This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is an outrageously delicious dinner made in one hour with only ten minutes of prep. Pantry ingredients, creamy and just WOW your family white bean chicken chili recipe.
Instant Pot chicken and rice, Instant Pot Parmesan chicken pasta and Instant Pot rice and beans are other family crowd pleasers around here.
Table of contents
Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Chili
If I had to pick one soup to make year round, it would be this Instant Pot white chicken chili. There is literally a lineup with bowls as soon as chicken is shredded and cream cheese has melted.
This chili is a version of my healthy white chicken chili. It is creamy without too much fat, with hearty cannellini beans, tangy and perfectly spiced for kids and adults. Then topped with diced avocado, lots of cilantro, green onion and tortilla chips. One of the easiest healthy dinner ideas for family!
Chicken chili is a nice change to a turkey chili and is one of the most popular healthy Instant Pot recipes on iFOODreal. Love chicken? Make sure to browse these 20 Instant Pot chicken recipes.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Dump and go – This white bean chicken chili requires no sauteing.
- Hands off cooking method – Just dump and go. You can even let pressure release on its own while you are out for hours.
- A crowd pleaser – Absolutely everyone loves a hot bowl of this white creamy and hearty chili. Especially, kids love to add their own toppings. You can also double the recipe in large Instant Pot.
- Highly versatile and customizable – Make it less or more spicy for your crew, add more cream cheese if that’s your jazz, and make Instant Pot chicken chili with canned or dried beans. Not to mention all ingredients are very forgiving.
Ingredients for White Bean Chicken Chili
- Chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- White beans: Use “low sodium” or “no salt added” canned beans like cannellini, navy or great Northern beans. I use any in recipes like white bean salad calling for white beans.
- Corn: Fresh or leftover cooked (cut off the cob), frozen (no need to thaw), or canned (drained) corn works.
- Veggies and fruit: Onion (white, yellow or even red), fresh cilantro and lime (lemon).
- Broth: Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth. I like to use organic bouillon cubes or paste diluted in water.
- Diced green chiles: In a 4 oz can found in Mexican food aisle/shelf.
- Spices: Chili powder (low sodium), garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper.
- Dairy: Greek (regular) yogurt and cream cheese.
How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Prep: Add meat, veggies and spices to Instant Pot. We will make chili creamy and add fresh herbs after it is cooked.
Dairy scorches under pressure, that’s why we don’t add it before.
- Cook: Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes and allow 10 minutes natural release. Then turn valve to Venting.
If you vent right away, stew will splatter all over your counters.
- Season: Shred chicken, I like to do so right in Instant Pot with 2 forks. Then add yogurt, cream cheese and herbs. You can use all yogurt, cream cheese or heavy cream. I like my proportions for balance of health and creaminess.
Top Tips
- For 3 Quart Instant Pot: Cut ingredients in half and keep same cook time.
- To double the recipe: Yes, you can do so only in 8 quart or 10 quart Instant Pot. Make sure all ingredients do not exceed 2/3 max line before cooking. Cook time remains the same.
- Don’t add dairy before cooking: Dairy separates under pressure, so make sure to add it after.
- If your beans and/or broth are not low sodium: Add less salt or no salt at all, then adjust seasonings to taste after cooking.
Variations and Optional Add-Ins
- Making chili with dried beans: Use 1 cup rinsed (but unsoaked) dried white beans with 2 cups of stock (total not extra), and cook chili for 35 minutes.
- Frozen chicken breasts: Just like with Instant Pot frozen chicken, you can add breasts right in, no need to thaw but make sure they are separated. Same cook time.
- Leftover chicken: If you have leftover cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken, or maybe breasts from cooking whole chicken, or even better chili lime chicken, add them whole or shredded before cooking. This will allow for more flavors to develop.
- Bone-in chicken: Like drumsticks, thighs or breasts can be used. Keep same cook time as listed in the recipe.
