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Make a delicious and rich Instant Pot white chicken chili in less than 30 minutes with this recipe! This white bean chicken chili is a great dump-and-go recipe. Loaded with flavor, it’s a hearty and comforting meal after a busy day.
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When the days start to get a bit cooler, I always turn to a great chili to warm me up. Rather than my traditional chili recipe, I decided to mix things up with this delicious and creamy white chicken chili.
Making this white bean chicken chili recipe in the Instant Pot means that I can quickly make this after a busy day and have something warming and comforting without spending hours stirring pots on the stovetop.
If you are after some more quick and comforting recipes, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Goulash, Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, and Instant Pot Beef Stew.
Why You Will Love This Recipe!
- Effortless and Quick: The Instant Pot makes this chili come together swiftly with minimal hands-on time—ideal for busy days.
- Creamy and Flavorful: Tender chicken, white beans, and cream cheese create a rich, satisfying dish, while spices and lime juice add a burst of flavor.
- One-Pot Wonder: Cooked all in one pot, this recipe minimizes prep and cleanup, letting you enjoy your meal with ease.
- Freezer-Friendly: Easily freeze individual portions for convenient meal prep. Store in airtight containers or freezer bags for a quick, homemade meal anytime.
Key Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Chili
To make this easy white chicken chili in the instant pot, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chicken breasts: Use skinless and boneless breasts for this recipe, organic if you are able. You can also use skinless and boneless chicken thighs.
- White beans: Also known as cannellini, white kidney beans, or Great Northern beans.
- Diced green chilis: I used canned green chiles. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you like things.
- Corn: I prefer to use thawed frozen corn, but you can use fresh or canned.
- Onion and garlic: For a great base flavor.
- Chicken broth: You can also use vegetable broth if you have that instead.
- Cream cheese: I use full-fat cream cheese as it’s much richer, but you can use low fat if you prefer. It adds creaminess to the chili.
- Lime juice: Use fresh, rather than bottled lime juice. This adds freshness and the acidity cuts through the creaminess. Don’t skip this, it adds so much flavor.
- Cilantro leaves: To add freshness. You can use parsley if you don’t like cilantro.
- Seasonings: Cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper add lots of flavor.
For a full ingredients list with measurements, check the recipe card below.
How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Sauté the Aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function and heat the oil. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Ingredients: Place the chicken breasts, white beans, diced green chilis, spices, and chicken stock into the Instant Pot. Stir everything together to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid and turn the vent to the “Sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to “High Pressure” and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Once done, carefully perform a quick pressure release and open the lid.
- Incorporate the Cream Cheese: In a small bowl, combine some liquid from the soup with the sliced cream cheese. Stir until the mixture is smooth, then pour it back into the pot and stir well.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then return the shredded chicken to the soup and stir to combine.
- Finish and Serve: Add the corn and the juice of 2 limes to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve the chili warm, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves if desired.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Don’t cook the cream cheese with the chicken chili because dairy tends to curdle when cooked under pressure. It’s best to add it at the end and let it melt in the hot soup.
- To make dairy-free you can leave out the cream cheese, it’s still delicious! To make the chicken chili more creamy, you can add a little bit of coconut milk from a can.
- This chili is big on flavor but mild in the heat department. If you prefer more spice, you can add extra green chilies or a bit of cayenne, chili powder, or hot sauce.
- You can make this Instant Pot white chicken chili with both fresh or frozen chicken breasts, increase the cooking time only by 3 minutes.
- Because this chili contains chicken, take care to only reheat it once.
Serving Suggestions
This pressure cooker white chicken chili is perfect to serve by itself in a bowl, but I also like to add additional toppings to it and serve with some Jasmine rice recipe, cornbread, or cornbread muffins for a fuller meal. Try topping it with some of my favorite toppings below.
Favorite Toppings for White Chicken Chili
This chili is great on its own but you can also add some toppings if you like. Here are some of my favorite go-to toppings for white chicken chili:
- Avocado crema
- Homemade Guacamole or diced avocado
- Lime juice
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced jalapenos
- Lime wedges
- Chopped cilantro
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Let the white chicken chili cool to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep well for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated on the stovetop.
