Creamy Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken (30-Min Meal)

The Restaurant-Worthy Dinner You Can Make on a Tuesday

Living and working in New York City teaches you a lot about efficiency. You learn how to navigate a crowded subway, how to walk and eat a slice of pizza at the same time, and how to crave a decadent, restaurant-quality meal after a 12-hour day. But who has the energy to cook something elaborate? What if you could achieve a rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful chicken dinner in less time than it takes to decide on takeout?

This is where your pressure cooker becomes your personal sous chef. This Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken recipe delivers that five-star-restaurant experience right in your own kitchen, in under 30 minutes. Tender chicken bathed in a luscious, creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms—it’s pure culinary magic, made ridiculously easy.

The Ingredients for Your Tuscan Escape

This recipe uses a powerhouse of flavorful ingredients to create a dish that tastes like it simmered for hours.

this now & bake later ❤️

Your Express Timeline to Tuscany

Thanks to the magic of pressure cooking, this gourmet meal is on the table in a flash.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes (includes time to pressurize)
• Total Time: 30 minutes

Data Insight: Pressure cooking is a game-changer for weeknight meals. According to a study in the journal Food Control, pressure cooking can cook foods up to 70% faster than conventional methods like baking or boiling, which not only saves time but also helps retain more heat-sensitive vitamins and nutrients.

Step 1: Sear the Chicken

Turn your Instant Pot to the Sauté setting. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the Italian seasoning. Once the pot is hot, add the butter or olive oil. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. It will not be cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside on a plate.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

To the now-empty pot, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 3-4 minutes until they have released their liquid and started to brown. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Deglaze and Pressure Cook

Pour in the chicken stock and soy sauce. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape all the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This is a crucial step to prevent the “BURN” notice. Return the seared chicken to the pot and scatter the chopped sun-dried tomatoes over the top. Secure the lid, set the valve to “Sealing,” and select the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button. Set the timer for 8 minutes.

Step 4: Release Pressure and Thicken the Sauce

Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before performing a Quick Release to vent the remaining steam. Carefully open the lid. Remove the chicken to a plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a smooth slurry. Set the Instant Pot back to the Sauté function. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the liquid in the pot and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes until it thickens into a glossy sauce.

Step 5: Finish with Cream and Serve

Turn off the Sauté function. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach. Continue to stir until the cheese is melted and the spinach has completely wilted into the sauce. Return the chicken to the pot, spooning the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Here is an approximate nutritional breakdown per serving (assuming 4 servings).

• Calories: 585 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Protein: 55g
• Fat: 35g

Disclaimer: This is an estimate and will vary based on your specific ingredients and portion sizes.

Healthier Swaps & Variations

Love the flavor but want to lighten it up? No problem.

• Lighter Creaminess: Substitute the heavy cream with an equal amount of half-and-half or evaporated milk for a sauce with less fat.
• Dairy-Free Option: Use full-fat coconut milk in place of the heavy cream and a dairy-free Parmesan alternative or nutritional yeast. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
• More Veggies: Feel free to add more vegetables like chopped kale, roasted red peppers, or artichoke hearts.

Perfect Serving Suggestions

This dish has a sauce that simply begs to be soaked up.

• Over Pasta: Serve over fettuccine, penne, or pappardelle for a classic and satisfying meal.
• With Grains: Spoon the chicken and sauce over fluffy rice, creamy polenta, or quinoa.
• Low-Carb Pairings: It’s fantastic with zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or alongside steamed asparagus.
• Crusty Bread: A non-negotiable side for wiping the plate clean of every last drop of the Tuscan sauce.

Common Instant Pot Mistakes to Avoid

1. Getting the “BURN” Notice: This happens when food sticks to the bottom of the pot. The most important preventative step is to thoroughly deglaze the pot with the chicken stock after searing, scraping up every browned bit.
2. Adding Dairy Before Cooking: Pressure cooking can cause dairy products like cream and cheese to curdle and separate. Always add them at the end, after the pressure cooking cycle is complete, using the Sauté function on low or with the pot turned off.
3. Overcooking the Chicken: While the Instant Pot is great for tenderizing, it can still overcook chicken breasts. An 8-minute cook time is perfect for average-sized breasts. If yours are very small, reduce the time to 6 minutes.

