Instant Pot White Chicken Chili


Author: Lisa Childs

Comments: 7

Category: Chicken Recipes

Published Date: October 28, 2021

Updated Date: January 12, 2023

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This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe is the grownup version of your grandma’s recipe: healthy and delicious, it’s ready to eat in 15 minutes! Dairy Free suggestions in the post.

Instant pot white chicken chili topped with cilantro and buttered cornbread in a dark blue bowl next to a buttered knife and cornbread in front of a muffin tin of cornbread

Instant Pot white chicken chili

This Instant Pot white chicken chili is probably my favorite chicken chili recipe of all time. It’s a great alternative to the traditional tomato-based beef chili: where tomato chili is dark and heavy, this one is light and creamy.

It’s also perfectly customizable! You can easily adjust the seasonings and heat to suit your preferences.

And as if that wasn’t enough, this chicken chili recipe can be done in 15 minutes. It has protein, it has carbs, it has fiber—it is balanced—and it’s ready from grocery bags to soup bowls in under 15 minutes!

Just try to tell me that this isn’t the best chicken chili. 

White bean chicken chili 

White chicken chili goes by many names: one of those is white bean chicken chili. As the name suggests, beans are an integral part of this chicken chili recipe! I use great northern beans. They’re tender, soft, and lusciously smooth.

You can buy great northern beans in a can (that’s the easiest way), or you can buy them dry and rehydrate them yourself.

I usually just buy them in a can and pop them right in, but buying the beans dry is a great way to save some cash if you’re trying to reduce your grocery bill!

Top view of Instant pot white chicken chili topped with cilantro in dark blue bowl next to corn bread and buttered knife below of another bowl of chili and tin of cornbread

White turkey chili 

You can substitute ground turkey for the chicken in this recipe. I recommend marinating the ground turkey with a little oil, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper to add additional flavor. 

Ground turkey is very lean and is a healthy alternative to red or dark meat. If you’re concerned about the health difference between chicken and turkey, there really isn’t one!

Both meats are great sources of lean protein. In the end, the choice really just comes down to your preference in flavor and consistency. 

Creamy white chicken chili 

Some white chicken chilis get the “white” distinction from using white beans and have no additional dairy.

This recipe uses both sour cream and heavy cream to get a really creamy white chicken chili. I love the slight tang from the sour cream and the richness of the cream!

Close up of instant pot white chicken chili topped with cilantro and in a dark blue bowl in front of corn bread and next to a butter knife with butter

You may also substitute greek yogurt for the sour cream if you’re wanting to chop those extra calories.

Dairy free white chicken chili

If you’d prefer a dairy-free white chicken chili, add an additional can of white beans and an additional 1 ½ cups of chicken broth. It won’t be quite as creamy, but it’s close—and it’s good!

You can also pulse up some of the beans in a food processor to add a bit of additional thickness (akin to what the sour cream would have added).

How to make Instant Pot white chicken chili

It’s easier to make the best chicken chili than you might think! Follow these easy 4 steps and you’ll be ready to serve in no time.

If you’re short on time, you can skip step one and two and just add everything except the dairy to the Instant Pot and cook as directed.

Instant pot white chicken chili topped with cilantro in dark blue bowl next to corn bread and buttered knife in front of another bowl of chili and muffin tin of cornbread

Step 1: Prep

Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. Once it’s hot, add the butter and onion and let them cook for a bit, adding in the garlic during the last minute. Make sure to stir these constantly so that they don’t burn!

Step 2: Season

While the onions are cooking, mix the remaining spices together and use them to coat the chicken. 

Add the chicken to the pot and saute for an additional 4-6 minutes.

Step 3: Deglaze

Use chicken broth to deglaze the pot—be sure, as usual, to scrape off any browned bits that might’ve stuck to the bottom of your pan! Those would burn once the pressure cooking starts, and nobody wants that. 

Turn off saute mode, lock the lid and turn to sealing, then pressure cook on high for two minutes. Follow it up with a quick release (it’ll take about 5 minutes). 

Step 4: Add dairy

Now that the soup is cooked, add in the sour cream and cream, stir, and serve! If you opted for a dairy-free chili, you’ll be able to skip this step altogether. 

I like to serve my chicken chili with a nice warm crust of bread and a sprinkle of green onions on top as a garnish. For some greens as a side, try my Instant Pot Green Beans or Instant Pot Broccoli. They’re both family favorites around here and guaranteed to please.

Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Graphic of Instant Pot White Chicken Chili with a picture of a bowl of chili with corn muffins on the side.

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe is the grownup version of your grandma’s recipe: healthy and delicious, it’s ready to eat in 15 minutes!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 510kcal
Author: Lisa Childs

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon butter or oil
  • one large onion diced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1, 4 ounce can of chopped green chiles
  • 2 cans Great Northern Beans drained
  • 1 cup corn fresh, frozen, or canned
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup half and half or heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Press the saute button on the Instant Pot and adjust to high. Add butter and onion and let saute for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and saute for one minute more. Stir constantly to ensure the onions do not brown or burn.
  • While the onion is sauteing, season the chopped chicken with cumin, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Mix to coat the chicken. Add to the onion, and saute for 4 minutes.
  • Deglaze the pot with chicken broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the green chiles, beans, and corn. Stir together.
  • Turn off saute mode, then lock the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the knob to sealing, and pressure cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Perform a quick release (takes about 5 minutes to completely depressurize).
  • Stir in the sour cream and half and half or heavy cream and serve immediately.

NOTES

  • Sautéing the onion and chicken is recommended for added flavor, but not necessary. For an even easier white chicken chili recipe, add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot except for the sour cream and heavy cream and cook as directed. Stir in the dairy products at the end as written.
  • *For extra protein, add an additional chicken breast (one chicken breast is usually about 1 pound.)

NUTRITION

Serving: 1g | Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1140mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g
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      I don’t think this chili is very spicy. In fact, I always add extra cayenne to mine! The 1/4 teaspoon cayenne gives the chili great flavor. If you’re worried about too much spice, I would use half the amount of green chilies before omitting the cayenne!

  2. 5 stars
    This is my absolute favorite WCChili recipe and you are my absolute favorite Instant Pot person! This is the first place I come for recipes. I am so anxious to make this recipe again but when I made it the first time, there was a metalic after taste. I’ve been trying to figure out what that could have been. Any ideas?

    1. Hey Robyn, it’s Aubrey, Lisa’s head copywriter. Thanks so much for the kind comment. I asked Lisa about your metallic taste conundrum and here is her response: “Hmm. I can only think that there may be something in one of your ingredients or perhaps residue on the pot. But I don’t believe this to be a recipe issue. I actually had this happen to me once and it was because I had some dental work start leaking!”

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Hi! I'm Lisa!


I founded Tried, Tested, and True in 2019 to help moms like me develop confidence and joy in the kitchen.

Since then, I have taught millions of home cooks around the world through our tried and true recipes and Youtube tutorials.

In 2021, I wrote my first book called, “I Love My Instant Pot: Cooking for One”!

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