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?
Oh wow!!! This is absolutely the best version of white chili we’ve ever had! I’ve tried about five different recipes and this one is the easiest, fastest and most flavorful of all. My husband and 22 yr old son loved how hearty and thick the soup was. We all decided it’s our new favorite!
Hi Lori!! That’s so great! It sounds like you definitely have a new family favorite! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
The Instant Pot White Chicken hcili is amazing! I have a question though. I need to double the recipe to make for a larger crowd. Have you ever doubled it in your instant pot or havs would you made it in a crockpot?
Hi Kim, This should work just fine in an 8 qt pot but I have not tried doubling it in a 6 qt pot. One of our readers wrote: “I doubled the recipe in my 8 qt. Instapot and the recipe worked perfectly!” I hope this helps.
So doubling the recipe doesn’t require more cook time? Really looking forward to trying the recipe!
Hi Nancy, it should not require more cook time. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha! What is the serving size on this chili? Hoping to make your recipe for a chili challenge this coming Sunday and want to make sure I make enough.
Hi Sarah! This pot makes 8 full size servings. So 1/8 of the total recipe would be the amount
What is a full size ? 1 cup?
Hi Terri, yes serving size is about 1 cup.
Hi Natasha!
I only need to make enough for 4 people. Do I half the recipe?
Hi Priya, you could cut it in half but it also reheats really well and leftovers are just as good.
Made this for dinner tonight and I was so amazed! I normally hate beans but this was so delicious! I couldn’t stop eating it! My cream cheese was pretty chunky when I opened the lid, but I just turned my pot on sauté and put my whisk to work. No cream specks at all, all blended beautifully 🙂
That’s so great, Anna! Thank you for that wonderful feedback!
I could eat this every week and not get tired of it! It’s so filling and a great way to warm up.
That’s so awesome, Sabrina! Thank you for sharing that great review with us!
So easy and delicious – we loved this white chicken chili!
I’m so happy to hear that, Courtney! Thank you for that awesome review!
This is a winter staple in my household!
I’m so happy you found a favorite, Sommer!
I just got an Instant Pot and I love white chicken chili so this was one of my first recipes to make and it was soooo good! Thanks!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Steph :).
This is a great recipe, I have made it several times, and I am going to make this week, everybody I have served it to love it.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Great recipe. I substitute one can of of coconut milk for the cream cheese and find 15 minutes under high pressure is enough if using fresh chicken breasts. If you have time soak 3/4 cup each of dry black and canellini beans for 6-8 hours. Just cook them on the bean cycle, drain them and go from there.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this chili, Lauren! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I have Frozen boneless chicken thighs. Could I sub it for the breast and any changes in cooking times?
Hi Liz, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Can frozen chicken breasts be used in this recipe? Has anyone tried it?
Hi Paydon, I have made chicken chili with frozen chicken in a slow cooker and I’m assuming it should work fine in the instant pot. If using frozen, I would probably cook on high pressure 23-25 minutes rather than just 20 minutes to give the chicken a little more time to thaw in the instant pot.
Yes, definitely, you can use frozen chicken breasts and you don’t have to add additional time. This is delicious soup and I used frozen breasts.
Terrific recipe, thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
I LOVE this Chili. Thank you. Do you know if it freezes well? Thanks.
Hi Pam! I’m so happy you enjoyed this chili! Here is what one of our readers wrote “I ate one of the containers that I froze. I simply microwaved it using the Frozen Dinner button. It was creamy and delicious. The cream cheese didn’t curdle. But, I think next time I re-heat the last container, I will add a bit of liquid to it since by the time I got to the bottom of the bowl, it was a bit dry (which isn’t unusual when re-heating foods from frozen). I will definitely freeze a batch the next time I make this.” I hope this helps.
I made this incredible tasting White Chicken Chili in my Instant Pot tonight. It was so good that I had to tell everyone I know who has an Instant Pot. I noticed some people commented on it being thin. I thought so, too, at first, when I removed the lid to shred the chicken. Particles of cream cheese were floating and the broth looked thin. I put the shredded chicken back in and set it to warm while I called my sister to ask her about thickening it. By the time I came back, the cream cheese had blended and the chili was no longer too thin. This chili is so unbelievably delicious and so easy to make. I used the Hot Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chilies so it had quite a kick, but I love it. Thank you, Natasha,for such a wonderful recipe.
Thank you for the wonderful review, Sandy! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
OMG!!!!!! I made this Chili for my school’s Souper Bowl Party and my pot was scraped clean!! It was a HIT!! Everyone wants the recipe!!! I made this in the Crock Pot Express Pot. Is there a crock pot(slow cooker) version?
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a party favorite!
Made this a couple nights ago and my husband and I loved it! The two of us finished the 8 servings in 2 nights haha. Super easy and very flavorful. Finding myself constantly coming back to your array of recipes for more ideas and inspiration to not be making the same thing constantly
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
So easy – so quick – SO delicious! I’ll be making this one again soon!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for that great review!
2 chicken breasts is not enough for my boys:) if I put 3 in a 6 quart I stapot, will it be ok?
Hi Mo, that should work! You may need a little more liquid at that point unless you prefer the chili very thick 🙂 I hope you and the boys love it!
This is the first thing I’ve ever made in my instant pot and it was delicious! Very easy to throw together. Mine did come out a with just a bit more liquid than I would like, but I just tossed in a few shakes of instant mashed potato flakes and it thickened it up just enough without changing the flavor. I’ll definitely be making this again and I’ll stick to the recipe as it is because I’d rather have a touch extra liquid than not enough! Thank you!
That’s a smart way to thicken up a sauce – I’ve never thought to use instant mashed potato flakes. Learn something new every day! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!