This Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili is delicious, creamy and packed with protein. White Bean Chicken Chili is one recipe you'll come back to time and again. If you’re looking for a warm and filling family dinner, then you’ll want to try the best white Chicken Chilli Instant Pot recipe around!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Flavorful and Hearty: This chili is packed with spices, white beans, and tender chicken.
- Quick Weeknight Dinner: Use your Instant Pot for a fast, satisfying meal.
- Healthy and Wholesome: White Chicken Chili is a well-rounded dish that's both nutritious and delicious.
🥘 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed for your white bean chicken chili Instant Pot recipe:
- Medium Onion: Adds a sweet, slightly sharp flavor that forms the base of the chili.
- Green Bell Pepper: Brings a mild, sweet note and a satisfying crunch to the dish.
- Shredded Chicken: The protein star of the dish, it absorbs the flavors of the broth and spices, adding a hearty element to the chili.
- Green Chiles: Adds a spicy kick and tangy flavor that gives the chili its distinctive character.
- Cream Cheese: Melts into the broth, creating a creamy, rich texture that makes the chili more satisfying.
- Great Northern Beans: These mild, tender beans bulk up the chili and absorb all the wonderful flavors.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Basic seasonings that enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Garlic Powder, Cumin and Cayenne Pepper: Add depth, warmth, and a bit of heat to the chili, giving it a complex flavor profile.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: Forms the flavorful base of the chili, it adds depth and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Skinless Chicken: Yes, you can use skinless chicken breasts or skinless boneless chicken thighs instead of cooked chicken. Just cook the fresh chicken breast for the same time of 10 minutes. Once the chicken chili has pressure cooked, shred chicken using forks.
- Garlic Cloves: You can use fresh garlic cloves instead of garlic powder in this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. You'll need to add about 4 or 5 cloves (minced) and cook as instructed.
- Cannellini Beans: Yes, you can use cannellini beans instead of great Northern beans in this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. Just make sure to rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the Instant pot.
- Vegetables: You can add other vegetables like frozen corn, carrots or potatoes to this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. Just add them with the green chilies and cook as instructed.
📖 Optional Toppings
Looking for some great toppings to go with your white bean chicken chili? Here are some great topping suggestions:
- Fresh Cilantro
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Tortilla Chips
- Jalapeno Peppers
- Tortilla Strips
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
🔪 How To Make Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili?
Here is a step-by-step guide for cooking Instant Pot White Chicken Chili.
Step One: Turn your Instant Pot onto sauté mode. Lightly spray the bottom of your pan with olive oil cooking spray. Once the inner pot becomes hot, add bell pepper and onion. Stir occasionally for about 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables become translucent and cook through.
Step Two: Add to your Instant Pot the shredded chicken and green chilies. Next add the great Northern beans, salt, pepper, garlic powder, round cumin, cayenne pepper, cream cheese, and the chicken stock or broth. Lock the lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
Step Three: Once the slow cooker has finished cooking, do a manual release by bringing the sealing valve toward you to release the pressure.
Step Four: Serve this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili in your favorite soup bowl and top with your favorite garnishes!
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Sauté for Depth: Begin by using the sauté function to cook onions, garlic, and spices. This step deepens the flavor profile and creates a solid base for your chili.
- Perfect Chicken Texture: Use boneless, skinless chicken and cook it just long enough under pressure so it remains tender. Once done, shred the chicken directly in the pot to blend seamlessly with the other ingredients.
- Balance Your Flavors: Incorporate white beans, green chilies, and quality chicken broth. A pinch of cumin, chili powder, and a splash of lime juice brighten the dish—taste and adjust the seasoning once the pressure has released.
- Creamy Finishing Touch: For extra richness, stir in a bit of cream cheese or heavy cream after pressure cooking. Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime to add a vibrant finish.
💭 FAQs
White Chicken Chili is a creamy, flavorful chili made with white beans and shredded chicken that’s thickened up with some cream cheese. It’s the perfect meal for chilly winter nights when you need something comforting and hearty.
This Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili is so easy to make and is packed with flavor. You’ll be pleased to know that it also makes excellent leftovers, so you can enjoy it for days after cooking! Instant Pot White Chicken Chili also freezes well, making it a great recipe to double up and freeze some portions for later on.
Cannellini beans and Great Northern beans are both white and very similar in taste. Both are high in fiber, low in fat, and have zero cholesterol potentially making them a perfect addition to any diet. These beans are a great pantry staple to keep in your cupboard. With that said, yes, cannellini beans and Great Northern beans interchangeable. Cannellini beans are different in shape from Great Northern beans.
To prep this Instant Pot white chicken chili ahead of time, you can dice the onion and pepper in advance. Also, precook the chicken ready for shredding and drain and rinse the cannellini beans in advance. This can make it easier to prepare your white bean chili chicken recipe for later.
You can also use frozen chicken breasts in this white chicken chili recipe but will need to add an extra 2 minutes to the pressure cook time. So you'll be pressure-cooking the chicken chili for 12 minutes instead of 10 minutes.
This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe doesn't call for chili powder since the green chilies provide enough flavor to the chili. If you want to add extra flavor, then feel free to add chili powder or tabasco sauce according to your preference.
Store any leftover white chicken chili in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the chili for up to 3 months. Allow to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or bag and freezing.
🧂Serving Suggestions
Here are my favorite sides to serve with Instant Pot White Chicken Chili:
- Mexican Street Corn: Grilled corn on the cob smothered in mayo, cheese, and chili powder brings a street food vibe to your table, elevating the meal.
- Jalapeño Cornbread: Spice up your side game with jalapeño-infused cornbread, a perfect contrast to the creamy and mild white chicken chili.
- Roasted Sweet Potato Fries: Oven-roasted sweet potato wedges offer a sweet and savory balance, creating a satisfying accompaniment to the savory white chicken chili.
- Brown Rice: Nutty brown rice serves as a wholesome and hearty alternative, soaking up the delicious flavors of the white chicken chili.
- Chinese Chicken Salad: A crisp side salad with green beans, chicken pieces, and a tangy vinaigrette adds a refreshing and light contrast to the chili.
- If you’d like to learn how to Make Rice In The Instant Pot then check out this easy steamed rice recipe.
🍽 Related Recipes
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Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- ½ Medium Onion Diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper Finely Diced
- 1- Pound Shredded Chicken Cooked (Chicken Breast or Rotisserie Chicken)
- 4 oz Green Chiles 1 Can Undrained
- 6 Ounces Cream Cheese Cubed
- 29 oz Great Northern Beans Drained & Rinsed (Canned Beans)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot onto sauté mode. Lightly spray the bottom of your pan with olive oil cooking spray. Once the inner pot becomes hot, add bell pepper and onion. Stir occasionally for about 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables become translucent and cook through.
- Add to your Instant Pot the shredded chicken and green chilies.
- Add the great Northern beans, salt, pepper, garlic powder, round cumin, cayenne pepper, cream cheese, and chicken stock or broth.
- Lock the lid on your Instant pot and close the valve to seal the pressure. Set your Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once the slow cooker has finished cooking, do a manual release by bringing the sealing valve toward you to release the pressure.
- Serve this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili in your favorite soup bowl and top with your favorite garnishes!
Notes
Nutrition
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- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot Chinese Dumpling Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
- Instant Pot Enchilada Soup
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