Instant Pot Chicken Taco Pasta

So now that I have finally been using my Instant Pot, I will admit that I am in love and am often trying to find new ways to use it.  The other night, I decided to give it a try to make my own version of hamburger helper…….or chicken helper, if you will.  While I have no doubt that this meal would be excellent with browned ground beef, I happened to have a few chicken breasts that I needed to use, so that’s what we did.  The kids loved it!  While you could certainly add more vegetables if you like, I kept it simple with this one and went with onions and green peppers, but corn would also be an excellent addition!

As with the Spaghetti and Meatballs that I shared a few weeks ago, I am not sure how much “time” this method saves because of the preheating of the Instant Pot, but what I love about it is that it’s not something that I need to sit and watch on the stove or stir to make sure it isn’t burning.  That means that I can spend more time with my guys, helping with homework, or talking about the crazy days they had a school!

Instant Pot Chicken Taco Pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast – diced

1 large yellow onions, diced small

5-6 cloves garlic, fresh, minced

2 green bell peppers, diced small (or any color of bell pepper)

1 – 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 – 14 ounce can tomatoes and green chiles

2 packages of taco seasoning

4 cups water

1 – 16-ounce box of rotini pasta (I used Barilla Whole Grain)

2 or 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Turn your Instant Pot onto saute and wait for it to say “Hot”.  Add oil and the chicken and saute until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pot and add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers.  Saute until the onion is translucent and the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to the pot, being sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of your pot.  Add the taco seasoning, water, pasta, and cooked chicken breast.  Stir.  Seal the Instant Pot.  Use the manual setting and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.  Do a quick release.  (this should take 4-5 minutes)  Once the pressure is fully released, remove the lid and stir in the shredded cheese.  Serve!  (pasta dish will be very hot, you may want to let it sit for a few minutes)  Garnish with crushed tortilla chips, green onions, cilantro, or any other “taco” toppings you like!

 

 

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