White Bean Chicken Chili is one of our favorite family meals ever! This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is hearty, creamy, and made in a fraction of the time that the traditional recipe takes. Directions for dried and canned beans!
If you love this White Chicken Chili, you may also love Instant Pot Classic Chili, Slow Cooker White Chili, or Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili.
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Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
With the help of the pressure cooker, White Chicken Chili is EASIER than ever!
You can make this White Bean Chili with dried beans or canned beans. It also can be made with frozen or fresh chicken. Versatile and delicious, this Instant Pot White Bean Chili just can’t be beat!
Ingredients
- Chicken–fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Chicken Stock
- Canned Green Chiles
- Onion
- Cumin–adds a rich depth of flavor.
- White Beans–dried or canned beans
- Cream Cheese–optional, but this adds creaminess to the white chicken chili.
How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
To make White Chicken Chili, you have several options. You can start with dried beans or you can use canned beans to make this meal even faster.
Step One: Cook Dried Beans (SKIP if using Canned Beans)
- Add 1 cup great northern 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.
Step Two: Prepare Chicken Chili
- Turn instant pot to saute and allow to heat.
- Add in 1-2 teaspoons olive oil and heat.
- Add in onions, chilies, and cumin and saute for 2-3 minutes or until onions begin to soften and spices are toasted.
- Turn Instant Pot OFF.
- Add in chicken stock and scrape off browned bits on bottom of inner pot.
- Add in cooked dried beans or drained canned beans.
- Nestle chicken into liquid.
Step Three: Pressure Cook White Chicken Chili
- Seal Instant Pot and be sure vent knob is pointed to sealed.
- Cook on HIGH pressure.
- Fresh Chicken: 15 minutes if using fresh chicken breasts/thighs
- Frozen Chicken: 20 minutes if using frozen chicken breasts/thighs
Step Four: Add in Cream Cheese (optional)
- Once cook time as elapsed, let pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes.
- Open Instant Pot, remove chicken to cutting board.
- Leave the Instant Pot on the “Keep Warm” default setting.
- Add cream cheese to inner pot and close lid on instant pot–this lets the cream cheese melt into the chili.
- Shred chicken and return to Instant Pot.
- Mix together, until cream cheese has melted into the chili.
*For a healthier white chicken chili, omit the cream cheese. The chili will still be delicious, just not as thick and creamy.
Step Five: Serve
Serve chicken chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro and corn chips if desired.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is hearty, healthy, and made in a fraction of the time that the traditional recipe takes.
Print Pin RatePrep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Pressure Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Calories: 200kcal
Ingredients
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 4.5 oz cans green chiles chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups cooked great northern beans or 1 cup dried beans
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs boneless, skinless
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed
Instructions
If Using Dried Beans:
- Add 1 cup great northern 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, keeping prepared beans off to the side.
Instant Pot Chicken Chili Instructions
- Heat Instant Pot by turning pressure cooker to saute function and waiting until it reads Hot.
- Add in oil, small onion, green chiles, cumin and oregano and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is softened.Add in garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Turn Instant Pot OFF.
- Pour in the chicken stock and scrape off any browned bits on bottom of Instant Pot.
- Add cooked or canned white beans, and salt. Nestle chicken into liquid.
- Close Instant Pot and be sure vent knob is sealed.
- Cook on HIGH Pressure for 15 minutes if chicken is fresh, 25 minutes if chicken is frozen.
- Once cook time elapses, let pressure release for at least 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken from inner pot. Add in cream cheese to inner pot if using. Close lid on Instant Pot to keep the heat inside the chili--this will help melt the cream cheese.
- Shred chicken and stir back into soup, stirring until cream cheese is well distributed through chili.
- Serve with dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
Notes
- See Instant Pot High Altitude Conversion if cooking 2500+ feet above sea level.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Amount Per Serving
Calories 200 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 598mg26%
Potassium 566mg16%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 100IU2%
Vitamin C 2.4mg3%
Calcium 70mg7%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram or Facebook - I would love to see!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.
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Hi!
Am I able to substitute the cream cheese for sour cream? I have seen sour cream in other recipes and I didn’t know if that was an option here.
Absolutely, just be sure to add after cook time 🙂 Enjoy!
When using already cooked & shredded chicken, how long should I set to pressure the InstantPot after putting everything together?
Hi Cindy! I would cook for 10 minutes to give the chili time to develop flavor! I hope you enjoy!
