Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

This Instant Pot white chicken chili is hearty, comforting, and has a nice kick of heat. It’s packed with tons of flavor, but takes less than 45 minutes to make in the pressure cooker! 

Chili is one of my favorite foods, especially during fall and winter. It’s so soothing, filling, and hearty, and there are so many fun variations. This Instant Pot white chicken chili is one of my favorite chili recipes. It has tons of different flavors, with spices and veggies galore. And it has the perfect amount of heat thanks to fresh jalapeño peppers. 

But the best thing about this white chicken chili dish is how easy it is to make. Because it’s made in an Instant Pot, it only takes about 40 minutes … but it tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all day long! Add in the fact that it’s a pretty healthy dish, and I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed if you try out this recipe. 

What You’ll Need

Here are all the ingredients that you need to make Instant Pot white chicken chili. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts of each ingredient.

• Olive oil
• Onion – I like to use yellow onions for this recipe, but white or red onions work well, too.
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Jalapeño – Remove the seeds from the jalapeño for this recipe.
• Smoked paprika
• Cumin
• Dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• Fire-roasted tomatoes
• Chicken broth – Try to use a low-sodium stock.
• Chicken – Boneless, skinless thighs are best for this recipe.
• White beans – Make sure your beans are drained and rinsed. 
• Corn – You can use fresh, canned, or frozen corn for this recipe.
• Sour cream
• Lime
• Cilantro – Cilantro is a topping, and I recommend using other toppings too, like tortilla chips, lime wedges, and avocado.

How to Make Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Here’s how to make this quick and easy dinner.

• Cook the veggies. Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, while stirring, until the veggies begin to soften, which should take about 5 minutes.

• Add the seasonings. Add the jalapeño, garlic, paprika, cumin, and oregano to the Instant Pot.  Cook while stirring, until fragrant. This should take about 1 minute. 
• Add the chicken. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot, along with the chicken broth and canned tomatoes. Stir to combine.

• Cook. Put the lid on the Instant Pot, and cook the chili on the high pressure cooker setting for 15 minutes, then manually release the pressure.
• Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot, and place it on a plate. Shred the chicken with forks. 

• Finish the chili. Put the chicken back in the Instant Pot, along with the beans, corn, sour cream, and lime juice. Stir to combine.

• Serve. Ladle the Instant Pot white chicken chili into bowls, and top with cilantro and any other optional garnishes.

Tips for Success

Here are some of my tricks and tips for making this recipe. 

• Use a homemade broth. One great way to take any soup, stew, or chili to the next level is to use homemade stock. You can get so much flavor into the dish this way. If you don't want to make a chicken broth, try making my Instant Pot mushroom vegan bone broth recipe.
• Make consistent cuts. Try to cut your vegetables to similar sizes for this recipe. That way they’ll cook consistently, and all the pieces will be a similar texture.
• Adjust the spice. One of the keys to a good chili is to have the right spice level. Some people want a chili that has just a tiny hint of heat, while other people want to be sweating. This recipe calls for a seeded jalapeño, but add or subtract heat depending on your taste buds. For less heat, add less of the jalapeño. For more heat, either add more jalapeños, add the seeds, or supplement the peppers with chili powder. 

What to Serve With White Chicken Chili

This might not be a traditional chili, but it still goes wonderfully with cornbread! I also like to serve this chili with a salad to lighten it up. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to serve with this white bean and chicken chili.

• One bowl vegan pumpkin cornbread
• Butternut squash and sage cornbread
• Pear and arugula salad
• Watermelon and goat cheese salad with spiced nuts

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

This chili will last in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat until warm all the way through, 5-10 minutes. 

Can This Recipe Be Frozen? 

You can definitely freeze this recipe. Just store the Instant Pot white chicken chili in an airtight container, and freeze for 3 months. Defrost or thaw before reheating. 

More Instant Pot Meals

This isn’t my only fun recipe to make in an Instant Pot. Check out some other dishes to try making!

• Instant Pot spicy black beans
• Instant Pot lentil chili
• Instant Pot vegan wild rice soup

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

This Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe is hearty, rich, and super healthy. It has the perfect amount of kick, and only takes 40 minutes to make.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 472kcal

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion , chopped
• 2 medium carrots , chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 3 celery ribs , chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 jalapeño , seeded and minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 14.5- oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 lb. boneless , skinless chicken thighs
• 2 15- oz can white beans , drained and rinsed (such as Great Northern Beans)
• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen, fresh or canned and drained)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 lime , juiced
• Chopped cilantro
• Optional toppings: diced avocado , tortilla chips, lime wedges

Instructions

• Heat the oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté setting. When hot, add the celery, carrot, and onion, and cook, stirring, until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, jalapeño, paprika, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and chicken. Stir.
• Lock the lid in place and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. When the cook time ends, manually release the pressure. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred with two forks, then return to the pot. Add the beans, corn, sour cream, and lime juice and stir to combine.
• Serve with cilantro and other toppings of your choice.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat on the stove over medium heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 1500mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4025IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 6mg