- Using ground chicken: You have 2 options. Either saute it breaking into small pieces before cooking the chili. Or just add entire block of ground chicken on top of all ingredients, cook and then break into small pieces (lazy way!).
Frozen ground meat: You can also add a blob of frozen ground chicken or turkey on top and it will cook. Just note, pressure cooker will take a bit longer to pressurize. I have done it many times when I forget to thaw the meat.
- Make dairy free by omitting dairy and pureeing 1 cup of beans (no need for extra beans – remove 1 cup from the pot) with a bit of chili liquid. Add it back in and here is your dairy free creamy white bean chicken chili naturally.
- No diced green chiles? Mince a whole jalapeno, leave seeds in for spiciness or remove for more mild version. Or add 1/4 cup of salsa verde instead.
What to Serve White Chicken Chili with?
Our favorite easy toppings for healthy chili recipes are diced avocado and jalapeno, tortilla chips and more of cilantro, green onion and yogurt to taste. Also shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija (feta) would be great.
You can also ladle it over rice for a one-bowl meal or serve with freshly warmed up tortillas.
On game day, serve this chili with air fried wings and 7 layer dip.
FAQs
To make this Instant Pot chicken chili keto you can omit beans, corn and add extra veggies like one diced green bell pepper. And probably add about 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream to add some fats.
This white bean chicken chili is healthier than its traditional versions. It is creamy without too much fat from heavy whipping cream and lots of cream cheese most other recipes use. Lower in sodium by using low sodium beans and broth. Then loaded with high in protein and fiber cannellini beans. And toppings themselves add more health: like avocado adds healthy fats and cilantro actually cleanses your blood.
This Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe is very unlikely to cause Burn. A few reasons could be:
1. You must have left the pressure release valve on Venting and liquid has evaporated. Make sure to put it to Sealing, so your electric pressure cooker can come to pressure.
2. The sealing ring inside the lid might need replacement. It is made out of silicone and stretches with time, thus causing Instant Pot not being able to come to pressure.
Storing, Reheating and Making This Recipe in Advance
Storing: Chili refrigerates well in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or if you have room in the fridge, right in inner pot with fitting silicone lid. I always do that with large quantities of soup and stew like Instant Pot chicken and rice soup or Instant Pot goulash.
Freezing: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Freezer meal: Add all ingredients (minus the broth) to a gallon Ziploc bag, let out as much air as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen with broth as per recipe. Amazing!
Check out my full list of 20 healthy frozen dinners. I’m obsessed!
Reheating: Reheat in a small pot desired amount by simmering on low and stirring every few minutes until warmed through.
Make ahead: You can prep all ingredients and refrigerate in an inner pot or container for up to 2 days, then cook as per recipe.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot turkey chili
- Instant Pot beef chili
- Instant Pot beef stew
- Instant Pot mac and cheese
- Instant Pot zuppa toscana
Need more help with dinner? Check out iFOODreal Instant Pot meal plans.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 x 15 oz cans cannellini white or great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 lb 2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- Small bunch of cilantro finely chopped
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt fat 2%+ (or sour cream)
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 lime juice of
- Tortilla chips avocado, more yogurt, limes, for serving
Instructions
- In 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add onion, beans, corn, broth, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lay chicken on top. No need to stir. Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 20 minutes.
- After allow pressure to come down naturally for 10 minutes and release remaining pressure using Quick Release by turning pressure valve to Venting position, which takes 2 minutes.
- Open the lid, remove chicken and shred with 2 forks.
- Return chicken to the pot along with cilantro, 1/2 cup yogurt, cream cheese and lime juice. Stir well.
- Serve hot with your favourite toppings like tortilla chips, diced jalapenos and avocado, more yogurt or sour cream, hot sauce etc.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on a stovetop covered while simmering on low.
Make ahead: Combine and refrigerate ingredients right in inner pot of Instant Pot covered for up to 2 days. Or in a large container if don't have much room in the fridge. Also can add chicken right before cooking. Then follow the recipe.
