A Budget-Friendly Family Dinner That Practically Cooks Itself!

If your family loves pasta, I’ve got an easy weeknight dinner idea that checks all the boxes. It’s budget-friendly, made with simple ingredients, and cooks all in one pot in the Deluxe Multi-Cooker.

Today I’m making a simple Chicken Parmesan Pasta with tender chicken, pasta, marinara sauce, and just enough cheese to make it feel comforting and satisfying. The best part? There’s very little babysitting involved. Once everything is in the pot, the Multi-Cooker does the work for you.

This is exactly the kind of recipe I reach for on busy weeknights when I need dinner on the table without a lot of fuss.

Let’s make it!

What You’ll Need

• 1½ pounds chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• Water
• 8 oz pasta (gluten-free or regular)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional mozzarella cheese for topping

That’s it! Simple pantry ingredients and very little prep.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Brown the chicken.

Set your Deluxe Multi-Cooker to the Sear setting.

Add:

• Avocado oil
• Chicken pieces
• Italian seasoning

Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until the chicken begins to brown.

Important: You’re not trying to cook the chicken all the way through. You’re simply creating a little browning and flavor on the outside.

Once lightly browned, remove the chicken and set aside.

Why We Brown First

As the chicken browns, you’ll notice brown bits developing on the bottom of the pot.

That’s called fond, and it’s flavor gold!

Just like cooking in stainless steel cookware, those browned bits create an extra layer of flavor for the finished dish.

2. Add the pasta sauce.

Pour the marinara sauce directly into the hot pot.

The acidity of the tomatoes helps loosen all that flavorful fond from the bottom of the cooker.

One little trick I love:

After adding the sauce, pour the required water directly into the empty sauce jar, put the lid on, shake it, and pour it into the cooker.

You get every last bit of sauce and a perfectly clean jar ready for recycling.

3. Add the pasta.

Measure:

• 8 ounces pasta

This step is important.

When cooking pasta in the Multi-Cooker, the pasta-to-liquid ratio matters. Too much pasta and the sauce will be dry. Too little pasta and you’ll end up with something closer to soup.

I always recommend weighing the pasta for the best results.

Stir the pasta into the sauce mixture until it’s fully coated.

If you’re using gluten-free pasta, you may need a little extra water depending on the variety.

Julie’s Tip

Coating the pasta with sauce before pressure cooking helps prevent clumping, especially when using gluten-free pasta.

4. Add the chicken.

Return the browned chicken to the pot.

Simply spread it across the top.

One thing I love about this recipe is how flexible it is. You can use:

• Regular pasta
• Gluten-free pasta
• Different pasta shapes

Whatever works best for your family.

5. Pressure cook.

Press Cancel to turn off the Sear setting.

Select:

• Custom
• 5 minutes

Secure the lid and press and hold to start.

That’s it!

Once the cooker comes to pressure, it only takes five minutes to finish cooking.

6. Perform a manual release.

When the cooking cycle ends, manually release the pressure.

This is especially important when cooking pasta.

A natural release can overcook the pasta and leave you with a mushier texture than you want.

After releasing the pressure, let the pasta sit for a few minutes.

The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests.

7. Add the cheese.

If you need a dairy-free portion, remove that serving first.

Then stir in:

• ½ cup Parmesan cheese

The Parmesan melts into the sauce and gives it that classic Chicken Parmesan flavor.

For an extra touch, sprinkle a little mozzarella over the top and let the residual heat melt it.

Keeping Dinner Warm

One thing I love when dinner isn’t quite ready to serve is transferring it to an insulated serving bowl.

The insulated bowls can keep food warm for hours when properly preheated with hot water.

It’s a great solution for:

• Family gatherings
• Potlucks
• Busy evenings
• Delayed dinner times

Why I Love This Recipe

✓ Budget-friendly ingredients

✓ One-pot meal

✓ Family-friendly

✓ Minimal cleanup

✓ Great for busy weeknights

✓ Easy to customize

✓ Ready in minutes

This is one of those recipes that proves dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. Simple ingredients, simple steps, and a meal that the whole family will happily eat.

Want to learn more about what the Deluxe Multi-Cooker can do? Check it out and see why it’s one of my favorite kitchen tools!

Have a favorite pasta shape your family loves? I’d love to hear what you’d use in this recipe!