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    Home > Pasta Recipes > Instant Pot Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Chicken

    Instant Pot Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Chicken

    Published: Feb 15, 2018 · Modified: Feb 3, 2022 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Instant Pot Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    So easy! Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese. Extra creamy with a special old-fashioned ingredient and cheesy with Pepper Jack and Velveeta. With just a five minute pressure cook in the Instant Pot, this is such an easy one pot meal.

    Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    I’m really enjoying my Instant Pot more and more every day now that I’m becoming comfortable with how it acts, how it works, and how it thinks.

    I’ve been making hard boiled eggs every week, and I successfully cooked a whole rotisserie style chicken yesterday and was extremely pleased with the results. Purchasing a whole chicken at the store yields a bigger and meatier chicken and the texture soft and tender and the flavor superb.

    I will now say goodby to my vice of grabbing a Rotisserie Chicken at the store. Yes, it’s that easy!

    Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

    I’ve been wanting to make Instant Pot mac and cheese for quite some time now. Simply because I feel the Instant Pot cooks pasta better than what comes off the stove top.

    The first Instant Pot pasta recipe I tried had me sold.

    Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot returns an improved texture. I believe the superior texture is because you don’t pour that liquid gold pasta water down the drain. It’s used in finishing the pasta dish, adding important starchy flavor and texture to the final dish.

    Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    And man, oh man, did this mac and cheese turn out good. I studied many recipes before throwing together my Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese recipe idea.

    Mac and Cheese with Evaporated Milk

    First of all, I’ve always liked my mom’s stove top mac and cheese using Velveeta and evaporated milk, the special old-fashioned ingredient I alluded to above, and so wanted to keep them in the lineup.

    Evaporated Milk is thickened milk, which results in a creamier liquid for pasta and makes for great consistency.

    How to Make This Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot

    To make this a Southwestern entree version, I used a good quality Pepper Jack Cheese, Velveeta, and pre-cooked cubed chicken.

    • It comes together quite easily by adding pasta to the Instant Pot.
    • Pour in the water, butter, salt, chipotle chile, adobo sauce and dry mustard.
    • Set the controls to high pressure for five minutes.
    • When done, press the quick release.
    • When the Instant Pot can be opened use a large wooden spoon to stir the pasta to loosen it up.
    • Quickly pour in half the cubed cheese, chicken and the milk. Stir vigorously.
    • When the cheese has melted, pour in the remainder of the cheese and stir.
    • I put the lid back on the pot just for a couple of minutes (no cooking involved) and let everything steam together.
    • Serve immediately.
    Frankoma Bowls with Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    This Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese has just the right hint of heat. Using canned Chipotle in Adobo sauce brings a beautiful flavor to this recipe. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeno peppers in which the veins and stems have not been removed.

    This can cause a good amount of heat. I used one, but please feel free to kick it up a notch and add two peppers. Same goes with the adobo sauce.

    Not crazy about Velveeta? A soft cheese is important to the creamy texture of this dish. Since Pepper Jack is a soft cheese, feel free to substitute Cheddar for the Velveeta. 

    I’d recommend mild or medium. Sharp will be to strong and will alter the intended flavor of this dish.

    Recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    I hope you give this instant pot mac and cheese with chicken a try. It’s crazy delicious.

    And if you have a favorite Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

    More Instant Pot Recipes:

    • Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
    • Instant Pot Sausage and Beans
    • Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Soup Recipe
    • Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese

