Generous chunks of chicken and corn simmer in a richly spiced broth with creamy white beans to make easy Instant Pot white chicken chili in under an hour. Once the weather turns, my family loves chili. If you’re like us, work your way through the 25 best chili recipes!
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
The best part about preparing white chicken chili in the Instant Pot is its versatility. Tweak our recipe by using different chilies, beans, or vegetables, and use the ingredients you have on hand. This soup is perfect for feeding a crowd for game day or your next get-together.
What You Need to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Olive Oil: Saute the chicken in olive oil to lock in the moisture of the chicken breast.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but feel free to use what you have. This white chicken chili recipe is the perfect way to use leftover shredded chicken, canned, or rotisserie chicken.
- Onion: Saute the onions in olive oil along with the chicken.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Chicken Broth: Chicken broth flavors the soup, or use chicken stock or Chicken Better Than Bouillon and water.
- Green Chilies: I am from the Southwest, so Hatch green chilies are the way to go. I find two cans of green chilies yield a mild-tasting soup, but if you’re sensitive to spice, use one can.
- Spices: Season the soup with ground cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne, kosher salt, and coarse ground black pepper.
- Cream Cheese: Thicken the broth with room-temperature cream cheese.
- Corn: Use canned, frozen, fresh, or leftover corn from corn on the cob to make this recipe.
- White Beans: You can decide for yourself what the best bean for chili are for this recipe. But, I like using cannellini, navy, or Northern beans. For even more Southwestern flare, try pinto or black beans.
- Lime Juice: Cut the creaminess of the cheese with fresh lime juice.
How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm oil in an Instant Pot in saute mode, then add chicken and cook until the chicken turns white.
Step 2: Add the onions and saute until they become translucent and soften for about 10 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 3: Stir in the chicken broth, green chilies, kosher salt, ground cumin, paprika, coriander powder, cayenne, and black pepper.
Step 4: Bring the soup to a boil in saute mode. Then, secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 7 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
Step 5: Remove the lid and stir in the cream cheese until it melts.
Step 6: Add the corn and beans and simmer in saute mode for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Finish with lime juice and serve with the toppings of your choice.
Expert Tips
- When using an Instant Pot, it’s best to avoid dairy while the soup pressure cooks since it will cause the cream to scorch and separate; instead, we add ours at the very end to lend the perfect creaminess to the soup.
- Before adding it to the soup, leave the cream cheese at room temperature to ensure it combines well.
Can I Make This Recipe on the Stove Top?
- Warm oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the chicken. Cook until the chicken turns white.
- Add onions and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes
- Add the cream cheese; stir until the cheese melts.
- Stir in the corn and beans and simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Finish the soup with lime juice and serve with the toppings of your choice.
What to Serve With White Chicken Chili
Toppings
Finish your chili with all of the fixings like fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, jalapeños, cubes of avocado, and fresh lime wedges.
Sides
- Bread: Cornbread, Corn Muffins, Corn Casserole
- Salad: Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Chips: Tortilla Chips, Corn Chips, Air Fryer Pita Chips
- Tortillas: Flour Tortillas, Corn Tortillas
- Rice: Vegan Mexican Rice, White Rice, Brown Rice
What to Do With The Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the dish cool, and transfer the chili to a freezer-safe container or bag. Instant Pot white chicken chili freezes for three months.
- Thaw – Defrost the chili in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers on the stovetop, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dry beans?
Before making the soup, add 1 cup of dry beans and 4 cups of water to the Instant Pot. Cook on manual high pressure for 25 minutes. When the beans finish cooking, set them aside and follow the recipe accordingly.
More Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and cut into ½ – inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans green chilies, 4.5 – ounce
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 package cream cheese, room-temperature
- 1½ cups corn
- 2 cans white beans, 15-ounce, drained and rinsed
- lime juice, ½ fresh lime
- Warm oil in an Instant Pot in saute mode, then add chicken and cook until the chicken turns white.
- Add the onions and saute until they become translucent and soften for about 10 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth, green chilies, kosher salt, ground cumin, paprika, coriander powder, cayenne, and black pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil in saute mode. Then, secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 7 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
- Remove the lid and stir in the cream cheese until it melts.
- Add the corn and beans and simmer in saute mode for 10 minutes.
- Finish with lime juice and serve with the toppings of your choice.
- When using an Instant Pot, it’s best to avoid dairy while the soup pressure cooks since it will cause the cream to scorch and separate; instead, we add ours at the very end to lend the perfect creaminess to the soup.
- Before adding it to the soup, leave the cream cheese at room temperature to ensure it combines well.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Carol
Friday 12th of August 2022
I was nervous about the spice level, but this was perfect! I added a bit of sour cream to my kids bowls and everyone loved it.
Tressa Jamil
Friday 12th of August 2022
Yes, it's always a win when everyone loves the meal.