42 min
Instant Pot Mild Curry Chicken and Rice with Sweet Peppers
One pot turns chicken thighs, basmati rice, sweet peppers and peas into a gently spiced family dinner with fluffy grains instead of mush.
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore with Mushrooms & Egg Noodles
Browned bone-in chicken pressure-cooks in tomato-wine sauce with mushrooms and onions, then lands over broad egg noodles for a complete family supper.
Directions
Season and brown the chicken
Pat the chicken very dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Select Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Add the oil and brown the chicken skin-side down in two batches for 4 minutes, then 1 minute on the second side. Transfer to a plate; it will not yet be cooked through.
Cook the vegetables
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms give up moisture. Add garlic, oregano and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté.
Deglaze and layer the sauce
Add the wine and scrape every browned bit from the base; stir in the broth. Nestle the chicken in one layer, skin-side up. Spoon the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste over the chicken without stirring them into the thin liquid, then add the bay leaf. Keep everything below the model's maximum-fill line.
Pressure cook and release
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes; allow about 12 minutes to pressurize. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release the rest with hands and face away from steam. Open only after the float valve drops.
Boil the noodles
While the cooker releases, boil the egg noodles in salted water according to the package until just tender. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and keep warm.
Verify doneness and finish
Check the thickest chicken pieces away from bone; every piece must reach at least 165°F, and dark meat is most tender around 175°F. If needed, simmer on Sauté until safe. Transfer chicken to a platter. Discard the bay leaf, skim excess fat, and simmer the sauce on Sauté for 5 minutes. Adjust salt and loosen with pasta water only if needed. Spoon noodles into bowls, add chicken and sauce, and finish with parsley; offer Parmesan and crushed pepper separately.
Why this works
Why it worksBrowning develops flavor while keeping the pressure cycle short enough for juicy bone-in chicken.
Why it worksWine and broth fully deglaze the base, while thick tomato products stay on top to reduce burn-warning risk.
Why it worksCooking egg noodles separately preserves their texture and lets each diner control the sauce-to-pasta ratio shown in the finished dish.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe deglazed wine-and-broth base, ten-minute cycle and staged release are calibrated for this capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerCheck every bone-in chicken piece away from bone for at least 165°F before serving.See current options →
Compare on AmazonPasta pot and colanderBoiling the egg noodles separately keeps them springy while the chicken and tomato sauce pressure-cook.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use all bone-in thighs of similar size for the most even doneness; do not substitute very small boneless pieces without changing the timing.
- Replace the red wine with additional broth plus 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar stirred into the finished sauce.
- Serve over soft polenta or mashed potatoes instead of noodles, keeping the same chicken and sauce method.
Cook notes
- The skin softens under pressure; for crisp edges, broil the cooked chicken on a foil-lined pan for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
- Keep the base mild for children and place crushed red pepper at the table.
- Total time includes browning, approximately 12 minutes to pressurize and the 10-minute natural release.
- Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Confirm minimum liquid, fill limits and release directions in your model manual.
- Never rely on pressure time alone for poultry; verify every piece with an instant-read thermometer.
Storage
Cool chicken, sauce and noodles within 2 hours and refrigerate in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat chicken in sauce on the stove or with Sauté until it reaches 165°F; warm noodles with a spoonful of water. Freeze chicken and sauce for up to 3 months, but cook fresh noodles after thawing.
Questions
Why shouldn't I stir the tomatoes into the pot?
Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste are thick and can scorch against the hot base. Keeping them above the deglazed wine-and-broth layer supplies steam first and lowers burn-warning risk.
Can I pressure-cook the noodles with the chicken?
Not reliably in this recipe. The bone-in chicken needs a longer cycle than egg noodles, which would become soft and release excess starch into the sauce.
What if one chicken piece is below 165°F?
Return all under-temperature pieces to the simmering sauce on Sauté, turn them once and check again after 3 to 5 minutes. Serve only after each piece reaches at least 165°F away from bone.
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Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore with Mushrooms & Egg Noodles
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1. Season and brown the chickenPat the chicken very dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Select Sauté on High on a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Add the oil and brown the chicken skin-side down in two batches for 4 minutes, then 1 minute on the second side. Transfer to a plate; it will not yet be cooked through.
2. Cook the vegetablesPour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms give up moisture. Add garlic, oregano and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel Sauté.
3. Deglaze and layer the sauceAdd the wine and scrape every browned bit from the base; stir in the broth. Nestle the chicken in one layer, skin-side up. Spoon the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste over the chicken without stirring them into the thin liquid, then add the bay leaf. Keep everything below the model's maximum-fill line.
4. Pressure cook and releaseLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes; allow about 12 minutes to pressurize. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release the rest with hands and face away from steam. Open only after the float valve drops.
5. Boil the noodlesWhile the cooker releases, boil the egg noodles in salted water according to the package until just tender. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and keep warm.
6. Verify doneness and finishCheck the thickest chicken pieces away from bone; every piece must reach at least 165°F, and dark meat is most tender around 175°F. If needed, simmer on Sauté until safe. Transfer chicken to a platter. Discard the bay leaf, skim excess fat, and simmer the sauce on Sauté for 5 minutes. Adjust salt and loosen with pasta water only if needed. Spoon noodles into bowls, add chicken and sauce, and finish with parsley; offer Parmesan and crushed pepper separately.