This easy Instant Pot White Chicken Chili becomes a family favorite with just a few chicken breasts, pantry staples and only 20 minutes of cook time!
Chicken chili is a nice change to a turkey chili. Another one we love around here is this Instant Pot buffalo chicken chili!
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If I had to pick one healthy soup recipe to make year round, it would be this Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe. 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 a family! Just dump and go and this hands off cooking dinner practically makes itself for you.
Ingredients for White Bean Chicken Chili
This chili recipe is highly versatile and customizable. Make it less or more spicy for your crew, add more cream cheese, or make Instant Pot chicken chili with canned or dried beans. Not to mention all ingredients are very forgiving.
- Chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs. You can even use separated frozen chicken breasts. Same cook time.
- White beans: Use “low sodium” or “no salt added” canned beans like cannellini, navy or great Northern beans. For dried, use 1 cup rinsed (but unsoaked) dried white beans with 2 cups of stock (total not extra), and cook chili for 35 minutes.
- Corn: Fresh, cooked, frozen (no need to thaw), or canned (drained) corn works.
- Veggies and fruit: Onion (white, yellow or even red), fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice (lemon).
- Broth: Low sodium chicken broth, chicken stock, 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 or shelf. You could use a minced jalapeno with seeds removed or salsa verde instead.
- Spices: Chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper.
- Dairy: Greek (regular) yogurt and cream cheese.
How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
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.
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes and allow 10 minutes natural release. Then turn pressure cooker valve to Venting.
If you vent right away, stew will splatter all over your counters. Shred chicken, I like to do so right in Instant Pot with 2 forks.
Step 3: 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.
What Instant Pot Should I Use?
For this recipe you can use either a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot. To double the recipe 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.
For 3 Quart Instant Pot cut ingredients in half and keep same cook time. Also make sure to browse more than 45 healthy Instant Pot recipes on our website.
How To Serve White Chicken Chili
Ladle it over rice or a potato for a one bowl meal or serve with freshly baked cornbread with almond flour.
Our favorite easy toppings for healthy chili recipes are:
- Diced avocado
- Jalapenos
- Tortilla chips
- Cilantro, green onion
- Greek yogurt, Instant Pot yogurt or sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija
FAQs
This white bean chicken chili is healthier than traditional versions. It is creamy without too much fat from heavy whipping cream and loads of cream cheese.
I recommended to use low sodium beans and broth. And you can’t forget that it is loaded with high in plant based protein and fiber cannellini beans.
Yes. You will need to saute onion with spices first then transfer to the slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except Greek yogurt, cream cheese, fresh cilantro and lime.
Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours. Shred chicken and return it to the crockpot along with cilantro, lime juice, cream cheese, and yogurt.
Saute onion with spices. Add all remaining ingredients except Greek yogurt, cream cheese, fresh cilantro and lime. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
Shred chicken and add cilantro, lime juice, cream cheese, and yogurt.
Yes, meal prep this as a freezer meal! Add all ingredients from step 1 in the recipe card (minus the broth) to a gallon Ziploc bag, let out as much air as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
Add broth and cook from frozen. Check out my full list of 20 healthy freezer meals including reader favorite buffalo chicken chili. I’m obsessed!
Yes, omit dairy and puree 1 cup of beans with a bit of chili liquid. Add it back and chili will be naturally creamy.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot turkey chili
- Instant Pot chili
- Instant Pot vegetarian chili
- Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup
- Instant Pot beef stew
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 Greek yogurt 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.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate 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. Can add chicken right before cooking.
- 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.
- 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.
This is one of my favorite winter soups! I’ve made it probably a dozen times. It’s perfect! I use chicken thighs because I can’t resist. Thank you Olena for your delicious and easy recipes! ❤️ Thinking of you and your family in Ukraine. 💙💛
Thank you Megan, glad you enjoy the chili!
Enjoyed making this as my first dish in my Instant Pot. Very flavorful and filling. Next time I will use fresh jalapenos instead of the canned ones.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I LOVE this recipe! It’s my go to cold winter night soup. It’s hard to stop eating, because it’s that delicious!
I am so happy to hear this, Kirsten!
This white chicken chili was outstanding. So easy and perfect on an early fall evening. Powdered garlic disagrees with me, so I jist minced a couple of garlic cloves instead, amd the flavor was perfect. Definitely a five, definitely a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can this be done in the crockpot?
I have crockpot instructions on this similar healthy white chicken chili recipe. Enjoy!
Seriously delicious and so easy!!
Agreed! 🙂 So glad you loved it!
I’ve made this a lot and it is always so good! And I get so many compliments that it is the best white chicken chili my friends/family have ever had. and it is so simple! Making it this week 🙂
So glad it has been a crowd pleaser! Yeah for making it again this week!