Ready in just minutes, this easy Instant Pot white chicken chili is a delicious comfort meal perfect for any night of the week. Hearty chunks of chicken, white beans, corn, and tomatoes make this a flavorful soup that the whole family can enjoy.
We love this white bean chicken chili Instant Pot recipe because it’s so simple and minimal in ingredients and steps. Made in just one pot (your Instant Pot) we don’t need to hover over a stove or dirty up too many dishes in the process.
Pressure Cooker White Chicken Chili
Enjoy a delicious and cozy piping hot bowl of Instant Pot chicken white bean chili that’s topped with your favorite toppings. This recipe comes together in under an hour from start to finish, and that includes the time needed to come up to pressure and release the pressure too.
Ingredients you’ll need for Instant Pot White Chicken Chili:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Chicken broth
- Frozen corn
- White cannellini beans
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chicken breasts
- Chili tomatoes
- Cream cheese
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Set your Instant Pot to saute mode and add in the oil, onions, and garlic. Cook while stirring frequently until the onions start to soften. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth, corn, white kidney beans, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Place the chicken breasts on top of the liquid and then add the canned tomatoes on top. DO NOT STIR.
This the lid on the Instant Pot on and make sure that the vent is in the “sealed” position. Set to High pressure for 15 minutes.
After the time has elapsed, allow the Instant Pot to naturally pressure release for 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a plate. Shred apart and then set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together a small amount of the hot chili liquid with the cream cheese and stir together until smooth.
Add it to the pot along with the shredded chicken. Stir to combine.
Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Suggested Toppings for White Chicken Chili
This chili would be great with any of these delicious toppings so go ahead and give them a try!
- Avocado
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Tortilla chips or corn chips
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Jalapenos
Recipe Tips
- You can add the cream cheese directly into the Instant Pot, but mixing it together with liquid in a separate bowl helps you to get a much smoother consistency.
- The cooking time on the recipe card includes the time needed to reach pressure and the natural pressure release.
- This chili is not spicy, making it very kid-friendly, but you can add in some cayenne pepper or additional chili powder if you would like it to have a stronger kick to it.
- It’s very important to not stir the tomatoes into the pot because if you do, there will be a burn notice that appears on your Instant Pot and that will hinder the cooking process.
How to Cook Dried Beans For Chili
If you want to make your own beans for this chili using dried beans, you will need to cook them in advance.
- You can do this by rinsing one cup of white beans and then adding them to the Instant Pot with 4 cups of water.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes before opening the lid.
- Drain the liquid and reserve the beans for the chili, you will need 3 cups of cooked beans.
How to Make Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili With Frozen Chicken Breasts
If your chicken breasts are frozen but not stuck together, then go ahead and cook them as you would cook the fresh chicken breasts.
If your chicken breasts are stuck together, add an additional 3-4 minutes of cooking time, just to be safe. The area where the chicken is touching is where you risk it being raw if you don’t extend the cooking time slightly.
FAQs
How long is Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe good for?
This your leftovers can be kept stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing this soup because the cream cheese can cause the soup to separate once thawed.
What if my cream cheese doesn’t fully melt?
Here are some tips to help your cream cheese dissolve properly. First, use room temperature cream cheese. This will be easier to dissolve than if it were straight out of the fridge. Second, dice the cream cheese into small pieces so that it can have more heat to surface ratio.
Can I make white chicken chili dairy-free?
Yes, you can make this recipe by simply omitting the cream cheese in the soup. This will make the recipe dairy free.
Check out these other great Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
- Healthy Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Perfect Instant Pot Popcorn
- Creamy Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
- Healthy Instant Pot Banana Bread
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 19 oz can white kidney beans (cannellini beans), rinsed and drained (about 2 cups cooked beans)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 19 oz. can chili tomatoes
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
Instructions
- Set pot to saute, add the oil and once hot add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until onion starts to soften, about 3-4 minutes
- Stir in the chicken broth, corn, white kidney beans cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper
- Place chicken breasts on top, then add the tomatoes on top - do not stir
- Twist on the lid, make sure vent is set to “sealing” then set pot to high pressure for 15 minutes
- Allow a 10 minutes natural pressure release, then remove chicken breasts to a plate and shred into pieces
- Add a small amount of hot liquid ot the cream cheese and stir until smooth, then add to pot along with shredded and stir to combine
- Serve hot with avocado, shredded cheese, tortilla chips and any other topping desired.
