Warm up with a cozy bowl of Instant Pot White Chicken Chili! There really is nothing more satisfying than a bowl of chili to warm you up on a cold day. And this is the perfect meal for those days when you want something hearty and comforting, but don’t feel like cooking.
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This dump and start recipe is not only creamy, comforting, and delicious but it’s super easy! In fact, this recipe is so easy to make that it’s perfect for inexperienced and unconfident cooks. You can’t beat how fast you’ll go from start to finish and the flavor is just amazing!
Another thing you’ll love about this recipe is that it can be customized with whatever your family likes best! One of the great things about white chicken chili is that you can make it as spicy or mild as you want – just add or omit the jalapenos to suit your taste buds. And everyone can make it their own by adding their favorite toppings.
Quick, easy, versatile, and tasty. If that’s the type of recipe you’re looking to make, then White Chicken Chili is the perfect dish for you! Give this recipe a try tonight – I promise you won’t be disappointed!
“This was delicious! It’s just me and my husband. We had it for dinner 2 nights in a row.” – Julie
What is White Chicken Chili?
If you’re not familiar with White Chicken Chili or White Bean Chili, it’s a creamy white chili made with white beans, shredded chicken, and lots of flavorful spices. It’s like a hearty chicken and bean stew with loads of Tex-Mex flavor. While White Chicken Chili is a favorite dish for the colder winter months, it’s also light enough to be enjoyed in warmer months.
My recipe for Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili is scrumptious. It has just the right amount of spiciness to it. I’m certain it’ll be the best White Chicken Chili you’ll make in your pressure cooker!
Ingredients For Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
This is a dump-and-start recipe and the ingredients are all simple. I’m sure that you’ll have most of them on hand. Here is everything that you’ll need:
- Shredded Chicken: You’ll need some shredded, already cooked, chicken. You can use a rotisserie chicken and shred it yourself or do like I do and buy a couple of tubs of pre-shredded chicken at your grocery store. Another easy option is you can cook your chicken in your Instant Pot ahead of time using my Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe.
- Chicken Stock: I like to use unsalted chicken stock as the base for this chili. Choosing unsalted allows me to adjust the saltiness to exactly where I want it. My favorite is the unsalted chicken stock from Kitchen Basics.
- Spices: You’ll need some common spices like ground cumin, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and kosher salt. I bet you already have them all in the pantry.
- Great Northern Beans: This chili is made with white beans, and these medium-sized white beans are perfect. Great Northern beans have a mild, nutty flavor and firm flesh. They’re perfect because they hold their shape well and take on the flavors of the chili.
- Whole Kernel Corn: Corn adds a delicious crunch and mild sweetness to the chili.
- Salsa Verde: For the Salsa Verde, I love using the Hatch Green Chile Salsa Verde from H-E-B. Most green salsas are made with tomatillos, but this one is made with hatch green chiles. This salsa has a roasted smoky flavor that’s perfect for this chili.
- Diced Jalapeños: Jalapenos are perfect for spicing things up a bit. You can omit these if you’re not a fan of spicy foods.
- Rotel: The juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes, green chilies and flavorful spices in Rotel are a perfect match for this chili recipe.
- Lime Juice: We’ll be adding a little extra punch of tang and flavor by squeezing a splash of lime juice into the chili.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese not only helps thicken this chicken chili but it also makes it deliciously creamy.
- Corn Flour: Corn flour will not only thicken the chili but it also adds some texture and earthy, sweet flavor.
- Toppings: This wonderful White Chicken Chili is even better when you load it up with toppings. Some favorites are any shredded white cheese like White Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Queso Fresco. Crumbly cheeses like Cotija are also a great addition. You can also choose to add tortilla chips, cilantro, or pico.
That’s everything. The great thing about this recipe is that there is virtually no prep involved. Just dump all the ingredients in the pot and you’re good to go.
Substitutions For Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Do you have a question about substituting items in this recipe? I’ve got the answers below! I have anticipated some of the questions that you might have and you’ll find the answers here. If you have any other questions that are not covered below, please leave them in the comments section.
CAN I USE A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN?
I’d actually recommend rotisserie chicken as the best option for this chili as long as you’re okay with taking the time to shred it. A rotisserie chicken will add the best flavor to this chili, by far. If, on the other hand, you don’t feel like shredding chicken, then picking up pre-shredded chicken at the supermarket is your best bet.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT SALSA VERDE?
