In a medium mixing bowl, combine your cubed chicken with the Italian seasoning, kosher salt, paprika, chili flakes, and black pepper. Toss everything together until each piece is evenly coated. This step is crucial because seasoning the protein before cooking distributes flavor throughout, not just on the surface. Set the bowl aside. This isn't laziness—this is giving the seasonings time to begin adhering to the chicken. You're teaching the salt to start breaking down the muscle fibers, which helps lock in moisture.

Turn your Instant Pot to sauté mode on high heat. Once it displays "hot," add the unsalted butter and let it melt completely—this takes about 30 seconds. You're waiting for the butter to stop foaming, which signals the water has evaporated and the fat is now ready to brown things. Add your minced shallot and sauté for approximately 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the shallot to soften and become fragrant, but not brown—this is about sweetness, not caramelization. Next, add your pressed or minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This brief window teaches you timing—garlic burns quickly, and burnt garlic tastes bitter and harsh. You're looking for the moment when the garlic becomes fragrant but still pale. Trust your nose here. That aroma is your signal.

Add the reserved oil from your sun-dried tomato jar to the pot, then add all the seasoned chicken pieces. This is where the Maillard reaction begins—don't stir constantly. Let the chicken sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes so the bottom surface can brown. Then stir and let it brown on another side for another 2 to 3 minutes. You're aiming for light golden browning on multiple sides, not a full sear. The chicken won't cook through—that happens under pressure—but those brown bits are pure flavor gold. Total browning time is about 5 minutes. The brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot aren't burnt—they're called fond, and they're liquid gold in cooking. We're going to dissolve them in the next step, which adds incredible depth to your sauce.

Press the cancel button to turn off the sauté function. Pour in your 5 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot, loosening all those caramelized bits. This is deglazing—you're dissolving concentrated flavor into the liquid, which then becomes the base of your sauce. This is a technique used in restaurants everywhere, and now you're using it at home. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir gently. The tomatoes will hydrate during cooking and release their bright, tangy flavor into the broth.

Sprinkle the mezzi rigatoni over the top of the liquid, but do not stir. Press the pasta gently so most of it is submerged, but don't combine it with the other ingredients. Stirring at this point can create a starchy paste instead of individual, separated pasta. The pasta will cook evenly under pressure without stirring, and you'll understand why once you taste the perfect al dente texture.

Place the lid on your Instant Pot, making absolutely sure the pressure valve is set to sealing (not venting). Set the cooker to high pressure for 5 minutes—this is the magic timing. Not longer. At 5 minutes, the pasta will be tender but not mushy, and the chicken will be cooked through but still moist. Once the Instant Pot beeps (usually after 10-15 minutes of preheating and cooking), perform the quick release function. This means carefully moving the pressure release valve to venting. Steam will rush out—stand back and let it escape. Once you see the pin drop and stay down, it's safe to open the lid.

Now comes the technique that makes this "marry me" good. Add the heaping cup of finely shredded Parmesan cheese, the softened cream cheese, the chopped spinach, and the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir everything together thoroughly, making sure the cream cheese fully incorporates. You're creating an emulsion—a suspension of fat and water that clings to the pasta. The lemon juice's acidity helps this process, preventing the sauce from breaking. Here's the secret most people miss: the sauce will look watery and thin at first. This is normal. Replace the lid without locking it and let the pot sit for 3 to 5 minutes. During this resting time, the pasta absorbs the remaining liquid and the sauce thickens beautifully. You're teaching yourself patience—and the payoff is worth it.

Give the pasta a final stir and taste it. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed—tasting is how professionals cook. Garnish with fresh basil, additional chili flakes for heat, and more Parmesan if you love cheese (and who doesn't?). At this point, you've successfully mastered a technique that will serve you for the rest of your cooking life.