WOAH! This White Chicken Chili is done in less than an hour start to finish in the Instant Pot with melt-in your mouth tender chicken. It’s one of our favorite instant pot recipes! Just stir everything together, top with cream cheese and set for 20 minutes. So EASY!!
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Instant Pot White Chicken Chili!
We love chili around here including this hearty beef chili and easy turkey chili. It’s wonderful to have quick homemade meals like this in your pocket for busy weeknights. The instant pot makes it faster than ever to enjoy a piping hot bowl of white bean chicken chili in no time!
Ingredients for White Chicken Chili:
We have made this recipe healthier over the years by using organic produce and non-bpa lined cans. You can absolutely use home-cooked beans, or your own bone broth and freshly boiled corn on the cob (if using fresh corn from the cob, use 1 cup of chicken broth instead of 1/2 to compensate for the lost liquid).
*What Size Ranch Dressing Mix Should I Use?
Various ranch mix brands come in different sizes. It should be enough to make 16 oz of dressing or dip per the package instructions.
- Hidden Valley brand ranch packets come in a more concentrated 0.4 oz packet yielding 2 cups ranch.
- Simply Organic ranch dip used here came in a 1.5 oz packet which also yields 2 cups ranch dip.
How to Use an Instant Pot:
**CAUTION: If you are new to using the pressure cooker, always read the instruction manual and safety warnings for your machine as various brands or even models might have a different process and settings for use.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee and call on your inner nerd to read through the instructions. Instant pots are fabulous tools for speedy cooking, but they have to be used properly.
How to Make White Chicken Chili:
Step 1: Combine everything in your Instant Pot and stir together
Step 2: Top with cream cheese and set on manual high pressure for 20 minutes. It will warm up, cook 20 minutes then let it naturally depressurize 10 minutes.
Step 3: Remove chicken and shred then put it back and stir everything together.
The shredded chicken absorbs the liquid and because super juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Instant pot chicken is the only way to get super tender chicken this fast!
How to Serve White Chicken Chili:
White chicken chili can be served over baked potatoes or as an appetizer with tortilla chips. Garnish with:
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Jalapeños
Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Make Over and Over:
- Chicken Bone Broth – the best way to make bone broth!
- Instant Pot Beef Plov – a flavorful one-pot rice pilaf
- Dulce De Leche – unbelievably fast in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Beets – blazing fast and so flavorful
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for White Chicken Chili:
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can white beans, drained
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 15 oz can corn with juice
- 10 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis , (with their juice)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 0.4 oz packet ranch dip or dressing mix*
- 8 oz package cream cheese, cut into 6 pieces
Optional Toppings and Serving Suggestions:
- 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro, for garnish
- 1 avocado, diced, for garnish
- Tortilla chips or baked potatoes to serve
Instructions
- Place all of your ingredients into your instant pot bowl in the following order: 2 chicken breasts, drained black and white beans, chopped onion, corn with juice, tomatoes with juice, and 1/2 cup chicken broth.
- Add 1/2 to 1 tsp chili powder (use 1/2 tsp to make it kid friendly), 1 tsp cumin, ranch packet. Stir everything to combine, getting some of the juice under the chicken to keep it from scorching.
- Cut cream cheese into 6 pieces and place over the top of chili. Cover and seal with lid, switch the valve to the "sealing" position and cook for 20 min on manual high pressure. Once it is done cooking, let it naturally depressurize for 10 min then switch the valve to the "venting" position to completely release steam before opening lid.**
- Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and shred apart with 2 forks. Stir everything together in the pot to melt the cream cheese into the chili then return the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Serve garnished with avocado and cilantro if desired.
Notes
**CAUTION: If you are new to using a pressure cooker, always read your instruction manual prior to use.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Q: What is YOUR favorite way to use an Instant Pot? If you were to name 1 recipe that makes owning an instant pot worthwhile, what would it be?
One of my faves! Having a baby later this year and wondering how I can make this a freezer meal. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Stacey! I’m so happy you’re enjoying this recipe!
This recipe is outstanding!!! It will he added to my rotation immediately. My only adjustments were: thighs vs breast, added 2 green bell peppers and 1 jalapeño, a punch of cayenne and a 1 tablespoon corn starch slurry at the end to thicken it up. I think the ranch packet and cream cheese really bring this recipe home.
Hello Vera, that is so awesome to hear! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe and sharing your experience with us. We appreciate it.
I have made this several times to great reviews and shared this recipe. It freezes well.
THat’s just awesome! Thank you for that wonderful review Bruce!
Hello Miss Go To IP Chef! I am critical of all food tasted and especially that I serve. I am overwhelmed by requests for this recipe and am going to double it for friends and a visit. This is a great quick item to freeze.
