Satisfying and nourishing, White Chicken Chili cooks up in the Instant Pot with white beans, corns and familiar chili spices. You’ll love the flavorful chicken simmered in creamy broth with colorful veggies! Serve on its own or with all your favorite chili toppings.
Love using the Instant Pot? Be sure to give this fan favorite Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup recipe a try! All the comfort food in one bowl of soup! Or this this delicious Instant Pot Taco Chili recipe for taco tuesday!
Easy Instant Pot Chili
My love affair with the Instant Pot knows no bounds. It’s my preferred method for making countless dishes without needing to fire up the stove, from main courses to desserts.
One of my all time favorite meals for the pressure cooker though is a classic: White Chicken Chili.
The combination of juicy chicken and cream with a spicy kick is my idea of the fall or winter meal. My version of white chili always includes white beans, which get tantalizingly tender as they simmer in the broth, along with plenty of onion and garlic.
It’s a miraculous coincidence that this comfort food dinner happens to be gluten free with no added sugar or flour! I love it best topped with a dollop of sour cream, a handful of cheddar cheese and chopped jalapeno peppers.
Spicy, creamy and oh so satisfying, White Chicken Chili is ready with just a few minutes of hands-on prep time.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs also work well as an alternative.
- Great Northern Beans – Navy or cannellini eans can be substituted.
- Spices – I use a cayenne pepper, cumin, chili powder and paprika. Feel free to tweak the amounts to taste to get the level of spiciness you like.
- Heavy cream – Vital for making the chili thick and creamy, I don’t recommend any substitutes!
- Toppings – Optional topping ideas I love include fresh cilantro, avocado slices, sour cream, salsa, diced jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese.
Tips & Tricks
Leave enough time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. After adding the chicken, spices, corn, beans and broth to your Instant Pot, you’ll turn the valve to sealing and let the pot come to pressure to cook on High. It takes about 12 minutes for the pot to heat to the right temperature, so be sure to plan accordingly!
Release naturally. For best results, let the pot release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release of the remaining pressure.
Adjust spices according to taste. Want a milder chili? Use less cayenne pepper. Can’t get enough heat? Add more cayenne pepper to taste! Remember, it’s much easier to ADD spiciness to the finished chili than to take it away.
Check ingredient labels. Don’t forget to check the ingredients on all your canned or packaged products like the beans, corn and broth to make sure there are no added sugars!
Store leftover White Chicken Chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
Recipe FAQs
You’ll need a 6 quart instant pot to make this White Chicken Chili Recipe.
This chili includes corn and white beans which are not strictly keto friendly. The recipe is very low carb AND completely free of added sugars and flour, though! It’s also packed with protein and vegetables, making it a nourishing meal choice for most diets and food lifestyles.
Your leftover chili will reheat well in the microwave or on the stove top. When reheating on the stove, place it on medium and stir often to prevent sticking.
Yes, you can substitute turkey for the chicken in this recipe. Remove from the pot when it’s done cooking and shred as directed. Turkey chili is delicious!
I don’t recommend substituting skim milk to make the chicken chili recipe low fat. The fat in the heavy cream helps thicken the broth making the chili so flavorful, creamy and satisfying!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
A steaming hot bowl of White Chicken Chili is the ultimate good-for-you comfort food! Fire up your Instant Pot and you'll have a hearty protein rich meal on the table in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or tenderloins)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalk celery, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Topping Options:
- Cilantro
- Avocado- diced
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Shredded cheddar jack cheese
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Add the diced onion, celery, garlic, beans, corn, and broth into the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Add
the chicken on top and sprinkle with seasonings. - Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is on "sealing". Select high pressure for 14 minutes.
- When cook time ends allow to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes and then carefully release any remaining pressure by moving the valve on top to "venting".
- Shred the chicken and add back into the pot, add in the cream cheese, and heavy cream and mix until the cream cheese is completely melted.
- Serve soup with cilantro, avocado, sliced jalapeno peppers, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy.
Notes
- Recipe tested in 6qt Instant Pot. TIme does not include the time it takes to come to pressure, about 12 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 393Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 687mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 6gSugar: 4gProtein: 32g
A steaming hot bowl of White Chicken Chili is the ultimate good-for-you comfort food! Fire up your Instant Pot and you’ll have a hearty protein rich meal on the table in about 30 minutes! A steaming hot bowl of White Chicken Chili is the ultimate good-for-you comfort food! Fire up your Instant Pot and you’ll have a hearty protein rich meal on the table in about 30 minutes! A steaming hot bowl of White Chicken Chili is the ultimate good-for-you comfort food! Fire up your Instant Pot and you’ll have a hearty protein rich meal on the table in about 30 minutes!