Instant Pot Southwest Chicken Pasta

I have a 3 quart ultra mini Instant Pot. I have used it to reheat things but this was my first time trying to actually cook something in it. I want to remember the recipes I like so I’m posting them. Here’s the ingredients:

16 oz. penne pasta
32 oz. chicken broth
9 oz. chicken
15 oz. sauce

I poured all the pasta and broth in the instant pot and stirred it. Then put the lid on the pot and set it on high pressure for 4 minutes. It took about 15 minutes to get up to pressure so the whole cooking process took about 20 minutes. I cut up the chicken into very small pieces while the pasta cooked. After it had cooked I did a quick release of the steam so that it wouldn’t keep cooking.

This made a bit of a mess as the broth/steam bubbled out of the pressure lock when I released the pressure. I know it’s supposed to have steam come out but this made a puddle on the table. I’m not sure if I had too much liquid in it to start or it was just too full in general. I’m using the 3 quart ultra mini instant pot so maybe an entire pound of pasta is too much for it. The pasta seemed to have absorbed the broth fine though. There wasn’t any liquid pooled on the bottom of the pot, so I don’t know. I’ll have to try different things and see.

After I opened the lid and stirred it I added the chicken and the sauce. Stirred it to mix it up and it was done. The chicken had come fully cooked in the bag. It was cold from the fridge. I cut it up small so that it would heat up better when mixed with the hot pasta. The pasta sauce was room temperature straight from the jar when I added it. It was delicious. I would definitely make this again.

Avocado Mac and Cheese.

I found this link on my friend Jenn’s Facebook page. It sounds awesome so I am posting it here.

Avocado Mac and Cheese

I realize my blog is quickly becoming a place for me to categorize all the things I like so I can easily find them again and I’m ok with that. :-) I hope others enjoy my blog as well but really I’m doing it because I’m enjoying it. And it really does make finding things again much easier.

-Amber