Freezer meal: Add all ingredients from step 1 (minus the broth) to a gallon Ziploc bag, let out as much air as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen + broth as per recipe.
Video
Notes
- Dried beans: Use 1 cup dried and rinsed white beans with 2 cups of stock and cook chili for 35 minutes.
- Frozen chicken breasts: You can add them right in, no need to thaw but make sure they are separated. Same cook time.
- For 3 Quart Instant Pot: Cut ingredients in half and keep same cook time.
- Make dairy free by omitting dairy and pureeing 1 cup of beans with a bit of chili liquid. add it back and chili will be naturally creamy.
- No diced green chiles? Mince a whole jalapeno, leave seeds in for spiciness or remove for more mild version.
- Don’t add dairy before cooking: Dairy separates under pressure, so make sure to add it after.
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes without permission. Nutritional info is approximate.
This was my winter go-to meal! And it is now 80 something degrees out and I still want it.
So easy and inexpensive yet ridiculously delicious! I love it, thanks so much!
I am so happy to hear this!
How much broth should I use? Couldn’t find this info in the recipe.
1 cup. It is in the recipe card below above the comments. Hope you enjoy!
My family loved this meal. Any recommendations if wanting to add a third can of beans to IP? Should I adjust broth or spices? It was delicious buy my boys wanted more beans in it.
That’s awesome! Boys love this soup. so true. Just add extra can and adjust to taste after if necessary. No extra broth needed.
Great recipe, you can adjust to your own preferences easily. I used jalepeno peppers instead of green chilies.
Yum! So glad you enjoyed it!
I have made this 2 x plus added 2 cans of Rotel and its delish!!!
So glad you are enjoying it!
I love this recipe! Very easy and I only have to wash one pot! Thank you for this fabulous recipe!
One pot dinners for the win! Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is my holy grail!!! Seriously, I can’t remember when I started making it but I fell in love and haven’t stopped cooking it yet. It’s so versatile, I can usually sub a lot of ingredients if necessary (as long as I have chicken, beans, and corn). I’ve added salsa before, sour cream, jalapeños, spinach, cheddar cheese, loads of hot sauce. Whenever I need to make a meal for a potluck or for a group of people, this is one of two recipes I pick from. I’ve even entered it in a chili contest (apparently ppl except red chili at a contest unfortunately). This meal is a crowd pleaser and will stay a staple for me, always and eternity.
So glad you are enjoying it and sharing it with others!
We love this recipe! I am adding it to our regular rotation. I made it exactly as written even though I was a little worried it would be too spicy for me (not my husband) and I’m not that fond of cilantro, but it was delicious and so easy to make! My husband and I both enjoyed it and I’m sure my grown kids and grandkids will like it, too.
I’m also grateful it’s a healthy recipe that manages to cut calories and boost nutrients while tasting great. Great trick using 2% plain Greek yogurt and cream cheese to cut calories and fat and increase protein while still tasting great and achieving the creamy white texture.
Thank you for all the notes, too. Forget to buy canned beans? I have dry in the pantry. I remembered to thaw the chicken breasts this time, but I love the fact that I can use frozen ones if I forget in the future. Love all the topping ideas, too, especially when I serve it at family gatherings. I have an 8-quart Instant Pot so I can easily double (maybe triple?) the recipe for guests.
So glad you enjoyed it Megan!
We love the white chicken Chile! It has wonderful flavor. We added fresh cilantro as well. Appreciate all your extra tips especially for reducing sodium.
Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this yesterday for dinner. It was ABSOLUTELY delicious! I can’t tolerate very spicy, so this was perfect. I only had fat free Greek yogurt, but it turned out perfect! We don’t do cilantro, so I used a bit of basil and parsley. There is enough for lunch today, yippee!!
Sounds fabulous Carol Anne, glad you enjoyed it!