Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is a creamy, easy, healthy chili that warms you from the inside out on chilly days. Goes great with lots of toppings, too!
If your fall and winter days are all about the Instant Pot, then you’ll definitely want to also try these recipes: Instant Pot Beef Tips, Instant Pot Chili, and Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala.
Is there anything more American than chili? Maybe chili in an Instant Pot? That’s not to say plenty of other countries don’t have chili, but when you think fall across the country, I feel like I first envision families watching football on the couch with a roaring fire and chili cooking somewhere in the kitchen.
The part that varies though from my scenario is the chili. You know what they say: Chili cooking is like a box of chocolates…or something like that. Even if you follow a recipe you probably embellish it to suit your own tastes some way, somehow. In fact, one definition for chili is super vague, saying simply that it’s: “A thick sauce of meat and chilies.” So that could be just about darn near anything, right?
Which is what makes chili making so much fun. A little of this, a little of that and you have yourself a hearty, spicy, flavorful, filling meal. Typically, chili is something you can cook a few hours to most of the day, whether on the stove or the slow cooker (like my Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili.) But now, you don’t have to wait all day to get that chili in your belly because my some miracle the Instant Pot has come along and made my life (and yours too!) all that much easier.
So when you want a pot of chili but didn’t have time to make it before you left the house or were missing a few key ingredients, now you have the time to run to the store or to make this version of white chicken chili in about 30 minutes.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHILI IN THE INSTANT POT?
To make this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe, first I gathered up all my ingredients, so I’d be all ready to go.
I set the pressure cooker to Saute, adding oil and onions and stirring around for about 1 minute Next, I added the garlic and cooked those for another couple of minutes until it started to fill up my house with that wonderful garlic and onion smell.
Next, I added in the chicken broth, chicken, and spices, canceling the Saute function, locking down the lids, and switching over to Pressure Cook/Manual on high for 10 minutes, moving the vent to the sealed position.
When the pressure cooker timer counts down to zero, you’ll want to let the steam naturally release (which means don’t do anything) for five minutes, then you can vent the valve and open the lid when the float valve drops.
Finally, I set the pressure cooker to the Soup setting and take out two large scoops of the broth and put then into a bowl. I add in the cream cheese into that broth I just removed and stir it all around until it’s smooth. I then shred the chicken in the pot with forks and add the cream cheese mixture back into the pot as well, giving everything a stir until it’s all nice and incorporated.
Taste and add more spices as you see necessary. Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite chili toppings.
10 PERFECT CHILI TOPPINGS
I love just about all the toppings for chili but these have to be my top-10 favorites:
- Cheese
- Pickled jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Tortilla chips or corn chips
- Avocado
- Black olives
- Limes
- Chopped cilantro
- Salsa
- Hot sauce
WHAT CAN YOU ADD TO CHILI?
In addition to toppings, there are other ingredients you might want to add to the chili during the cooking process.
- Bell peppers. Dice up any color of bell pepper and add to the chili with the onions and garlic.
- Swap in some spices. Adding spices in addition to the typical cumin and chili powder can really make the flavors of your chili shine. Consider adding turmeric, paprika, or even garam masala for a different flavor.
- Add some cubes of diced squash or sweet potato (or regular potato) to your soup for a different texture and some sweetness.
- Finish soup with a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar for some earthy tang. Add it at the very end, right before serving.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder is a secret ingredient no one will guess, but everyone will taste!
More Recipes to Try
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ onion - diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 large, boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 15-ounce cans white canellini beans - drained and rinsed, may sub pinto beans
- 2 7-ounce cans diced green chilis
- 1 teaspoons salt - or to taste
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper - or to taste
- 16 ounces block cream cheese - cut into cubes and allowed to come to room temperature, regular or neufchatel
- toppings: corn chips or tortilla strips, shredded Mexican cheese, avocado, chopped cilantro, limes (for squeezing)
Instructions
- Set your pressure cooker to SAUTE. Add oil and onions and saute for 1 minute. Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes longer until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.
- Add chicken broth, chicken, cumin, chili powder, beans, green chilis, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and set to PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on HIGH for 10 minutes and turn the vent to the sealed position.
- Once time is finished, allow to naturally release (do nothing) for five minutes, then turn the valve to VENT. Once the float valve drops, remove the lid.
- Set pressure cooker to the SOUP setting. Use a ladle to transfer 2 large scoops of broth to a bowl. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth.
- Shred chicken with two forks. Stir cream cheese mixture into the pot until incorporated.
- Taste, add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve immediately with desired toppings.
I Love my instapot white chicken chili! You started my habit of making this at least once a month, all year round. But I am curious how much cocoa to add? I am also thinking of trying the beer substitute as well. Thank you for all your recipes!!! I
Hi Shelli- to be honest, the beer was a typo for this recipe! It should not have been included. I don’t have any experience using beer as a substitute. My favorite way to to add richness in a white chili is to add a little heavy cream, or 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese stirred in until melted.
Looks yummy and so quick and easy! Did you drain and rinse the beans before aDding them?
Thanks for asking such a great question! I just updated the recipe to include this. Yes, drain and rinse the beans before!
Hi, I dont have an instapot, how do i make this in a CROCKPOT instead?
love this, a nice change from the red chili versions! and as you write, chili is kinda wide open for tweaks and swaps, like chicken in this instead of beef, I like it!
How long on the soup setting?
you should only need 5-10 minutes!