Description
This easy White Chicken Chili recipe is a creamy, flavorful twist on classic chili made with tender chicken breasts, white beans, sweet corn, and a blend of spices. Cooked quickly in an Instant Pot, it’s perfect for a cozy weeknight meal, finished with creamy cream cheese and customizable toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and avocado.
Ingredients
Scale
Chili Base
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 4-ounce can green chilies
- 3 (15-ounce) cans navy beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces frozen sweet corn
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Finishing Ingredients & Garnishes
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
- Shredded Mexican cheese (for garnish, optional)
- Sour cream (for garnish, optional)
- Cilantro (for garnish, optional)
- Avocado (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables: Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot, heat olive oil and sauté the diced red onion and red bell pepper until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add ingredients: Place the chicken breasts into the pot. Add the green chilies, drained and rinsed beans, frozen corn, oregano, salt, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and chicken broth. Do not stir; just layer the ingredients carefully on top.
- Pressure cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to “sealing.” Select high pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Once cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure manually.
- Shred chicken and add cream cheese: Press “cancel” to stop the cooking mode, then turn on the sauté function again. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until melted and fully incorporated into the chili. Shred the chicken breasts directly in the pot using two forks and mix well to combine the shredded chicken with the creamy chili base.
- Serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, and avocado slices as desired for added richness and freshness.
Notes
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breasts; add it after pressure cooking.
- If you prefer a spicier chili, increase the cayenne pepper or add diced jalapeños.
- For a thicker chili, reduce the chicken broth by 1/2 cup.
- This chili freezes well; store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Use low-fat cream cheese and cheese for a lighter version.