Absolutely! Any salsa verde will work great with this recipe. While I prefer the H-E-B salsa verde made with hatch green chiles, I have also tried this recipe using salsa verde made with tomatillos and it also tastes amazing.
DO I HAVE TO ADD THE CREAM CHEESE?
You don’t have to, but I highly, highly recommend adding it. It just makes this chili so much thicker, richer, and tastier. Otherwise, the chili will be quite a bit soupier, less hearty, and less flavorful.
How To Thicken White Chicken Chili
To help thicken this chili, the recipe calls for cream cheese and a cornflour slurry. In addition to thickening the chili, the cream cheese will also add a rich creaminess that’s unbeatable. And the addition of cornflour not only thickens but adds a wonderful texture to the chili. To make this chili even thicker, you can double the cornflour slurry and/or let the chili sit on ‘Warm’ after cooking until it thickens to your desired consistency.
“OK, I love the recipe! Cooked it at least 10 times in the last 10 months. SO easy.” – Rob
What Toppings Are Good With White Chicken Chili?
You can top this chili with just about anything that you’d top a taco with. Some favorites are shredded cheese, crumbly cheese, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, cilantro, and hot sauce.
What To Serve With White Chicken Chili?
If you’re looking for a side for this chili, then I’d recommend serving it with anything that you’d normally serve with any Tex-Mex meal. Homemade guacamole and chips are a good option. Spanish rice or cilantro lime rice also makes for a great side dish for this recipe.
What Beans Should I Use For White Chicken Chili?
Great Northern Beans are the perfect bean for this chili. They’re white and not as small as navy beans but not nearly as large as cannellini beans. Their mild nuttiness is the perfect match for this chili. Plus, they hold their shape well and will easily soak up all the flavors of the spices ensuring that you get a burst of flavor in every bite.
What Spices Go In White Chicken Chili?
This recipe calls for a handful of common chili spices including ground cumin, onion powder, chili powder, and garlic powder.
Essential Items
Here are some essential prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.
Featured Items
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12 Must-Have Instant Pot Cookbooks
If you’re looking for a cookbook with easy and reliable Instant Pot recipes, then check out my list of approved Instant Pot Cookbooks.
How to Make White Chicken Chili in the Instant Pot
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious White Chicken Chili recipe, look no further than this Instant Pot version! This recipe is simple to follow and yields a wonderfully flavorful chili that the whole family will love. Best of all, it’s ready in just minutes thanks to the Instant Pot. This recipe is easy and requires only a few steps which I’ll walk you through step by step. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather The Ingredients
This recipe for White Chicken Chili includes shredded chicken, a wonderful array of spices, and canned beans and vegetables. Here is a full list of all the ingredients you will need to make this quick and simple recipe:
- (2) cups unsalted chicken stock
- (4) cups cooked and shredded chicken
- (1) tablespoon ground cumin
- (1) tablespoon onion powder
- (1) teaspoon chili powder
- (½) teaspoon garlic powder
- (½) teaspoon kosher salt
- (2) 15.8 ounce cans Great Northern Beans
- (1) 15.25 ounce can whole kernel corn
- (1) 16 ounce jar salsa verde
- (1) 4 ounce can diced jalapeños
- (1) 10 ounce can Rotel Original
- (2) tablespoons lime juice
- (1) 8 ounce package cream cheese
- (¼) cup corn flour
Step 2: Make A Corn Flour Slurry
You’ll start by making a slurry using cornflour and some chicken stock. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the ¼ cup of cornflour with ½ a cup of unsalted chicken stock. Set the slurry aside for now.
Step 3: Add The Stock, Chicken, And Spices To The Pot
Next, you’ll add the remaining 1 ½ cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of shredded chicken to the Instant Pot. Then add all the spices:
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Give all the ingredients a good stir until they are thoroughly mixed.
Step 4: Add The Canned Ingredients
Then you will dump all the canned ingredients, with their juices (no need for draining), into the pot. Add them to the pot in the following order:
- Great Northern Beans
- whole kernel corn
- salsa verde
- diced jalapeños
- Rotel
Do not mix the canned ingredients! Otherwise, the tomatoes may stick to the bottom of the pot and cause a burn message.
Step 5: Add The Remaining Ingredients
Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice to the pot. Then cut an 8-ounce package of cream cheese into small cubes and place the cubes on top of the other ingredients in the pot. Pour the cornflour slurry over the top of all the other ingredients.
