This hearty and healthy Instant Pot Chicken Chili has never been easier with the help of a pressure cooker. Directions included for using dried beans, canned beans, and fresh or frozen chicken.
Do you love chili? Not only will you enjoy this Pressure Cooker Chicken Chili, but you may also enjoy Instant Pot White Chicken Chili or Instant Pot Chili. No Instant Pot? No problem! Make Slow Cooker Chicken Chili.
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Instant Pot Chicken Chili
This Chicken Chili recipe is a lot like Chicken Tortilla Soup–just much thicker and heartier, as it is filled with chicken and beans. It makes a great dish to serve alone, but it also is fabulous served on rice.
But the best part about this hearty chicken chili is that it is one of the most versatile recipes out there.
You can use dried beans or canned beans. Or frozen or fresh chicken. And this hearty chicken chili will turn out AMAZING every single time.
Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Chicken Chili
- Beans--I use pinto beans, but feel free to use red beans, kidney beans or black beans. And canned or dried beans work.
- Chicken Stock
- Beer (optional)– Use additional chicken stock in it’s place. And keep in mind adding beer, means this Chicken Chili is no longer Gluten Free.
- Chili Seasoning
- Onion Powder–I use this for picky eaters, feel free to add in 1 small minced onion instead.
- Garlic
- Corn–frozen, or canned (just be sure to drain canned corn)
- Diced Tomatoes–use 1 can regular diced tomatoes and 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies for additional kick in flavor.
- Chicken–fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Lime–fresh lime juice really brightens up the finished chicken chili, but free free to omit.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Chili
I love using dried beans to keep this meal super economical, but canned beans allow this Chicken Chili to be on the table in less than an hour.
Instant Pot Chicken Chili with Dried Beans
- Add 1 cup pinto beans and 4 cups water to the pressure cooker.
- Close the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is sealed.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 25 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes and then release pressure.
- Drain beans.
- Return empty inner pot back to pressure cooker.
- Add stock, corn, seasonings, and cooked beans to the Instant Pot and mix together.
- Add in tomatoes–do not mix.
- Nestle in chicken into liquid.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes for fresh chicken or 20 minutes for frozen chicken.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
- Open Instant Pot and remove chicken from inner pot to cutting board. Shred chicken and then stir back into chicken chili.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice into the chili to brighten the flavors.
Instant Pot Chicken Chili with Canned Beans
- Add stock, tomatoes, corn, seasonings, and drained canned beans to the Instant Pot.
- Nestle in chicken into liquid.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes for fresh chicken or 20 minutes for frozen chicken.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
- Open Instant Pot and remove chicken from inner pot to cutting board. Shred chicken and then stir back into chicken chili.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice into the chili to brighten the flavors.
How to Serve Chicken Chili
This Instant Pot Chicken Chili is fabulous served topped with cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
However, I also like to use the leftovers and serve over rice or baked potatoes.
More Healthy Chili Recipes
- Vegetarian Lentil Chili
- Instant Pot Chili
- Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Chili
- Slow Cooker Chili
Instant Pot Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried pinto beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups water ONLY for cooking dried beans
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup light lager beer or additional stock
- 2 cups frozen corn or 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles or 1 additional can plain diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- If using dried beans: (skip to step 2 if using canned beans): Add dried pinto beans and 4 cups water to the pressure cooker. Close the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Cook on HIGH pressure for 25 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes and then release pressure. Drain beans. Return empty inner pot back to pressure cooker.
- Add stock, beer if using, corn, seasonings, and cooked beans to the Instant Pot and mix together. Add in tomatoes--do not mix. Nestle in chicken into liquid. Place lid on pressure cooker and turn valve to "seal."
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes for fresh chicken or 20 minutes for frozen chicken.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Open Instant Pot and remove chicken from inner pot to cutting board. Shred chicken and then stir back into chicken chili. Squeeze fresh lime juice into the chili to brighten the flavors.
- Serve with cheese, sour cream, chips, cilantro, etc
Notes
- If using canned beans or stock that is not low-sodium, you may want to omit the additional teaspoon of salt and adjust seasonings after cook time.
Kristen Chidsey
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I made this tonight and it was very nice- using dried red beans and frozen chicken breast. I had to make some substitutions for allergies (capsaicin allergies aren’t fun) but I learned a lot on how to use my instant pot from this recipe, thank you very much.
I didn’t have any limes or cilantro on hand but I’m sure it would’ve livened it up even more. I need to figure out if I want to go out and get the makings for cornbread or eat it over rice tomorrow.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, and that you were able to accommodate your food allergies. Enjoy the leftovers–this recipe is delicious over rice (or with cornbread!)
Hey girl my wife can’t eat tomatoes is there a sub. that I can?
I would use 4-5 cups chicken stock instead of diced tomatoes.
Do you add the frozen chicken whole or sliced? Seems to me at some point you need to shred it.
Thank you
I add the chicken whole and then shred in the pot (or on a cutting board) after cook time. I hope you enjoy!
Wow thank you so much!! Happy new year:)
You too!!
Lovely recipe! Does anything change if I’m usinf fresh chicken breast? Thanks! 🙂
Thank you Vicky! When using fresh chicken breasts, follow these guidelines:
Use 1 pound fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken.
Use 2 15 ounce cans of pinto beans rinsed instead of the 2 cups of dried beans.
Instead of cooking on high pressure for 30 minutes, cook on high for 15 minutes. Yes this is longer cooking time than required for fresh chicken breasts, but chili tastes best after a bit longer cooking time (and it is even better the next day!)
Decrease the liquid from 2 cups of stock to 1/2 cup stock.
Everything else (ingredients, release time, time to come to pressure) remains the same.
