With peppers, green onions, and tarragon for flavor, a creamy sauce is poured over diced chicken breast. Enjoy a wonderful and soothing chicken dinner and learn how to make cream sauce again; it’s simpler than you think. Any starchy base would do; I usually serve this over bread. If desired, garnish with green onions.
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 50 mins |
| Additional Time: | 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 10 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or more to taste
- 1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth, divided
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- ½ (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 (16 ounce) package rotini pasta
- 7 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese
- 1 (4 ounce) envelope cheese sauce (such as Velveeta®)
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a multi-functional electric pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and add 2 cups chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, milk, butter, ranch dressing mix, and onion powder. Close and lock the lid. Select the Poultry setting according to manufacturer’s instructions; set timer for 25 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
- Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer’s instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board using a slotted spoon. Shred chicken and return to the pot. Add rotini, remaining chicken broth, and bacon. Close and lock the lid. Select the high pressure setting according to manufacturer’s instructions; set timer for 5 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
- Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer’s instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
- Stir in shredded mild Cheddar cheese and cheese sauce until well combined.
- If using thawed chicken, drop cook time to 15 minutes. If your pot does not have a poultry setting, use manual high pressure.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 554 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 52 g |
| Cholesterol | 83 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 29 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Sodium | 1588 mg |
| Sugars | 5 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Loved this! Big hit with everyone including the begging pups!
Loved it. My family likes macaroni and cheese I had to try this. Was not disappointed. Only change I made was to substitute ham for the bacon. The chicken is easy to shred and tasty
Excellent recipe!!! Followed ingredients to the letter. Only change is I only have a Slow Cooker so I prepared it on high for 4 hours. Worked out great. Delicious.
I made this as my first recipe in my brand new instant pot. It was simple to make, but flavorful as if it was cooking all day! The only thing I might change next time is to leave out the Velveeta cheese sauce. My husband thought it was a bit “too cheesy”. Even better as leftovers! – I added it to a casserole dish and warmed it up in the oven on 350 degrees, then added buttered panko breadcrumbs on top for some crunch for the another 10-15 minutes on 450. Yummy!
It was Ok. It needed something else,not sure what.
Just one modification: no “cheese product”. The thought makes me shiver. I also just crumbled the bacon on top at the end because I hate soggy bacon. Gotta be crispy or nothing! Came out great and I’d definitely make it again.
Sorry. Too many artificial ingredients for my taste; and the proportions were off. I use real cheese and homemade chicken stock so I was hesitant to buy fake cheese and canned soup to begin with. The result tasted more like a bad macaroni and cheese recipe with a little chicken tossed in. This is the first recipe on the site to which I have given a poor rating, but it is my honest opinion.
This is always a huge hit with the family! Easy to make and so delicious!
I cooked this for my family and they liked it. The amounts that the recipe called for were exact, but my only complaint is that I couldn’t taste the ranch. I don’t know if I needed another packet of ranch or if I should’ve used ranch dressing.
Delicious! I added some garlic to the recipe because, well, garlic, and it turned out to be awesome!
This was so INCREDIBLY delicious!!! I just got an insta-pot and was looking for a recipe. I was stunned at how fast the chicken cooked and was super moist. We didn’t have a “plain” cheese sauce so we just doubled the amt of shredded cheese. SO rich and creamy. I did however make 2 mistakes. My chicken was partially thawed so ended up scorching one of the breast. This led to the machine telling me “burned food” when i got to the pasta “cooking”. Luckily, it didn’t burn and the 10min it took for the pot to re-pressurize actually cooked the pasta so it was all good. Will DEFINITELY try again , the family made it disappear !
Made it everyone liked it, we will make it again. May add the other half of the milk to give it a little more sauce. I added 10 slices of bacon that is what was in the package. I also used 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs other than that I followed the recipe.
Easy to make. I used 3 chicken breast – making it more meatier. Added a salad and garlic bread – I good hearty meal. Really easy to make – gives you a chance to clean up as it cooks making it a simple clean-up at the end of the meal
Super easy and absolutely delicious!!
Oh, my goodness, this is the perfect comfort food. Not only is macaroni and cheese aspect present, but one doesn’t feel guilty because the chicken adds protein. We also added carrots, and left out the bacon. This is delicious.
I made this for when I volunteer at the USO and the troops loved it and asked me to make it again. Because I cook for so many (at least 50) I added a bag of Pictsweet peppers and onions and several cans of corn and green beans to make it stretch as far as possible. I couldn’t understand why there were so few reviews and then realized it was the method of cooking that many people dont have the appliance mentioned in the recipe. I poached the chicken and then sprinkled the ranch dressing on it, and then made the sauce (which included a whole bottle of ranch dressing) and folded the pasta into it. It was simple and very very tasty. I will be making it again for sure.
Loved it! I’ve only had my instant pot for a day and really was excited to find a nice dinner for my husband and I to make tonight and nothing too crazy as I’m a super beginner with the pot! This recipe tasted amazing! I followed it but had trouble finding the cheese sauce at my local grocery store. I wound up getting easily melted blocks of Velveeta cheese. Saving this recipe for sure!
It was yummy, but I more or less doubled it & as a result, it seemed less “ranch” and more like a chicken & bacon infused mac (in this case rotini) & cheese. That’s nothing to complain about in my book, though. Since it was my first time doing frozen chicken in my Wolfgang Puck electric pressure cooker (essentially an Instant Pot), I was amazed by how well-cooked yet moist the chicken came out.
Holy cow. I have an Autistic child and she made this herself. I handled the chicken. All stove top no pressure cooker. We omitted the bacon and onion powder. Our cheesy sauce of choice was Progresso. She said it was too spicy but once everything was mixed she loved it. We only used boneless white chicken. Enjoy!!!