps in the fridge for around 5 days. It is not freezer-friendly, as the pasta will lose it's texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ozCalories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 30gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 1249mgPotassium: 526mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1038IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 472mgIron: 1mg

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