Again, do not mix the ingredients! This is a dump and start recipe after all.
Step 6: Cook The Chili
With all the ingredients in the pot, it is now time to securely place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the pressure release valve to ‘Sealing’.
Set A 2-Minute Cook Time
Set the Instant Pot to cook at high pressure for 2 minutes. You will do this by selecting either the ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ function on the display. Adjust the pressure level to ‘High Pressure’ and using the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ buttons, adjust the cooking time to 2 minutes.
Perform An 8-Minute Natural Pressure Release
Once the cooking time is complete, you will let the Instant Pot perform a Natural Pressure Release for 8-minutes. That means that once the pot has completed counting down the 2-minute cook time, it will then begin counting up while it slowly and “naturally” releases pressure. So, you will not touch the pot until the digital display reads L0:08. This will give the chili time to develop its flavor.
After the 8-minute NPR has finished and the display reads L0:08, you will then carefully open the pressure release valve to release the remaining pressure from the pot until the pin drops.
Step 7: Allow The Chili To Continue Thickening
After the cooking has completed, all the pressure has been released, and the pin has dropped, open the Instant Pot and give the chili a good stir. If you desire, you can allow the chili to continue thickening by setting the Instant Pot to ‘Keep Warm’ for another 5 minutes.
Enjoy Your White Chicken Chili!!
Now it’s time to enjoy a comforting bowl of this amazing chili. And don’t forget to add your favorite toppings to make it extra special. I have no doubt that your family will love this meal as much as we do.
IT’S YOUR TURN TO MAKE THIS WHITE CHICKEN CHILI!
Did you make this White Chicken Chili recipe yet? There is nothing better than a bowl of chili when you need some comfort, and this White Chicken Chili is sure to satisfy! Please drop a comment in the comments section below when you make this chili recipe and let me know much you enjoyed it.
5-Star Rating: If you loved this White Chicken Chili, I’d appreciate it if you could give this recipe a 5-star rating to show how much you loved it.
MORE DELICIOUS CHILI RECIPES
Looking for another chili recipe? Here are more that I know you’ll love:
For a full list of all my Instant Pot Chili Recipes, check out my Instant Pot Chili Recipes post. You may also want to check out my Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Need a side to pair with your chili? If you’re looking for a perfect complement for this recipe, then try my Homemade Guacamole! It’s absolutely amazing!
QUICK & EASY RECIPES
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Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
WHITE BEANS, SHREDDED CHICKEN, CORN, TOMATOES, AND GREEN CHILES
Essential Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted chicken stock divided
- 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken approx. 2 boneless skinless breasts shredded, or 1 rotisserie chicken shredded
the Spices
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
the Canned Ingredients
- 2 cans Great Northern Beans 15.8 ounces, with juices, I used Bush’s Best
- 1 can whole kernel corn 15.25 ounces, with juices, I used Del Monte
- 1 jar salsa verde 16 ounces, I used H-E-B Hatch Green Chile Salsa Verde
- 1 can diced jalapeños 4 ounces, with juices, optional, I used Rio Luna
- 1 can Rotel Original 10 ounces, with juices
the Remaining Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed from 2 small limes
- 1 package cream cheese 8 ounces, cubed
- ¼ cup corn flour “masa harina”
optional Garnishes
- white cheese shredded, I prefer White Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack
- tortilla chips
- cilantro
Instructions
- Make Corn Flour Slurry: In a small mixing bowl, make a slurry by whisking the corn flour with ½ a cup of the chicken stock. Set aside.
- Add Stock, Chicken & Spices: Add the remaining chicken stock, shredded chicken, and spices to the pot and give everything a good stir.
- Add Canned Ingredients: In the order they are listed, dump the canned ingredients with their juices in the pot. Do not mix the canned ingredients.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the lime juice and then place the cubed cream cheese on top of the other ingredients in the pot. Pour the corn flour slurry over the top of the other ingredients. Again, do not mix the ingredients.
- 2-Minute Cook Time: Close the Instant Pot, set the pressure release valve to ‘Sealing’ and cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’, ‘High Pressure’ for 2 minutes.
- 8-minute NPR: Once the cooking time has completed, allow for an 8-minute Natural Pressure Release. After the 8-minute NPR has finished, open the pressure release valve to release the remaining pressure.