So wonderful to hear that your friends enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your great review.
I have made this about 10x and I love it! Can you freeze it and also if I wanted say half the chicken and more beans do you think that would work? Thanks for your wonderful recipes. Favorites are chicken chili, beef stroganoff and trea leches cake! Keep the recipes coming please!
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tested that with more beans than chicken but it may work! If you happen to experiment please let me know how you like that.
My goodness this was absolutely delicious and so easy to make! My Family complimented me over and over on this meal! Their only complaint is I should’ve doubled up on the ingredients!
So great to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Love it and thanks for sharing that with us.
Hi Natasha, I don’t have instant pot. Do you think it will work if I put everything on the med heat? How long it will take? Should I used cooked chicken instead? Thanks
Hi Fatin, we have this same chicken chili in a slow cooker.
I don’t have a pot or any slow cooker. Could put all together on the low heat?
Hi Fatin, I haven’t tried it on the stovetop but I think you could make it work over low heat – get it to a simmer then cover and cook until the chicken is pull-apart tender. It should be close to the timing of the slow cooker – maybe a little faster since it may come to a simmer quicker.
I need to make this for a family of 6, should I double the recipe?
I haven’t tried doubling in a 6 qt. A reader reported doubling in an 8qt, but no one in a 6qt. You could also make the slow cooker version of this and easily double it. Here is the video tutorial for the slow cooker version. It would need a longer cooking time so cook until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork.
Vegetarian hack: replace the chicken with 2 cans of drained garbanzo beans and cook for 7 mins. It came out perfectly!
We loved the original version last year, but have since cut out meat. Glad we can still eat this!
That is very useful info, Ashley. Thanks for sharing that with us!
I made this again for dinner last night and it was delish! With only two of us there are 6 portions left in the fridge. Tonight is leftovers night, and as we were surveying our dinner options I said, “Well, we have plenty of chili!” and my husband said, “That’s not a problem. I could eat that stuff two meals a day until it’s gone!” But really he can’t, because I’m certainly not going to let him have it all to himself. Thanks for a family favorite!
Aww that’s the best Saralyn! I’m so glad you found a family favorite!
Thank you so much for doing the job here, everyone will surely like your post.
Best regards,
Mead Cannon
You are so welcome!
I’ve made this recipe a few times, followed exactly, and it really is delicious! Everyone loved it, I had no probs getting rid of leftovers. Thank you!
You’re welcome and so glad to hear that everyone loved this dish!
More liquid than I expected when I opened the instant pot, but that’s the closest I have to a complaint here. Excellent flavor in this recipe, I really like what the cream cheese adds. Great work!
Thanks for your good feedback, Kevin!
I really enjoyed making and eating this recipe. Super easy and delicious. I subbed chicken thighs because I had some thawed with no plans and it turned out fine. My only complaint is that the beans turned out a bit mushier than I like. Could I avoid this by skipping the natural release or would the chicken not cook?
Hi Amanda, I haven’t had that experience with mushy beans, I’m curious if it was the type of beans. That may help it but without testing it I cannot advise.
Another hit! I doubled the chicken- this recipe is a keeper. Thank you, Natasha!
You’re welcome, Farah. Thank you so much for your good feedback.
Huge Family Favorite!
Easy, quick and delicious. I always double the recipe and it is gone in two days.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review David!
LOVE this recipe! My husband loved it so much he suggested adding some flour to thicken the sauce and turning it into a pot pie. Think I’ll try that at some point! Is the serving size 1 cup?
That’s so awesome! Servings sizes for recipes like this are usually 1 to 1.5 cups
Okay I am trying this tonight .I am using fully cooked chicken strips and sour cream instead of cream cheese. Has anyone else done this .Hope it is okay
Hi Patricia, I looked through the comments I haven’t seen anyone use that in place of cream cheese. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
This recipe is awesome! I was wondering though, if I add extra chicken would I need to also add more liquid?
Hi Sierra, adding more chicken will make this recipe thicker. If it is too much chicken then you may need to add more of the other ingredients.
I have made this several times and it always comes out perfectly delicious. It is definitely a favorite in my rotation of meals. I have even used frozen chicken when I forgot to take it out of the freezer and it was still delicious. Thank YOU!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Amy!
Made this tonight and it was so EASY and soooooo GOOD. I have made quite a few different white chicken chili recipes, and I definitely recommend this one.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Can I make this in a slow cooker? How long would it take in the slow cooker on high?
Hi Jessica, you could also make the slow cooker version of this. Here is the video tutorial for the slow cooker version. It would need a longer cooking time so cook until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork.