Instant Pot Chicken Carbonara Recipe

While we may think of carbonara as a cream-based pasta sauce, recipe developer Joe Dillard notes that the creamy texture actually comes from eggs instead of dairy. In fact, if you check the ingredients list, you'll see this carbonara has no cream or milk. One thing this recipe does have, though, is extra meat. As Dillard tells us, "This recipe adds chicken to the pasta for a hearty and filling option that also adds plenty of delicious flavor." With both noodles and meat, it can almost make for a one-pot meal, although you might also like to add a green vegetable or at least a side salad to balance out the starch.

One thing Dillard feels is important to point out, though, is that not all Instant Pots function in the same way. "For example," he says, "some have start buttons, while others are equipped to automatically begin cooking when locked." In the event that the instructions he gives don't match up exactly with the menu options your model has to offer, he suggests that you refer to the owner's manual that came with your appliance.

As the recipe name indicates, this carbonara is made with chicken, and here Dillard is opting to use boneless, skinless breasts. He also uses bacon, but says "You can swap [it] out ... for the more traditional option of pancetta" should you so choose. You'll also need one whole egg plus a couple of yolks as well as some spaghetti. Dillard likes to use the type of spaghetti sold as "pot size," telling us that the product "makes it very easy to make spaghetti in the Instant Pot," but adds, "you can simply break regular spaghetti in half" if that's what you have to work with.

Rounding out the ingredients list are butter, parmesan, an onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and water, plus some parsley to pretty up the finished product.

Set the Instant Pot to "sauté" and the heat to "more." After the pot heats up (it will probably display a message along the lines of "hot"), you can fry the bacon for 5 to 7 minutes to crisp it up. Once that's accomplished, fish it out and drain it on paper towels.

Use the bacon grease to sauté the chicken, stirring it every so often until it looks golden brown. Check to make sure it's cooked on the inside as well as the outside by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part. When the thermometer reads 165 F, take the chicken out of the pot.

Melt the butter in the Instant Pot, then use it to fry the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until it softens and appears translucent. Toss the garlic into the pot along with the salt and pepper, then cook everything for 45 seconds longer. Press "cancel" to exit sauté mode.

Pour the water into the Instant Pot, then use a non-metallic utensil such as a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom. The reason for doing so isn't to deglaze the pan, but because, as Dillard cautions, "Instant Pots are made to display a burn warning if they sense any food stuck to the bottom."

Divide the spaghetti into two even bunches, then put them into the pot criss-cross style so they cook evenly. Push the noodles down so they are covered in water, but do not stir them. Put the chicken into the pot, then close and lock the lid. Hit "pressure cook," set the timer for 5 minutes, and press the start button. Wait patiently as the pot pressures up, then counts down. As soon as the timer goes "beep" or whatever noise your model makes, do a quick pressure release.

Once your pot has safely de-pressurized, open it up and set it on "keep warm." Whisk the whole egg with the yolks (if they are at room temperature, this will facilitate the process), then pour the eggs into the pot, stirring all the while. When the sauce looks thick and creamy, stir in the parmesan until it dissolves and everything looks nice and smooth, then sprinkle the parsley over the top.

Dillard recommends eating the chicken carbonara warm and says you might sprinkle on some additional parmesan if you so desire. If you don't finish it all in one sitting, you can refrigerate what's left for up to 3 days and heat it back up in the microwave or in a pan on the stove — no need to haul out the Instant Pot for another go-round.