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Instant Pot Chicken Chili is the ultimate cheap and easy dinner recipe! Made with pantry staples and fresh or frozen chicken, this recipe delivers intense flavor with minimal prep!
Our Favorite Easy Cozy Recipe
Inspired by my recipe for Crockpot Chicken Chili, Instant Pot Chicken Chili is like a heartier, thicker version of Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup. And when I want an easy, yet satisfying dinner--this is the inexpensive, family-favorite I turn to!
With just a few canned goods and some chicken, this Instant Pot Chicken Chili is as easy as dump and cook--pressure cook that is! Even better? You don't even have to remember to thaw the chicken. Talk about easy! And the flavor of this Tex-Mex style chicken chili is unbeatable.
Notes on Ingredients
- Chicken: This recipe will work with fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Beans: Use any variety of canned (or cooked dried beans) you like--pinto beans, red beans, kidney beans, or black beans all work well.
Corn: Use yellow or white canned corn or frozen corn. Or omit the corn if desired. - Beer (optional) Using a pale lager, such as Corona, adds a nice depth of flavor and tang to the chili, but you can certainly use additional chicken broth in place of the beer if you don't care to cook with alcohol or are gluten-free.
- Chicken Stock: Use homemade chicken stock, Instant Pot chicken stock, or low-sodium store-bought stock.
- Seasonings: Taco seasoning + minced garlic.
- Tomatoes: I recommend using a combination of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chiles (AKA Rotel tomatoes). Both add incredible flavor, without making the chili too spicy for sensitive palates.
- Lime Juice: Don't overlook this addition. Because this chili is made with canned goods, the fresh lime juice will help to bring a fresh flavor to the chili and make the flavors pop.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Chili
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Layer the ingredients with care. Combine beer, chicken stock, taco seasoning, garlic, beans, and corn inside the inner pot. Nestle the chicken inside the broth and then top with the tomatoes--do not stir! This will prevent a burn notice.
- Pressure cook. Set to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes for fresh chicken and 20 minutes for frozen chicken.
- Let pressure release naturally. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes on its own. This just means to leave the Instant Pot alone and don't try to force the lid open or open the venting knob on the pressure cooker. This is key to keeping the chicken tender!
- Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the inner pot to a cutting board. Shred chicken using 3 forks until it is in bite-sized pieces and then stir back into the inner pot.
- Add lime juice. Adding the juice of a fresh lime after pressure cooking the chili is crucial. The acidity will balance out the flavors and make the humble ingredients pop.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Instant Pot Chicken Chili plain, over Instant Pot Rice or Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, and/or top with diced avocado, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, and/or tortilla chips.
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free: To make this Instant Pot Chicken Chili gluten-free, use gluten-free beer or omit the beer and use additional chicken stock or broth in its place.
- Start with Dried Beans: Using my recipe for Instant Pot Beans as a starting point, combine 1 cup of dried pinto beans with 4 cups of water in the inner pot. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. After the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes. Drain the beans and use them to prepare the chicken chili as directed.
- Blend the tomatoes if needed. If someone is sensitive to the texture of tomatoes at your house, blend the tomatoes before adding to the chili.
- Make it Vegetarian: Double the amount of beans, omit the chicken, and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken stock.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Cool slightly then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Allow the chili to cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container leaving 1 inch of space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: If needed, defrost the chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
More Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Chili, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Chicken Chili
This recipe for Instant Pot Taco Chicken Chili is made with chicken, beans, and Tex-Mex seasonings. It cooks up in record time and can be prepared with fresh or frozen chicken.
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ cup light lager beer, or additional stock
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, fresh or frozen
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (mild), AKA Rotel Tomatoes
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Combine the ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock, ½ cup light lager beer, 2 cups frozen corn, 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, 1 tablespoon Homemade Taco Seasoning, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in the inner pot. Mix well to combine. Nestle 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into the liquid. Pour 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (mild) over the mixture in the inner pot. Do NOT mix.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and turn the valve to "seal." Set to cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes for fresh chicken or 20 minutes for frozen chicken.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes. After pressure has been released, remove the lid on the Instant Pot.
- Remove the chicken from the inner pot to a cutting board. Shred chicken using 3 forks until it is in bite-sized pieces.
- Add the shredded chicken, along with the juice of a fresh lime into the inner pot, and stir to combine.
- Serve this chicken chili with cheese, sour cream, chips, cilantro, etc
Notes
Storage: You can store leftover Instant Pot Chicken Chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container, leaving 1 inch of space for expansion, for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Gluten-Free Modification: Use gluten-free beer or omit the beer and use additional chicken stock in its place.
Using Canned Corn: Feel free to use one 15-ounce can of corn, drained and rinsed, in place of the frozen corn.
Beans: Feel free to use red beans or black beans in place of the pinto beans.
Taco Seasoning: In place of the taco seasoning, use ½ teaspoon each of kosher salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Nutrition
Calories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 24gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 986mgFiber: 12gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 156IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally shared in 2019 and updated in 2025.
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!