Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is creamy and hearty with just the right amount of spice! Loaded with lean chicken, white beans, green chiles, and corn, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

You’ll also love the best Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast and these Best Instant Pot Chicken Recipes!

My Instant Pot makes my life so much easier when I plan ahead – and also when I don’t! 😉

I can make amazing meals for my whole family in such a short amount of time with very little prep.

This easy Instant Pot Chicken Chili is one of those meals that comes together perfectly with minimal ingredients and absolutely no fuss!

The only thing you’re preparing is a chopped onion, and the rest is dump-and-go.

If chopping an onion is even too much prep you could buy pre-chopped onion, or skip it and use a sprinkling of onion powder instead!

I have used fresh chicken breasts here, but you can make it just as easily with frozen chicken breasts or thighs.

I love healthy chili recipes that are quick and easy to make, just like my Classic Instant Pot Beef Chili recipe!

For other busy weeknight dinner inspiration, try this great recipe for Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken, Pot Roast (Instant Pot Recipe), or my Super Quick Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta.

Ingredients Needed:

• Broth: use a low-sodium chicken broth so that you can better, control the saltiness of the dish. You can also use chicken stock.
• White Kidney Beans: these add some extra protein to the dish. White beans work best in this dish as the sauce and chicken are a lighter color. You can also use cannellini beans or great northern beans (or really any, but they will change the color!).
• Corn: I used canned sweet corn, but you can use fresh or frozen corn instead.
• Onion: use chopped white onion or red onion, or even onion powder to make this recipe super quick!
• Green Chiles: canned green chilis work well though you could substitute this for salsa verde or seedless minced jalapeño peppers.
• Chili Powder: use mild chili powder for chili with mild heat. Double this for a bit more heat, or use hot chili powder.
• Chicken Breasts: I have used fresh, skinless, and boneless chicken breasts for this dish. You can use chicken thighs if you want to, or even leftover shredded chicken!
• Cream Cheese: I use full-fat cream cheese, but you can use lower-fat cream cheese if you wish. Use a plain flavored one, and have it at room temperature before you begin.

How To Make White Chicken Chili in the Instant Pot

This easy recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make! For full instructions, see the recipe card below.

1. Put ingredients into Instant Pot and give it a good stir.
2. Put chicken breasts into an Instant Pot (I use a6 quart smart wifi Instant Pot)
3. Cook. Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time is over, allow 10 minutes for a natural release before opening the valve and removing the lid.
4. Shred chicken. Shred the chicken and stir it into the chili.
5. Add cream cheese. Add the cream cheese to the chili with the shredded chicken.
6. Allow to melt and serve!

Serve with chips, avocado, lime wedges, salsa, cheese, jalapenos — whatever your favorite toppings are!

White Chicken Chili FAQs

How to make White Chicken Chili on the stovetop

See my original Stovetop White Chicken Chili for stovetop instructions.

Tips and Notes

• Use skinless and boneless chicken for this recipe, as it will be less greasy and easier to shred the chicken.
• This recipe works well for leftover shredded chicken (if you’ve got some Instant Pot Shredded Chicken hanging around), and it will work well for Thanksgiving turkey leftovers too!

Variations on this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili:

• Spice it up.This recipe is on the milder side of chili, which can be ideal for young kids. If you like a lot of spice, add an extra teaspoon of chili powder, a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or add in a sliced jalapeno, or Tobasco!
• Lighten it up. Choose light cream cheese or opt to skip it out completely.
• Make it dairy-free.Skip the cream cheese in this chili recipe, and it will still be delicious! You don’t need to substitute anything in its place.
• Saute vegetables. Saute the onion in olive oil and extra vegetables like bell pepper, some mushrooms, etc. before adding the chicken and broth for extra flavor. We love this Chicken Chili as is, but feel free to experiment!
• Substitute the chicken. Swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can also brown the chicken before adding the other ingredients if you desire.
• Change the consistency. This is a thick and chunky chili, but if you want it to be thinner you can add more broth, milk, heavy cream, or a little bit of plain greek yoghurt.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with chips, avocado, lime wedges, Homemade Salsa, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, green onion — whatever your favorite toppings are!
• Add a squeeze of lime juice on top for a burst of citrus.
• Alternatively, serve with rice and vegetables like Air Fryer Green Beans on the side.

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