Instant Pot white chicken chili is creamy, spicy, and on the table in under an hour with almost no hands-on work. Dump the ingredients in, pressure cook, shred the chicken, stir in half and half and a cornstarch slurry at the end. It is the chili I make when I want something hearty without standing over the stove.
The green chilies and cayenne give it a slow, warm heat. The half and half rounds it out without making it heavy. This is the chili I bring to potlucks when I am tired of red chili.
Why This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Works
The Instant Pot does the work of an afternoon simmer in 20 minutes of pressure cooking. The chicken gets tender enough to shred with a fork. The spices meld like they have been on the stove for hours. You open the lid and the chili tastes like effort.
Canned Great Northern beans are the right bean here. They are creamy and mild and hold their shape through pressure cooking. Drain and rinse them so the chili is not soupy. Cannellini or navy beans work too.
Half and half goes in at the end, on sauté. If it goes in before pressure cooking, it can scorch or separate. Add it with the corn and let it warm through. It gives the chili a velvety finish without heavy cream or a roux.
The cornstarch slurry is the last step. Two teaspoons of cornstarch whisked into two teaspoons of water, stirred in, and simmered on sauté for about three minutes. It thickens the chili just enough so it coats the spoon instead of running off it. Skip the slurry and the chili is a soup. Do not skip it.
What to Serve with White Chicken Chili
My cornbread muffins are on the table in 20 minutes. Tortilla chips or a hunk of crusty bread work too.Top it with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and tortilla strips. A dollop of sour cream if you want it richer.
Make Ahead and Storage
This chili is better the next day. The spices settle in and the heat evens out. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen it up.
More Instant Pot Chili Recipes
For more chili, browse my chili recipes. My Instant Pot chili with beans is a classic red chili done in half the time.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 onion - diced
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 15 oz cans - northern beans
- 1 can green chilies
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 11 oz whole kernel corn
- ¼ cup half & half
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon water
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
Garnish (Optional)
- cilantro
- shredded cheese - mozzarella
- avocado - sliced
- tortilla strips
- lime
Instructions
- Add onion and garlic, and beans to the Instant Pot.
- Add the chicken breasts, spices, and green chilies.
- Top with 3 cups of chicken broth.
- Close and seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL for 20 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to NATURAL RELEASE for 15 minutes before taking the lid off.
- Remove chicken breasts and shred. I use a hand mixer for this.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the pot.
- Set to SAUTE, add in half & half and corn, stir.
- Add together 2 tsp of cornstarch and 2 teaspoon of water. Blend and add to Instant Pot to chicken chili.
- Saute for about 3 minutes.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- Drain and rinse the canned beans before adding them. The chili will be too soupy otherwise.
- Do not add the half and half before pressure cooking. It can scorch or separate under heat. Stir it in on sauté at the end with the corn.
- Shred the chicken with a hand mixer right in the pot. It takes about 30 seconds and gets it finer than two forks.
- The cornstarch slurry needs cold water. Hot water makes it clump. Whisk it smooth before pouring it in, then simmer on sauté for about 3 minutes to thicken.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The chili thickens as it sits. Add a splash of chicken broth when you reheat it.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
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Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Has putting the canned northern beans in at the beginning, made them mushy (after 20 minutes of pressure cooking)? Also – the recipe doesn’t mention shredding the chicken breast after it has cooked. But obviously, I should do that, yes?
Hi Pat!
It does not make them mushy, only tender. Yes, you should shred the chicken breasts. I use my hand mixer because it's really quick. 🙂
Making this tonight to break in my instant pot!!! Super intrigued to give it a try. I hope I like it! I think it'll be yummy.