This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is creamy and hearty with just the right amount of spice! Loaded with lean chicken, white beans, green chiles and corn it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!
It’s the month we return to everything crockpot and Instant Pot, and I’m not done yet.
Both of my treasured appliances are making my life so much easier this season, since dinner time is a breeze when I plan ahead….. and when I don’t 😉
This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is one of those meals that comes together perfectly, even if you haven’t prepped any ingredients.
Literally, the only thing you’re chopping is an onion, and the rest is dump and go. (And let’s be honest, if you really wanted you could skip that onion and add in a sprinkling of onion powder).
The recipe here calls for fresh chicken breasts, but it is one that can be made just as easily with frozen chicken, breasts or thighs.
My only recommendation would be that you use skinless, boneless meat for this recipe as it won’t leave as much fat in the chili and make it greasy. It will also be a breeze to shred with no bones to retrieve.
How to prep this white chicken chili ahead:
You can actually prep the recipe entirely up to the point of cooking, in the Instant Pot inner pot, then cover and store in the fridge up to 1 day before cooking. This makes dinner time a breeze if you have been out in the afternoon!
Variations on this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili:
- Spice it up: this recipe is on the milder side of chili, but I have 3 young kids who prefer it that way. If you like a lot of spice, add an extra teaspoon of chili powder or slice up a jalapeno!
- Lighten it up: choose light cream cheese or opt to skip it.
- Make it dairy-free: you can skip the cream cheese in this chili recipe, and it will still be delicious! You don’t need to substitute anything in its place.
How to make this white chicken chili with frozen chicken breasts:
For extra tips, see my post on how to cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. In reality, as long as your chicken isn’t frozen right together, you won’t need to add a lot of extra time even if they’re rock solid.
I would add 3-4 minutes additional cook time, just to be safe.
If they are frozen together, you’ll want to try to break them apart first.
How to freeze this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili:
This chicken chili freezes perfectly, so don’t be afraid to make a big batch and save some for later!
Simply let cool to room temperature then place in a large freezer bag or container. Freeze up to 3 months.
If you’re using a freezer bag, be sure to lay it flat and squeeze the chili out into a flat layer to freeze for easy thawing.
To thaw, set in the refrigerator overnight, or place in a sink full of cool water for 20-30 minutes (super easy to do if you have used a freezer bag!).
Tips for making this White Chicken Chili in the crockpot:
This recipe can easily be made in the crockpot. Simply dump and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Shred the chicken and stir in the cream cheese as the original recipe calls to do.
Easy peasy!
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 540 ml canned white kidney beans drained & rinsed (19oz)
- 341 ml canned corn (12oz), drained
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 127 ml canned green chiles (4.3oz)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
Instructions
- Add chicken breasts to Instant Pot (I use a 6 quart smart wifi Instant Pot).
- Pour in chicken broth, beans, corn, onion, green chiles, chili powder and salt. Stir.
- Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 10 minutes. It will take 10-15 minutes to start counting down the cook time.
- Once the cook time is over, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then open the valve and remove the lid.
- With two forks, either shred the chicken right in the Instant Pot or remove to a cutting board to shred. Add chicken back into the chili.
- Cut cream cheese into very small pieces and add into the chili, Stir until melted and smooth.
- Serve with chips, avocado, lime wedges, salsa, cheese, jalapenos -- whatever your favorite toppings are!
Dawn says
Can this be made in the crockpot?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes definitely! The method will remain mostly the same, you will just cook longer (4-6 hours)
Patricia W says
It is very mild, not spicy at all.. But if you want a nice bowl of chicken soup then this is for you. I enjoyed the flavor but it wasn’t what I have came to love in a bowl of white chicken chili. Needs more spice (maybe some cumin, cayenne pepper) and maybe a jalapeno.
Ashley Fehr says
Spice is easy to add! I would rather start mild and go up.
Julie Foster says
I am still pretty new to the instant pot but the success of this recipe–and the complete deliciousness!!–has given me confidence. I will definitely make this again! And I’ll be checking your website for more good recipes!
I wasn’t sure about the pressure–low v. high–so I ended up using the chili/beans button on my instant pot and it worked perfectly. Delicious shredded chicken and creamy flavorful sauce.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Julie! And sorry about the confusion! All recipes are high pressure unless otherwise specified.
SCOTT MOUNTS says
I tried a variation you may want to try. Instead of chili powder I used one of cayenne and one of chipotle followed by just a dash of cumin.
I also used 1/2 of the cream cheese called for and substituted sour cream. Takes a little longer for sour cream to blend in but felt it worked well.
Next time going to try either rice as noted above or egg noodles. Just used corn bread this time.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing your tips!
Kaitlin Miller says
What would the cook time be if you are using frozen chicken breast?
Ashley Fehr says
There are tips for using frozen chicken breasts in the post above, but I generally add 3-4 minutes.
Cindy says
thanks for this recipe. I’m going to make it this weekend on rice!
Ashley Fehr says
I hope you enjoy it!
Kelly says
We just introduced white chicken chili to my kids and they love it! And the IP makes cooking so much faster and easier!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! It’s a fun twist on chili!
Regina says
I did not find white navy beans can I substitute for great northern beans or something? And can I cook the chicken first and shred it then put everything in if so how would I need to do that? I’m brand new to instant pot!😁
Ashley Fehr says
You can definitely substitute the beans for another! You can cook the chicken first but it’s not necessary. You’d probably want to reduce the cook time if you are starting with cooked chicken.
Nancy says
Can I make this in my mini pot? Thank you
Ashley Fehr says
As long as it’s not over the max line it won’t be a problem!
Patti Walsh says
I have made white chicken chili before and love it. Usually on the stove. I want to do it in the instant pot. I will have to use dried beans. I cant eat much over a 3 or 4% per serving. 33% would be a trip to the hospital! I did kidney beans in the instant pot and they were perfect.
Ashley Fehr says
You will definitely have to tweak it to use dried beans but I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Kelsey says
If you are cooking this just with a pot on the stove instead of an instant pot how long would you let it cook for?
Ashley Fehr says
I would let it simmer for maybe 15 minutes, until the chicken breasts are easily shreddable 🙂