Instant Pot King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a creamy, cheesy comfort food dinner made with tender chicken, pasta, tomatoes, and a flavorful sauce. This easy Instant Pot recipe brings everything together in one pot for a hearty family dinner with minimal cleanup.
I love making this casserole when I want something filling without spending hours in the kitchen. The Instant Pot makes it easy, and the combination of chicken, cheese, and a creamy sauce is always a favorite.
Why I Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
- Water: Helps cook the pasta and chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Chicken Breast: Cut into bite-sized cubes for even cooking.
- Ranch Seasoning: Adds a savory, herby flavor.
- Diced Green Chilies: Give the casserole a mild kick.
- Diced Tomatoes: Add flavor and moisture to the sauce.
- Velveeta Cheese: Melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Milk: Helps make the cheese sauce creamy.
- Pasta: Use your favorite short pasta shape.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Instant Pot King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Sauté the Chicken: Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the cubed chicken and cook until browned.
- Add Seasoning: Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the chicken and stir to coat.
- Add Ingredients: Add the pasta, followed by the water, diced tomatoes, and green chilies.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 5 minutes.
- Release Pressure: Carefully perform a quick release when the cooking time is complete.
- Make It Creamy: Stir in the milk and cubed Velveeta until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Tips I Found Helpful
- Cut Chicken Evenly: Keep the pieces bite-sized so they cook evenly.
- Don’t Stir the Tomatoes: Layer them over the pasta to help prevent a burn warning.
- Check the Pasta: Make sure it’s covered with liquid before pressure cooking.
- Melt the Cheese Last: Stir in the Velveeta and milk after pressure cooking for a smooth, creamy sauce.
“Used two cans of rotell instead of the tomatoes and chili’s. It was sooo good. I was a little nervous putting the chicken in raw but it came out amazing”
Questions Readers Ask Most
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes! Penne, rotini, or another short pasta works well. Cooking times may vary depending on the pasta shape.
Can I use shredded cheddar instead of Velveeta?
Yes, but the sauce may not be as smooth and creamy. Velveeta melts more evenly.
Is this casserole spicy?
No, it’s fairly mild. Use hot diced green chilies if you prefer more heat.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
More Instant Pot Recipes I Love
Instant Pot King Chicken Casserole
Instant Pot King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a creamy, cheesy one-pot dinner with tender chicken, pasta, tomatoes, and ranch seasoning.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
- ½ cup milk
- 16 ounces dry short pasta, such as penne or rotini
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the cubed chicken and cook until browned.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the chicken and stir to coat.
- Add the pasta, followed by the water, diced tomatoes, and green chilies. Make sure the pasta is covered with liquid.
- Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 5 minutes.
- Carefully perform a quick release when cooking is complete.
- Stir in the milk and cubed Velveeta until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F before serving.
Notes
Use a short pasta such as penne or rotini. Add the milk and Velveeta after pressure cooking for the creamiest sauce. Cooking times may vary depending on the pasta shape.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 413Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1167mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 7gSugar: 9gProtein: 37g
So, the first time that I made this recipe, I stuck to the exact ingredients/measurements and it was fantastic.
Well, I just wanted to tell you that I tweaked your recipe a little, and holy moly, it was FABULOUS. Instead of chili peppers, I used frozen broccoli. I subbed milk for 3 oz of heavy cream. I also added some garlic powder.
that sounds great!
I am making this right now!! Are you supposed to actually sauté the chicken and ranch seasonings or do you do that just to warm the IP up? Also the water didn’t come up over the noodles is that normal?
I’m curious about this as well. How did it work for you?
My daughter and husband loved this recipe. Thank you for helping me find one more thing the picky eater enjoy s.
My two teenage boys went back for thirds! I did partially cook my chicken by sautéing in the pot first, so I cut the time back to 4 minutes, and I’m glad I did bc the mini penne were very done! I didn’t have Velveeta so I used cheddar and evaporated milk in place of milk. I also added some chopped baby spinach when adding the cheese to make it more of a complete one pot meal for us bc I literally had nothing else to go with 😉 Oh, and some crumbled bacon at the end, too! Lol
Perfect & easy pre- baseball game meal!
Important step – Drain tomatoes!
This recipe definitely has potential. My girlfriend and I replaced the water with chicken stock, doubled the amount of chicken, and added some crumbled up bacon.
Used two cans of rotell instead of the tomatoes and chili’s. It was sooo good. I was a little nervous putting the chicken in raw but it came out amazing
Glad you liked it 🙂
I am new to the instant pot and don’t understand the instructions. Am I supposed to sauté for 30 min (like it defaults on the pot) or just do this til it reaches the “Hot”, then move into the next steps?
Is the pasta supposed to be cooked before you add it to the instant pot?
I don’t have a “instapot” I have another brand so it’s kinda harder to follow the directions for “instapot” recipes.
I cooked my 3 raw refrigerated bonelessskinless chicken for 3 minutes in the 3 cups of water. Opened it up, added a splash more water (just to replace what was used in the 3 minutes). Then added the rest of the ingredients and followed the instructions from there. Turned out tender and well cooked. Next time, I will add some spinach or kale for more flavor, bacon sounds good too. I also used rotel. Hope this helps.
Could we get more detailed instructions? How long does the chicken need to be cooked on sautée, before everything else is added?
Yes I’m a complete amateur so when the recipe states… “Turn Pot on saute. Add chicken and ranch seasons. Add pasta, water, Tomatoes, and Chili peppers, in that order. Place on manual high pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick Release. Stir in milk and cheese until melted Serve.” you need to be more specific on how long to Sautee and do you saute in the ranch seasoning?? Are you assuming that saute is a general term and that everyone knows how long you’re supposed to saute? Plus everytime I’ve sauted in the instapot I end up getting the burn message eventually so I’d think you’d want to saute in another pan first then add the ingredients to pressure cook together. Hopefully this makes sense cause like I said I’m a amateur cook at best! Thanks
I would love to make this, but as others have mentioned a few clarifications to the instructions would be spectacular! 🙂 I’d rather get it right than experiment and potentially waste food in the process.
@Leah, Saute until the meat is no longer pink all around, usually a minute or 2. THEN, (important!) take a small amount, perhaps 1/2c of broth or liquid and add it and scrape the bottom of the pot! Ensure that no burned bits are stuck to the bottom! Don’t remove them, though, bc they add flavor! But scrape them from the bottom of the pot diligently. Otherwise you will be plagued w/the dreaded “burn” notice. Then, proceed as instructed.
Your recipe calls for 28oz of diced tomatoes and 4oz of chile peppers. Ro-tel tomatoes are diced tomatoes w/green and red chile peppers. Can this be substituted for these? Ro-tel comes in a 28oz can. Seems that would work well. What say you?