    So easy! Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese. Extra creamy with a special old-fashioned ingredient and cheesy with Pepper Jack and Velveeta. With just a five minute pressure cook in the Instant Pot, this is such an easy one pot meal.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Pasta Recipes
    Cuisine: Southwestern
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 455.79kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound dry pasta such as shells or elbow
    • 4 cups water
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
    • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce fine chopped
    • 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce
    • 10 ounce can evaporated milk
    • 8 ounces pepper jack cheese cubed in advance, room temperature
    • 8 ounces velveeta cubed in advance, room temperature
    • 3 cups Cooked chicken cubed, room temperature
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In the insert of an Instant Pot pressure cooker, add the macaroni, water, butter, kosher salt, ground mustard, chipotle chile and adobo sauce. Give it a quick stir. Secure the lid. Set the time to 5 minutes and set the pressure to high. Press start. 
    • When the Instant Pot has completed the 5 minute cooking time cycle, press the quick release. When you're able to open the lid, add the evaporated milk and half of the cheeses and the chicken. With a wooden spoon vigorously stir until the cheeses have melted.  Repeat with the rest of the cheese, stirring until the sauce is creamy.
    • Replace the lid on the Instant Pot and let it sit for a couple of minutes to help everything become even more steamy and cheesy. (no cooking here)  Serve immediately.

    Notes

    This Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese has just the right hint of heat. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeno peppers and the veins and stems have not removed. This can cause a good amount of heat. I used one, but please feel free to kick it up a notch and add two peppers. Same goes with the adobo sauce.
    Not crazy about Velveeta? Since Pepper Jack is a soft cheese, feel free to switch Velveeta to a Cheddar of your choice. I’d recommend mild or medium. Sharp with alter the intended flavor of this dish.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 455.79kcal | Carbohydrates: 40.14g | Protein: 28.52g | Fat: 19.58g | Saturated Fat: 11.02g | Cholesterol: 81.47mg | Sodium: 866.57mg | Potassium: 379.84mg | Fiber: 1.65g | Sugar: 6.41g | Vitamin A: 622.04IU | Vitamin C: 0.54mg | Calcium: 392.27mg | Iron: 1.36mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Matt says

      April 04, 2018 at 2:29 am

      5 stars
      Great mac & cheese recipe!
      I’m now gonna try to make it before my GF gets home (I’m in the dog house for forgetting our anniversary!!!) This is her favorite so hopefully it will do the trick.
      Keep up the great work!

      Reply
    2. Michele @ Bacon Fatte says

      February 24, 2018 at 5:06 pm

      You may have just single-handedly convinced me jump on the IP bandwagon… This Mac and Cheese sounds wonderful! Great cheese variation suggestions, too!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        March 04, 2018 at 9:42 am

        Well, I hope that’s a good thing. 🙂 I look forward to reading how you like it.

        Reply
    3. Lynn Elliott Vining says

      February 23, 2018 at 1:41 pm

      Yum! Ever notice Mac and Cheese is considered a vegetable in the South? When you go to a restaurant with meat and 3 vegetables deal, Mac and Cheese is on the vegetables list! LOL Good stuff here!

      Reply
    4. Robin Daumit says

      February 23, 2018 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      Ooey Gooey Yummy!

      Reply
    5. The Food Hunter says

      February 23, 2018 at 11:57 am

      I need an instant pot

      Reply
    6. mjskitchen says

      February 22, 2018 at 8:53 pm

      That first pictures had me wanting to poke the computer screen with a fork, hoping that I could grab a bite or two. YUM! Looks like your truly embracing that InstataPot.

      Reply
    7. Christine says

      February 22, 2018 at 11:14 am

      Delicious!

      Reply
    8. ally says

      February 21, 2018 at 11:40 am

      5 stars
      Whooooaaaaaaa!!! So delicious! And, this IP is really becoming mainstream!!

      Reply
    9. Larry says

      February 21, 2018 at 7:33 am

      I don’t have the pot but this M&C sounds delicious – I forget many versions can be made.

      Reply
    10. Mira Edorra says

      February 20, 2018 at 6:24 am

      5 stars
      Woooow!
      Looking so much delicious! ???
      I just made this for me and my husband here in Texas during our “Artic Blast”. It was so yummy. It was also a great soup for a cold day. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    11. Debra Eliotseats says

      February 15, 2018 at 6:57 pm

      Ha! I tease a friend of mine that she’s in the Instant Pot cult! This recipe makes me want to join up!

      Reply

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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad obsessed with South of The Border cuisine. Mexican, Southwestern and Wild West Recipes. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration for reliable, approachable recipes.

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