Freeze: Transfer the cooled chili to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Frozen white bean chicken chili will keep well for up to 3 to 4 months. Thaw the chili in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen chicken for Instant Pot White Chicken Chili! One of the great things about the Instant Pot is that it can cook frozen chicken safely and quickly. Simply add the frozen chicken directly to the pot with the other ingredients, and increase the cooking time by 3 minutes. The result will be tender, flavorful chicken, just like if you used fresh.
Yes, you can make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili in a slow cooker! Simply follow the same steps for prepping the ingredients, but instead of using the Instant Pot, place everything in the crockpot. Cook on low for 4 – 6 hours or on high for 2 – 3 hours until the chicken is tender and the flavors have melded together. Shred the chicken before serving, add the cream cheese to the slow cooker, and let it melt. You’ll have a delicious, slow-cooked white chicken chili!
Yes, you can make this creamy White Chicken Chili on the stovetop! Simply sauté the onions, garlic, and spices in a large pot, then add the chicken, beans, broth, and other ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors meld together. Shred the chicken, return it to the pot with the cream cheese, and stir everything well before serving.
Chili is such a great dish for meal prep and freezer meals and this is a great recipe to take the stress out of weeknight dinners. This Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe is no different. You can make everything ahead of time and add it to the inner pot of the pressure cooker, cover it and store it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Ribs
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Instant pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
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Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts
- 2 cans white Great Northern or Cannellini beans, drained
- 4.5 oz can diced green chilis
- 2 Tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 8 oz package cream cheese, cut into 6 pieces
- ½ lime, juiced
- 1 cup cooked corn
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped (1 Tbsp)
Instructions
- Sauté the Aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to the "Sauté" function and heat the oil. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Ingredients: Place the chicken breasts, white beans, diced green chilis, spices, and chicken stock into the Instant Pot. Stir everything together to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid and turn the vent to the "Sealing" position. Set the Instant Pot to "High Pressure" and cook for 10 minutes. Once done, carefully perform a quick pressure release and open the lid.
- Incorporate the Cream Cheese: In a small bowl, combine some liquid from the soup with the sliced cream cheese. Stir until the mixture is smooth, then pour it back into the pot and stir well.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then return it to the soup and stir to combine.
- Finish and Serve: Add the corn and the juice of 2 limes to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve the chili warm, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves if desired.
Video
Notes
- Don’t cook the cream cheese with the chicken chili because dairy tends to curdle when cooked under pressure. It’s best to add it at the end and let it melt in the hot soup.
- To make dairy-free you can leave out the cream cheese, it’s still delicious!
- This chili is big on flavor but mild in the heat department. If you prefer more spice, you can add extra green chilies or a bit of cayenne, chili powder, or hot sauce.
- You can make this Instant Pot white chicken chili with both fresh or frozen chicken breasts, increase the cooking time only by 3 minutes.
- Because this chili contains chicken, take care to only reheat it once.
- You can make it in the slow cooker by cooking it for about 6 hours on low or about 3 hours on high. Once you shred the chicken, cook it for an additional 30 minutes on high to get it nice and thick.
- Refrigerate for 3 – 4 days or freeze when cooled for about 3 – 4 months.
I would like to make in the slow cooker with ground chicken. Should I make any adjustments or do you not recommend this method?
You would need to adjust the cooking time of course. Probably, cook it on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 6-7 hours.
Can this be made with groind chicken?
Probably, it can, but I haven’t tried it. The texture won’t be the same though. I would also make sure to saute and break up the ground chicken in the Instant Pot before you pressure cook it.
I love chili on a cold winter day and this looks so hearty and warming. I’ve never tried adding cream cheese to my chili, I’ll have to give this a try.
I love all the flavors and creaminess going on here especially the flavor of lime I am going to try this over the weekend
I could seriously eat stews and chilies every day of my life without ever getting bored White Chili is my favorite for sweater season – with lots of cilantro!
White chicken chili is one of my all time favorite comfort food recipes! Love that you’ve made it in the IP 🙂
I’m always looking for new Instant Pot recipes and this one has become one of my favorites! Perfect for the colder weather.
Just a heads up, the recipe doesn’t mention when to add the beans.
thanks for letting me know, just updated it. You add the beans when you add the chicken breasts.