This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Chili is made with chicken, beans, and a hearty, thick, richly seasoned broth. It cooks up in record time and can be prepared with fresh or frozen chicken.
While this is a chicken chili made with pinto beans and a rich red sauce, if you are more in the mood for white, creamy chicken chili, be sure to check out my recipe for Instant Pot White Chicken Chili.
Chicken Chili Made Fast
I love my recipe for Crockpot Chicken Chili. But it takes HOURS to prepare.
This recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Chili is a dump-and-go recipe that is made in less than an hour. It delivers the same incredible flavors with fairly basic pantry staples.
Made with chicken, beans, tomatoes, and perfectly spiced, this hearty chicken chili is filling, wholesome, and couldn't be easier to make.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Chili
- Chicken: This recipe will work with fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Beans: Use pinto beans, red beans, kidney beans or black beans for the recipe.
- Liquid: In order for presssure to be reached, you need thin liquid. For the thin liquid, I use a combination chicken broth and beer. The beer adds a nice depth of flavor, but you certainly can omit it and use additional chicken broth.
- Seasonings: I use my homemade blend Taco Seasoning, made with chili powder, cumin, paprik, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt, which adds just the right amount of flavor.
- Corn: I love adding a bit of corn for some sweetness. You can use frozen or canned corn.
- Diced Tomatoes: I recommend using a combination of regular diced tomatoes and diced tomaotes with green chiles, which adds flavor without making the chili too spicy for sensitive palates--AKA the kids!
- Lime: Don't overlook finishing the chili with the juice of a fresh lime. It really brightens up the flavor.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Chili
This recipe could not be any easier to make. It is seriously a dump-and-go recipe that can be made with minutes of prep work.
- Combine the chicken broth, beer, diced tomatoes, seasonings, corn and beans in the inner pot. Give everything a mix.
- Nestle the whole pieces of chicken into the liquid.
- Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set to cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes if using fresh chicken or 20 minutes if using frozen chicken.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes on its own.
- After 15 minutes, you can release any remaining pressure if needed, by knocking the vent knob from the sealed to venting position.
- Remove the chicken from the inner pot and shred or cut into bite-size pieces. Alternatively, you can leave the chicken in the inner pot while shredding, but it can be a bit more cumbersome to work with while submerged in the chili.
- Add the chicken and juice of a fresh lime back to the inner pot. Stir to combine and then serve as desired.
How to Serve Chicken Chili
This Instant Pot Chicken Chili is fabulous served topped with cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips.
You can also opt to serve the chicken chili over Instant Pot Rice or Instant Pot Baked Potatoes for an even heartier meal.
Using Dried Beans
If you happen to have dried beans in the pantry, you can use the Instant Pot to prepare them for this chili, which makes this recipe that much more affordable.
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.
Storage Instructions
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.
Recipe Notes
Gluten-Free Modification: Omit the beer and use additional chicken stock or broth, as beer does contain gluten.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.
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
Ingredients
- 30 ounces pinto beans, rinsed and drained *or 1 cup dried pinto beans
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup light lager beer or additional stock
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 lime juiced
If Using Dried Beans
Instructions
To Prepare Dried Beans
- If using dried beans, add the dried pinto beans and 4 cups of water to the inner pot. 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 do a quick release of any remaining pressure. Drain the beans and rinse out the inner pot and return to the pressure cooker.
For the Chicken Chili
- Add the chicken 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
Angela
I made this last night and we all loved it. I had major issues tho with the burn alert on my instapot. I cooked the dried beans first then drained and added in the other ingredients and frozen chicken breasts... it kept burning even after several attempts to scrape bottom of insert and add more liquid. I ended up having to take the frozen breast out and cook them separately and put the soup on the stove in a kettle. The only thing that I can think of is I added a can of cream of chicken soup..so maybe it made it too thick? Altho I added lots of liquid to compensate. So idk what went wrong. I also wondered if it would of been ok to cook the frozen chicken breasts when I cooked the dried beans all together?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Angela, I don't recommend adding cream of chicken as it can cause a burn notice due to the ingredients in the soup. I am sorry you had this issue. As far as cooking the frozen chicken with the beans, that would overcook the chicken, so I would not personally do that. Frozen chicken breasts, even large ones, should not need more than 12-14 minutes. Beans need 25 minutes.
Angela
Gotcha! Thanks for replying....
Linda
I added some dried oregano (Mexican, if you can find it) and cumin. I didn't have onion powder so I cut up an onion.
Elizabeth
chicken chili might be my new favorite kinda chili thanks to yr recipe! my man loved it.
so tasty. girl, you rock! thank you again
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing how much you all enjoyed! Thanks so much for sharing Elizabeth!
Nan
Thank you so much for all the recipes you’ve created for the instant pot. I love, love, love this recipe!!! It comes together so easily and turns our great every time. I make this regularly. It’s a staple lunch at work for me. Occasionally I’ll add cheese crackers for a little different taste or a little sour cream or both. It’s so easy, tasty, and healthy, thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoy Nan! I love the idea of adding cheese crackers instead of tortilla chips--I will have to give that a try!
REM
Really tasty! The corn adds a nice crunch. Mine came out quite mild so I'll be adding some cayenne next time.
Kristen Chidsey
I am glad you enjoyed REM! And yes, add spices to your palate's desire 🙂
Mark Ready
Hi Kristen, My wife and I just finished making this dish and it came out great although I think I misread and used a little too much liquid (as we used fresh chicken, but as you said could be drained off. We may just use it as a great chicken, vegetable soup! We also added sweet potatoes, celery and carrots. Thank you for the recipe and have a great day!!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed the flavor, even if a bit thinner! I hope you have a fabulous day as well Mark!
Jim
Best recipe for chili using dry beans I have found. Served over Vermicelli amd tamale.
Delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed Jim! I Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
SR
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.
Kristen Chidsey
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!)
Bob
Hey girl my wife can't eat tomatoes is there a sub. that I can?
Kristen Chidsey
I would use 4-5 cups chicken stock instead of diced tomatoes.
Carol
Do you add the frozen chicken whole or sliced? Seems to me at some point you need to shred it.
Thank you
Kristen Chidsey
I add the chicken whole and then shred in the pot (or on a cutting board) after cook time. I hope you enjoy!
Vicky Berthiaume
Wow thank you so much!! Happy new year:)
Kristen Chidsey
You too!!