Creamy Tuscan Chicken Penne Pasta

Bring the Tuscan countryside a little closer to home with a plate of creamy, al dente penne pasta. While the juicy chicken tenders, garlic and parmesan cheese are the centerpieces of this recipe, the cream cheese — while not authentically Italian — enriches the sauce; the baby spinach and sundried tomatoes balance out the dish.

Cuisine

Italian

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

25 Minutes

Diet

Italian

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook

Keywords

2 servings, 25 minutes, and pepper for seasoning, baby spinach, chicken stock, chicken tenders, chilli flakes, chopped, cook 10 min, cream cheese, drained and roughly chopped, easy, finely chopped, garlic cloves minced, grated, heavy cream, Instant Pot Culinary Team, italian, italian seasoning, olive oil, parmesan, parmesan cheese, parsley, penne pasta (300 grams), prep 15 min, pressure cook, shallot, unsalted butter

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

10 min

Servings

2 Servings

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. chicken tenders
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1.5 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
8 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ box penne pasta (300 grams)
½ cup freshly parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup cream cheese
3 cups baby spinach
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Chilli flakes
Italian parsley, chopped
Parmesan, grated

Instructions

Place your chicken tenders on a plate or cutting board and generously season one side with salt and black pepper.
Select Saute and set to High. Then Select Start.
Wait until the display shows Hot, then add the olive oil into the inner pot.
Add chicken to the pot and cook for 3-4 Minutes or until lightly browned.
Set the cooked chicken aside. Once cooled, cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.
Add butter and shallot to pot, cook for 2 minutes. After, add garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant. Select Cancel.
Add heavy cream, chicken stock, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and penne pasta. Stir until the pasta is thoroughly soaked in liquid.
Add chopped chicken tenders.
Secure lid for pressure cooking.
Select Pressure Cook, High, and set time for 5 minutes (00:05), select Start.
Once program is done, Quick Release pressure. Select Cancel and remove lid.
Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, cream cheese, and baby spinach.
Stir pasta until cheese is melted and spinach has wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Garnish.