Instant Pot Lemon Pasta with Chicken
Lemony bright and loaded with fresh herbs, Instant Pot lemon pasta with ground chicken is absolutely delightful, and it's a one pan meal!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey)
- 1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if desired)
- ½ cup dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
- 16 ounces dry pasta (rotini, penne, or ziti work well)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (additional for serving)
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Select sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Add oil, ground chicken, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up chicken into small pieces, until chicken is no longer pink and onions are translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound ground chicken, 1 cup diced onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, or until garlic is fragrant.2 cloves garlic, minced, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until wine is slightly reduced, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot.½ cup dry white wine
- Add pasta and chicken broth. Stir to combine and make sure pasta is completely submerged in liquid.16 ounces dry pasta, 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Cover and set Instant Pot to pressure cook for 5 minutes, turning valve to seal. When the timer goes off, turn valve to quick release the pressure. Carefully remove the lid (see note).
- Keep Instant Pot on warm, add spinach and place cover on loosely (don’t turn to latch). Let wilt for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring as needed to help it along.5 ounces baby spinach
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, parsley, basil, chives, and butter, until butter is melted. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Notes
- Cooking the pasta: Sometimes the pasta needs a little extra time to fully absorb the liquid. When you remove the lid, if the sauce still looks too juicy or runny, loosely cover the pot and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. When it looks perfect to you, stir in the spinach and continue as instructed.
- Veggie variations: If desired, substitute peas, asparagus, broccoli, or chopped Swiss chard for the spinach.
- Meat variations: Try boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces instead of ground chicken. Ground turkey, bacon, or sausage are more alternatives.
- Stovetop instructions: You can make this meal on the stove in a large skillet with a cover, or a Dutch oven. Brown the meat and veggies as directed, add the wine to deglaze the pan, and then add the pasta and broth. Make sure the pasta is submerged, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure there's plenty of liquid. Continue with the recipe as written.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2701IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 3mg
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