I made this tonight and the flavor was really good! I didn’t have any cream cheese so it was thinner, like a soup, but I added some orzo pasta to add some additional bulk and thickened the liquid with cornstarch. I usually end up doing that because I’m a big fan of thicker sauces.
Great idea to add in cornstarch at the end! I am so glad you enjoyed Erika!
This recipe calls for minced garlic and oregano but then doesn’t tell you in the instructions when to put it in.
Hi Julie-I add in when sauteing onions in step two under chili directions. Sorry you missed it.
Can I use ground turkey for this recipe?
Absolutely Shellie! I would brown up the turkey first using the saute function and then be sure to deglaze the pan and scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. The cook time will remain the same 🙂
Happy diners here!
I missed the part about “drained beans”, so that was too much liquid.
I might even drop to three cups of stock.
As a soup, it was popular 😉
I am so glad you enjoyed, despite the error Clarence!
I was sending the slow cooker version to my daughter. I noticed that it includes pureeing some of the beans to thicken the chili. Why is that missing from the Instant Pot version?
I see some comments here from people who mash some of the beans.
I’m 65 years old, and just started cooking a couple of years ago.
I don’t know what I’m doing, I just follow recipes 🙂
If I see an interesting recipe, I always check here, to see if you have a version.
Hi Clarenece! I am so glad you enjoy my recipes😊 The Instant Pot Version calls for the addition of cream cheese, which makes the broth super creamy. However, if you want a lower calorie recipe, omit the cream cheese and blend some of the beans for a thicker, low fat version.
I love White Chicken Chili and I love your recipe even more because I can get it in my belly so much quicker with the Instant pot! Thank you for making my busy weeknights easier!
I am so happy you enjoyed this Beth–and that it made your night a bit easier 🙂
This is a new family favorite! we all loved it so much, even the 5 year old!
When the kids love it–everyone is happy! So glad to hear that your all enjoyed!
Thank you for the recipes. When I made it last, we really enjoyed it. Now I cannot remember if I cut up the chicken into pieces before or after I cooked them. I am pretty sure I did cut them up last time.Maybe leave it whole and shred it after cooking? Thank you, really is delicious!
Hi Laura! I am so glad you enjoyed this so much. I shred the chicken up after cooking.
Best white chicken chili recipe I’ve found!
I can’t do the cream cheese so I puree some of the beans to make it thicker and creamy. I also add a small amount of cut up canned chipotle peppers for more depth of flavor. I won first place in the annual chili cook-off at work with this version.
I am so glad you enjoyed and got such great reviews Tracy! I also LOVE the idea of pureeing beans in place of the cream cheese–that is a great tip for anyone that is watching calories or dairy free.
Do you soak the beans? Can I double this recipe?
Hi Ann, there is no need to soak the beans, unless you like your beans really soft, then I do recommend soaking. And an 8 quart instant pot has enough room to double this recipe–it may be cutting it a bit too close in an 6 quart. Hope you enjoy!
If you use fresh chicken with the canned beans and also decrease the liquids is it still 8 servings?
Hi Jenna! Yes, this will still be 8 servings. The extra liquid is needed because the dried beans will absorb those liquids as they cook. I hope you enjoy!
Garlic goes w onion right???
Yes😉
Hi! You mention cooking it for 35 minutes on high but then mention doing it 10 for fresh chicken and 15 for frozen. Which one do you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Megan! It is 35 minutes high pressure for dried beans, 10 minutes for fresh chicken and canned beans and 15 minutes for frozen chicken and canned beans. Hope that helps clear it up for you!
I followed the directions to a T, but my dry beans weren’t even close to being done in the end. Ideas?
Sorry about that Cindy, that can be frustrating. If that happens again, put lid back on pressure cooker and cook for another 10 minutes on high (it won’t take as long to come to pressure the next time). It may be a couple things that caused this recipe to not work for you. One, you may just like your beans very soft (like canned beans), if that is the case you will always need to add an extra 10-15 minutes. Two, do not ever do a quick release as that will cause the beans to seize up (like meat) and loose some of their soft texture.
Good flavor but more like a soup than chili. Next time I will reduce the liquid and mash some of the beans
Great idea for a thicker “chili” This has always been a thinner chili, but we still called it chili 😉
This is such a hearty comforting meal for the winter time! Yum!
I am so glad you enjoyed Abeer!
White chicken chili is one of my favorites! Love this instant pot version!
It makes dinner incredibly easy to make any night of the week.