This White Chicken Chili proves that chili doesn’t have to be red and meaty to be delicious. Plus, thanks to Instant Pot, this version is ready in a fraction of the time!
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
Generous amounts of shredded chicken, tender cannellini beans, and veggies (green only, please!) give this white chili its unique look.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
White chili can be brothy or creamy, served with tons of toppings, or just with a handful of fresh cilantro and some warm, charred tortillas. This one has a hint of dairy but isn’t super thick. You can style and dress it up however you like.
This version is a riff on Elise’s White Chili. Quick and easy to make in an electric pressure cooker with cooked beans (canned or homemade) and boneless chicken!
How to make White Chicken Chili in the Instant Pot
If you’re using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, it’s best not to pressure cook dairy products, as they tend to curdle and then make a mess when the pressure is released. (New to Instant Pot? Check out our post How To Use an Instant Pot: A First-Timer’s Guide.)
Of course, you can also omit it entirely to make the dish dairy-free! If you go this route, I’d recommend a squeeze of fresh lime juice to add some zing.
Simple tip!
To make this using dry beans instead of canned beans, first pressure cook 1 cup dry kidney beans (e.g. kidney beans) using these instructions for our quick no-soak beans. Then add the cooked beans to the chili if requested in step 2.
Favorite toppings for White Chicken Chili
This chili is great served on its own, but you can spice it up with some toppings if you like! Some of my favorites include a sprinkling of spicy cheddar cheese, crumbled corn chips, diced yellow onions, chopped fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapeños.
What to serve with White Chicken Chili
I usually serve chili with a stack of reheated tortillas or a piece of cornbread. Rice is good, too — you can scoop the chilli right on top for a one-bowl meal.
More great chili recipes!
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Chili
- Spicy vegetarian chili
- Pressure Cooker Ground Beef Chili
- Chili con carne
- Chili mac and cheese
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
You can also make this recipe with leftover shredded or diced cooked chicken or turkey. Reduce cooking time to 5 minutes on high pressure.
For a thicker chili: After the chili is cooked, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Use the sauté setting on your pressure cooker to simmer the chili for a minute or two until thickened.
For a dairy-free chilileave out the sour cream.
For Stovetop Pressure Cookers: Sweat the vegetables, herbs, and spices over medium-high heat according to directions. Cook the chili on high pressure for 8 minutes, performing a quick or natural pressure release, then proceeding with the recipe as directed, shredding the chicken and returning to the pot with the sour cream and cilantro.
ingredients
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2 tablespoon olive oil
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4 Garlic cloves, chopped
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1 big green paprikacored and chopped
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2 jalapeno pepperseeded and chopped (if you like it spicy, leave the seeds in)
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3 ribs celerychopped
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1 Middle yellow onion, chopped
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2 teaspoon ground cumin
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2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon ground coriander
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1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, optional
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2 teaspoon Salt
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2 (15-ounce) cans Cannellini beansrinsed and drained (or 3 cups homemade beans)
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1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken Breasts, tender or thighs
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1 Cup chicken soup
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1 Cup sour cream
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1/2 Cup chopped fresh coriander
method
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Sweat garlic and vegetables:
Select the frying setting of your pressure cooker and heat the olive oil and garlic for 2 minutes until the garlic is bubbly.
Add the peppers, jalapeños, celery, and onion and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
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Add the spices, beans and chicken:
Add the cumin, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt and sauté an additional 1 minute, until fragrant.
Pour the beans over the vegetables, layer the chicken pieces on top and pour in the broth. Don’t stir.
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Pressure Cook the Chicken:
Secure the lid of your pressure cooker in its locked position. Cancel the sauté program, then select the manual setting and set the cooking time to 15 minutes at high pressure. (The pot needs about 10 minutes to build up pressure before the cooking program starts.)
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release pressure:
Perform a quick pressure relief by placing the pressure cooker lid in its vented position, or allow the pressure to release naturally.
At this point, you can also leave the chili on your pressure cooker’s keep warm function for up to 10 hours, then continue with the recipe when ready to serve.
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Shred and Season Chicken:
When the pressure is completely released, open the pot and use tongs to place the chicken on a carving board or bowl. Break the chicken into pieces with two forks.
Return the shredded chicken to the saucepan along with the sour cream and cilantro and stir. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
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Serve Chili:
Pour the chili into bowls. Serve hot with tortillas or cornbread on the side.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 519 | calories |
| 28g | Fat |
| 30g | carbohydrates |
| 38g | protein |