- After Cooking: Open the Instant Pot, stir the chili, and then let it sit on ‘Keep Warm’ for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Notes
Avoiding a burn message. This chili is thick and has tomato in it. To avoid a burn message, be sure to add the ingredients in the order that they are listed, and do not mix the canned ingredients, cream cheese, or corn flour slurry. You’ll just want to dump these ingredients into the pot without stirring.
Common Questions & Answers
Isn’t corn flour the same as corn starch? There is some confusion between corn flour and cornstarch because in the U.K. cornstarch is known as corn flour. In the U.S., however, corn flour is an entirely different product than cornstarch. Both corn flour and cornstarch are similar in that they are made from corn, however, they each go through different refining processes.
Corn flour is made from finely ground, dried corn, contains corn protein, starch, and fiber which means that it also contains corn gluten. Corn gluten, however, is not the same as the gluten found in wheat. Therefore, corn flour may be an acceptable alternative to wheat flour for those with a sensitivity to wheat gluten. Corn flour has a slight yellowish tint to it and has a distinctive corn flavor. When rubbed between two fingers corn flour is denser than cornstarch and has a slightly gritty texture. Corn flour is used to make corn tortillas, tamales, empanadas, soups, breads, muffins, and other baked goods.
Cornstarch, on the other hand, is a very fine, white powder made solely from the starchy part of a corn kernel. It contains no corn protein or fiber and is therefore gluten-free. Cornstarch is completely white and flavorless and when rubbed between two fingers, it has a very fine texture similar to confectioners sugar. Corn starch is used primarily as a thickener in gravies and sauces.
Serving Suggestions
Top with your favorite Tex-Mex garnishes. We like topping our white chicken chili with a shredded white cheese like White Cheddar or Monterey Jack, cilantro, and blue corn tortilla chips. You could also add any of your favorite Tex-Mex toppings including a dollop of sour cream, avocado, pico, and more.
Oh so easy and delicious! My kind of recipe.
Glad to hear it Carolyn! Thanks for stopping by!
This was delicious! It’s just me and my husband. We had it for dinner 2 nights in a row. We ate it with crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.
My husband commented that he thought it should be thicker. To do this, should I double the corn flour slurry?
Thanks again for another great recipe!
Hi Julie! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. Yes, doubling the slurry would make it thicker. Letting it simmer for a while after it’s done will also do the trick!
OK, I love the recipe! Cooked it at least 10 times in the last 10 months. SO easy. I have cooked it without cream cheese. It turns out more like soup. Still delish but different. Cooked it without any corn flour. Still delish. Cooked it with no corn, cauliflower rice instead of beans, extra Rotel to make up for the corn, and no corn flour for a KETO friend. It had a different texture but it was STILL delish. So far the original is still the best, IMHO, but it is SO good that you can use your imagination a bit if you don’t have all the ingredients. Got a batch cooking right now (feels like 119F outside, 76F inside!) with a big carton of mushrooms added.
Hi Rob! I’m so glad you love this recipe so much! I really appreciate you stopping by the blog and sharing your different results. Thank you!
Hi Valerie!
Can you substitute regular all purpose flour for the corn flour? Would that change the taste or consistency to much?
Hi Kristie! They’re definitely not the same. If you don’t want to buy a small bag of corn flor (masa), you can buy a pack of soft corn tortillas, cut them into strips and add them instead. It adds a certain texture and flavor. Thank you for stopping by the blog!
Hi Valerie,
Very delicious chili! I had a friend taste it and loved it, she would like the recipe, but she does not own an InstantPot….Can this be made in a Crockpot?
Hi there! I’m so happy you and your friend loved it! I’m sure it can be made in a crockpot or even the stove! It wouldn’t take too long on the stove. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Can we leave the cream cheese out for a DF option w/o messing up the recipe?
Hi Dawn! If you leave the cream cheese out it may be a little less creamy but I think it would still taste really good! Please let me know if you try it! Thanks for stopping by!
I don’t see where the corn flour is listed in the ingredients list for the white chicken chili; where do you buy corn flour & how much is used for the recipe?
Thanks!
cathie.marty@att.net
Hi Cathie! It’s listed in the recipe card, under remaining ingredients. It calls for 1/4 cup. You can find it at Walmart or other supermarkets. Thanks for stopping by!
Corn flour is the same as Cornstarch.
Hi Debbie! Not exactly. Corn flour is a flour used to make corn tortillas, you can’t make corn tortillas with corn starch. I did link the corn flour above in the post so you can see exactly what it looks like. Thank you for stopping by the blog!