Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is brimming with bold spices, shredded chicken, white beans and green chilies. It’s a full-bodied chili that’s easy and fast to make, and wonderfully filling!

Need an easy, filling dinner recipe that’s fast to make? Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is the perfect solution.

It’s loaded with vegetables, earthy spices, loads of chicken and filling white beans. 

Creamy Monterey Jack is the finishing touch for this cold weather favorite recipe!

It’s a great break from traditional chili and just as delicious.

White Chicken Chili Ingredients

What’s in this delicious chili?

Don’t let the length of the ingredient list scare you.

The majority of the ingredients are spices or ingredients that don’t require preparation.

• Olive Oil
• Onion
• Celery
• Garlic
• Boneless chicken thighs
• Diced Green Chilies
• Navy beans (or Great Northern Beans)
• Spices
  • Cumin
  • Garlic Powder
  • Oregano
  • Coriander
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Cayenne Pepper
• Chicken Broth
• Monterey Jack cheese

I suggest garnishing the top of the chili with chopped cilantro or Italian parsley.

Serve with this delicious Cornbread recipe!

Time Saving Preparation Tip

Use a mini chopper to chop the vegetables.

Because they are all being sauteed together, they can all go into the mini chopper together too!

Ingredient Notes

Chicken Thighs vs Chicken Breasts

Chicken thighs have more flavor than chicken breasts.

For a lighter flavored chili like this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili, that’s a plus.

They also do not dry out as chicken breasts can.

That being said if you want to swap chicken breasts into the recipe, that’s ok.

Canned Green Chilies

Canned green chilies are available whole or diced. Select ‘diced’.

Mild or hot diced chilies can be used based on your desired amount of heat.

How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili – Step-by-Step

This recipe was developed with a 6 Quart Instant Pot.

STEP 1: Select ‘SAUTE’ on the Instant Pot. Heat the oil and add the onion, celery and garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent (photos 1-3).

STEP 2: Place the chicken thighs on the vegetables, followed by the green chiles, beans and spices (photos 4-8). DO NOT STIR.

STEP 3: Add the broth (photo 9). Seal the Instant Pot. Cook on MANUAL (High Pressure) for 15 minutes. 

STEP 4: When cooking is complete perform a QUICK RELEASE (photo 10 – post cooking).

STEP 5: Remove the chicken and shred using one of the two suggested methods in the recipe card.

OPTIONAL: to thicken the chili, use a hand held mixer or immersion blender to pulverize some of the chili (photo 11).

STEP 6: Add the cheese, stir in to melt.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or Italian parsley and serve hot.

PRO TIP

After sauteing the vegetables be sure to scrape free any food particles sticking to the bottom of the instant Pot insert.

Sticking food is known to trigger a burn warning in some Instant Pot models.

How to Store Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

In the Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

In the Freezer

Place in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

To thaw: place in the refrigerator overnight.

No Instant Pot? No worries! Try this conventional recipe instead Spicy White Bean Chicken Chili.

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

• Instant Pot Jambalaya
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Vegetable Beef Soup
• Gingerbread Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
• Southwestern Instant Pot Short Ribs
• Cuban Instant Pot Beef Stew (Carne Con Papas)

More Recipes to Try

• Best Chili Recipes (Something for Everyone!)
• Shortcut French Cassoulet – a Peasant Stew You’ll Love!
• Chicken Enchilada recipe
• Jalapeno Corn Chicken Chowder
• Red Chili
• Chicken and Biscuits

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5 from 24 votes

Print

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Creamy, spicy white chicken chili is made quickly and easily in the Instant Pot! A great chili variation for a soul-warming comfort food.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken chili recipe, instant pot chili, white chili recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Estimated Time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6 serves 4-6

Calories 281 kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 stalk celery finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies (mild or hot) undrained
• 3 15-ounce cans Navy beans or Great Northern Beans drained
• 2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground Coriander
• 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper optional depending on desired spice level
• 2 cups Chicken broth
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE mode and add in oil, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions are soft and translucent. Turn off sauté mode. NOTE: be sure to scrape free any cooked bits sticking to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert to avoid a BURN warning.

2. Layer the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables. Pour the green chilies on top of the chicken.

3. Add the beans, followed by the spices. Add broth. Do not stir.

4. Seal the lid on Instant Pot, and select MANUAL (HIGH PRESSURE mode). Set time for 15 minutes. NOTE: It will take roughly 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

5. When cooking is complete, perform a QUICK RELEASE to release pressure.

6. Remove the chicken thighs using tongs.

7. Shredding the chicken: Shred the chicken either using 2 forks to pull the meat apart OR place the chicken into a standing mixer with the paddle attachment to run briefly on the lowest setting to shred the meat. Add the shredded chicken back to the chili in the Instant Pot.

8. If thicker chili is desired use a hand held mixer or immersion blender to break down some of the beans to a desired thickness.

9. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese until melted.
10. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro or parsley, and cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Estimated time for Instant Pot to come to pressure: 10 minutes. time may vary between pressure cookers.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Amount Per Serving

Calories 281 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Cholesterol 91mg30%

Sodium 1230mg51%

Potassium 320mg9%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 392IU8%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 177mg18%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is a soul-warming easy dinner recipe you can make in a flash!