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You’ll love this delicious and simple Instant Pot White Chicken Chili recipe! Packed with flavor and ready in a flash, this creamy white bean chili is sure to become a family favorite. You’ll also find slow cooker instructions included.
Soup lovers rejoice because this Instant Pot Chicken Chili is like a hearty and snuggly hug in a bowl!
It’s also the kind of recipe that everyone loves on a busy weeknight – push a button and walk away.
Serve your chicken chili up with Air Fryer Texas Toast or Air Fryer Cornbread and life will be complete.
If you’re looking for red chili, you’ll love our easy butternut squash chili.
How to thicken White Chicken Chili
If you prefer an even thicker chili, you have multiple options with this recipe:
- Mash more of the beans before cooking.
- Thicken the finished chili with a cornstarch slurry (see recipe card for details).
- Use an immersion blender to puree a bit of the chili after it has cooked.
- Double the cream cheese.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If you want to double your Instant Pot white bean chili, the cooking time remains the same. If using a 6-quart Instant Pot, make sure the ingredients don’t go above the max fill line and allow for a full natural release.
- Warming the milk and cream cheese for ~30 seconds in the microwave will help it blend into the soup more easily.
- Instead of canned dry beans, you can make a batch in your Instant Pot before cooking the chili. Add 2 cups of dried white beans and 6 cups of water. Cook for 30 minutes at manual high pressure and allow for a full natural release.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
You'll love this delicious and simple Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe. Packed with flavor and ready in a flash, this creamy white bean chili is sure to become a family favorite. You'll also find slow cooker instructions included.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast {Cut into 1/2 inch pieces}
- 3 cups white beans {2, 15 oz cans, drained}
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup onion {diced}
- 3 cloves garlic {minced}
- 4 oz mild green chilis {1 small can}
- 2 tsp medium chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano {dried}
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup whole milk {warmed}
- 4 oz cream cheese {1/2 brick, warmed}
- 3 tbsp cornstarch {optional}
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of cooked beans to the Instant Pot and mash using a potato masher or pastry cutter.
- Pour in chicken stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the smashed beans off the bottom of the pot (this will prevent a burn notice).3 cups chicken stock
- Add all other ingredients except the milk and cream cheese. Stir.3 cups white beans, 1 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic, 4 oz mild green chilis, 2 tsp medium chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 lb chicken breast
- Lock the lid into place and set the steam release handle (valve on top) to “Sealing”. Press Manual>High Pressure>5 minutes.
- When the chili has finished cooking, the Instant Pot will beep and switch to ”keep warm". Allow it to sit with the lid on for 10 minutes and then do a manual release with the nozzle set to venting.
- Add the warmed cream cheese and warmed milk and stir to combine. If you're using cold cream cheese, you may need to put the Instant Pot on "saute" for a few minutes while stirring before it will incorporate.4 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup whole milk
- {OPTIONAL} To thicken: combine 3 tbsp of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of broth from the instant pot in a small bowl (this creates a “slurry”). Whisk well and stir into the chili. Press "saute" on the Instant Pot and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.3 tbsp cornstarch
Notes
- If you want to double the recipe, the cooking time remains the same. If using a 6-quart Instant Pot, make sure the ingredients don’t go above the max fill line and allow for a full natural release.
- Instead of milk and cream cheese, sub in a can of full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add 1 cup of beans to the slow cooker and mash.
- Add all other ingredients except the milk and cream cheese. Stir.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- 30 minutes prior to serving, add the milk and cream cheese and continue cooking with the lid on until they are incorporated.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 18gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 634mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 358IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @sustainablecooks or tag #sustainablecooks!
I made this in my Slow cooker – thanks so much for posting how to do that. I didn’t have any pinto beans but I did have Northern beans on hand so I used that. Yum!! I also used Better than Bouillon Chicken base. Again, thanks so much for posting this recipe. The gentleman I am seeing has gout and can not have any beef, pork or lamb so this was perfect for him.
Kathi, I’m glad it was a hit for both you and met his needs and yours! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
This is so good! I’m making it right now for the 2nd time this month. I threw in a cup or so of frozen corn at my daughter’s request.
Ohhh, love the idea of the corn, Amy! Glad it was a hit for all of you.
Wow! This was fantastic. A favorite of my awesome mother in laws, I hadn’t tried it before and the whole family loved it!
So glad you and the crew enjoyed it! Tell Carol hi for us. 🙂
Made this last night and got three thumbs up! I loved it too! It needs to be a little spicier but it was so creamy and warm on a cold winter’s night! I would order this and eat this in a restaurant; I consider it restaurant-quality food. (And trust me, although my family likes my cooking, half the stuff I make, I’m like, Meh…) Great job, Sarah!
So glad you enjoyed it, Melissa! But I hope you know that now I am picturing someone in your family having three thumbs… 🙂
This is my crew’s favorite soup right now! It tastes delish on day 1 and even better on days 2 and 3! Everyone cheers when they hear it’s what’s for dinner. Pair it with some corn bread and I have a fast meal done on crazy weeknights. Everyone walks away from the table satisfied and fighting over who gets the leftovers the next day. Win in my book! Great recipe Sarah!
I love the fact that soup/chili/stew improves with time! So glad you all enjoy it so much.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂
Made this tonite – mashed an entire can of beans (so, more than a C), used goat cheese instead of cream cheese (cause I had it), and forgot to put in the 3rd C of chicken broth and it was perfect. Very easy, very tasty!
My husband called it a morale booster. My 10 year old son called it an award winner! We loved the flavor! Nice job on this recipe!!!! I added cheddar cheese after the cream cheese and the milk. Definitely thickened it up and added some tortilla chips when served. Delish!!!!
Glad you liked it and were able to adapt it to your preference!!
Am I missing when I add the cream cheese and milk within the Instant Pot instructions? After the manual release?
Gosh, yes Lisa, sorry! Updated the recipe to clarify. So sorry!