Storing and Reheating

Leftovers make for an incredible lunch the next day.

• Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
• Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of milk or chicken stock to thin the sauce to its original consistency. Microwaving also works, but gentle stovetop reheating is best for cream sauces.

The 30-Minute Trip to Tuscany

This Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken proves you don’t need to choose between a quick meal and a gourmet one. In just 30 minutes, your pressure cooker transforms simple ingredients into a dish that’s bursting with rich, creamy, and sophisticated flavors. It’s the perfect, reliable recipe for making any weeknight feel like a special occasion.

We are so excited for you to try this recipe and experience how easy a decadent dinner can be. Let us know how it turned out in the comments below! For more time-saving, flavor-packed Instant Pot recipes, be sure to subscribe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs are more forgiving and contain more flavor. The cooking time remains the same—8 minutes on high pressure will make them incredibly tender.

Q2: My sauce is too thin, even after adding the cornstarch slurry. What should I do?

Make sure you bring the sauce to a full bubble on the Sauté setting after adding the slurry. The heat is what activates the cornstarch’s thickening power. If it’s still too thin for your liking, you can make another half-batch of the slurry (1.5 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water) and whisk that in.

Q3: Can I double this recipe?

Yes, this recipe can be doubled in a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot. The ingredients can be doubled, but the pressure cooking time remains the same (8 minutes). You will simply need to sear the chicken in more batches.

Q4: I don’t have sun-dried tomatoes. Is there a substitute?

While sun-dried tomatoes provide a unique sweet and tangy flavor, you could substitute them with a cup of halved cherry tomatoes. Add them after sautéing the mushrooms and let them cook for a minute before deglazing. The flavor will be fresher and less intense, but still delicious.

Creamy Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken (30-Min Meal)

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• Author: Evelyn Marcella Rivera
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 people 1x

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Description

Succulent chicken breasts simmered in a luscious garlic-cream sauce with earthy mushrooms, vibrant sun-dried tomatoes, and bright spinach—all achieved in your Instant Pot in under 30 minutes. This meal tastes like it braised for hours but comes together in a flash!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4–6 Chicken breasts (Skinless; about 2 lb total; can use thighs)
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted butter or olive oil (For searing)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 8 Cremini mushrooms (Sliced ≈83 g)
• 1 Tbsp Soy sauce (Regular)
• 3/4 cup Unsalted chicken stock
• 4 Garlic cloves (Minced)
• 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (Drained chopped (≈60-80 g))
• 1 cup Fresh spinach (Packed ≈40 g; will wilt)
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream
• 1/4–1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (Freshly grated)
• 3.5 Tbsp Cornstarch (For slurry)
• 1/4 cup Cold water (For slurry)

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Instructions

Sear the Chicken:

1. Select Sauté on the Instant Pot.
2. Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Add butter (or oil) and sear chicken 2–3 min per side until golden (it won’t be cooked through). Remove and set aside.

Sauté Vegetables:

1. To the same pot, add mushrooms; sauté 3–4 min until they release liquid and begin to brown.
2. Stir in minced garlic; cook 1 min until fragrant.

Pressure Cook:

1. Pour in chicken stock and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits.
2. Return chicken to the pot; top with sun-dried tomatoes.
3. Seal lid, set valve to Sealing, and Pressure Cook on High for 8 minutes.

Release & Thicken:

1. Natural release 5 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure.
2. Remove chicken to a plate.
3. In a bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry.
4. Select Sauté again; stir slurry into pot and simmer 1–2 min until sauce is glossy and thickened.

Finish & Serve:

1. Turn off pot. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and spinach until cheese melts and spinach wilts.
2. Return chicken to the sauce, spooning generously over each piece.
3. Serve hot—pair with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Notes

• Make-Ahead Marinade: Toss chicken with Italian seasoning 2 hours ahead for extra flavor.

• Mushroom Swap: Use white button or shiitake if cremini aren’t on hand.

• Thicker Sauce: Add up to 1 Tbsp more cornstarch slurry if needed.

• Variations: Stir in sun-dried tomato oil for extra richness or finish with a squeeze of lemon.

• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently on Sauté with a splash of stock or cream.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Instant Pot, Italian-Inspired

Nutrition

• Calories: 585