Could you double the recipe? I assume you’d need to add more cook time..?
Hi Karen! As long as your pressure cooker will hold double the amount and still not be more than 2/3rds full, you can double. The cook time will remain the same, but the amount of time it takes to come to pressure will be longer. Enjoy!
This was the first recipe I made in my new InstaPot. It was delicious but way too watery. I used fresh chicken and canned beans. I think the liquid needed to be adjusted since the beans weren’t absorbing the liquid. I prefer a more chili like consistency. Any suggestions?
Hi Cate! You are exactly right, the amount of liquid would need to be decreased for a thicker chili if you are using canned beans. I am sorry you missed that modification. I stated to reduce the chicken stock/water/beer (whichever you use) from 2 cups to 1/2 cup–sorry you missed that. You could drain off some of the liquid if desired. Sorry about that.
what version of the insta pot do you use? There are so many choices. Not sure which one I should buy. I want to use same one you use. And what size?
Hi Vivian! I love my 6 quart instant pot duo. It is not the fanciest one, but does what I need it to do for my family of 4. But I have a guide here that will answer all of your questions: https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-models/
How would you adjust this to be made with frozen chicken tenderloins and canned beans? Would you still use NPR? Thanks so much for sharing a great recipe!!
Hi Molly!! You are so welcome for this recipe–I hope you enjoy!
For frozen chicken tenderloins and canned beans just as you would with frozen chicken breast and canned beans.
Adjust the cooking time to 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes on high pressure.
Use 2 15 ounce cans of drained pinto beans instead of dried beans.
Thank you for sharing this super simple recipe that even a sleep-deprived mother of a toddler and newborn can do :). I had just under 2lbs of frozen chicken breast (skin-on, bone-in) and added 1.5 cups more broth and 3 extra minutes of cook time. It came out perfectly. I think even the skin and bones helped the chicken stay more tender during cook time!
Oh I love to hear that this meal helped you out when you are balancing so much!!! I love that you used what you had on hand as well.
Thanks for the recipe! I keep coming back to it because I keep making various bean dishes with frozen chicken. So far my favorite has been a mix of pinto and black beans, 3 frozen bone-in chicken thighs (the meat slides off the couple bones easily and shreds well, and is very cheap, and I think has more flavor) and I substitute 1 can of tomatoes with a 15oz jar of salsa Verde. I also cut up a big ol onion and use the saute setting (after chopping it of course) before I add everything else. Comes out great! Thanks again!
Thank you so much for sharing your review Vox! It makes my heart so happy to hear when others enjoy my recipes. And I am going to try this with Salsa Verde–sounds like a great idea!
I have salsa on hand and not tomatoes so I want to use that instead, should that be okay or would it be necessary to add oil to the bottom/sauté something first? I’m terrified of a burn notice!
Hi Kayla! As long as you are adding in your chicken stock FIRST (thin liquid always goes first), salsa will work great 🙂 Enjoy!
Thank you so much!! Is a jar too much? Approximately how much would you add? And I assume avoid mixing?
Yes, I would avoid mixing–but I think one 8-10 jar is perfect. 16 ounces may be a bit much 🙂
I am going to make a variation of this tonight. Do you drain the canned tomatoes?
Hi TJ! I do not drain the tomatoes, that juice will help the chili pressurize and the dried beans cook properly. Enjoy!
Your chili looks great! I’m chili with chicken.
Thanks so much Kalyn 🙂
I made this recipe last week using dried black beans because that’s what I had- I also added frozen chopped peppers. It was so delicious! Kind of a mix between chili and black bean soup. So so yummy and easy, and I love that I could whip this up with ingredients I already had.
Although I will say it took my IP much longer than 15 minutes to come to pressure- no big deal though because I always make my chili the day before I want it.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed this! And chili is BEST the day after making–I totally agree! So sorry about the timing on pressure. I always take the average of my “test” recipes. But everybody’s is different 🙂
could you possibly use frozen chicken thighs? if so, how would the cooking time change? thanks
Hi Myranda! You absolutely could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The time for this recipe should not change.
As an instant pot newbie, this will be on my menu next week! This looks fabulous and something I can easily throw together after work! Thanks for sharing!
You bet Cheryl! Easy is the name of the game with the Instant Pot and this recipe is perfect for a quick meal after a long day. Enjoy 🙂
Great recipe. I especially appreciate your variations options. Thank you!
Absolutely Alicia! I really do want to give you as many variations as I can think of so you can easily make Chicken Chili at home and enjoy it based on your family’s preferences!
This sounds amazing. I need to get myself Instant Pot asap. I can’t believe that you used dried beans and it came out so good. Love this recipe.
I know Edyta, the Instant Pot truly amazed me with this recipe
I saved this recipe- I love finding new ways to use my Instant Pot! Thank you!
Yay!! Thanks Jessica. Hope you enjoy!
This is a super useful post – you’ve given so much information on cooking techniques and substitutions. And of course, it looks and sounds perfect for early January – bright, healthy and delicious.
Thanks Jane! I am glad you found the tips helpful
Loving all your tips! We just got an instant pot for the holidays – this will be a great recipe to try with it!
Thanks Chrisy! You are going to love your Instant Pot
i still need to get an instant pot! this looks so great – perfect for 10 below zero weather!
Oh man that is COLD!!! And yes, you need to get an IP!
Thanks for sharing these awesome tips as pressure cooking can be so daunting for me at times.
You be Felesha! Be sure to check out my Instant Pot 101 to really help overcome your fears using a pressure cooker.
Wow! I love how easily this comes together with little effort for a hearty, comforting meal. Great use of the instant pot!
Absolutely! The ease of this recipe can not be beat Tara.