Name: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts; 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed; 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup frozen corn; 2 tbsp fresh lime juice; 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Pull Up a Chair: Let’s Talk White Chicken Chili

Alright, friend, so here’s the story—I first tried making white Chicken chili in my old, slightly-dinged Instant Pot after a long autumn hike. My hands were freezing, jeans damp (don’t even ask about the shoes). I wanted something warm and pretty much effortless, but, you know, good. After a few wonky attempts, forgetting to put the lid on once (that was… interesting), I landed on this recipe. It’s kinda become my go-to when I’m craving comfort without babysitting the stove. Also, my dog loves the Chicken bits that “accidentally” fall to the floor. Not saying your pets should get into it, just… things happen.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Chili

Honestly, I make this when I just can’t be bothered to cook anything fussy, or if I need something hearty that won’t put everyone into a food coma. My family goes a bit wild for this because it’s not the usual tomato-based chili (they get bored, what can I say), and it has this gentle creamy hit without being too rich. Plus—full disclosure—I tried to skip the cream cheese once and my brother flat-out refused to eat it. Also, sometimes I just want to dump everything in, hit a button, and go fold laundry. Okay, nap. But you get the idea.

What You’ll Need (and What You Can Sub In)

2 big Chicken breasts (or honestly, thighs if I’m out or they’re on sale)
1 large white onion, chopped up (yellow works; red… eh, not my fav)
3 cloves garlic, minced – but I admit I’ve cheated and used the jar stuff before
2 cans (15 oz each) of Great Northern beans (cannellini work fine; pinto in a pinch)
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies (fire-roasted if I remember to grab ‘em)
2 cups Chicken broth (I’ll use bouillon if I forgot to buy broth, shh)
1-2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is lovely, but whatever’s in your cabinet)
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt & Black pepper, just eyeball it to taste (sorry, Grandma)
1 block (about 100g or 4 oz) cream cheese (full-fat or low-fat, not a make-or-break)
1 cup frozen corn (canned’s fine; fresh is overkill unless it’s July)
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for topping (optional—my cousin hates it, I load it on!)
Fresh lime wedges

How I Throw This Together in My (Mildly Finicky) Instant Pot

First, hit ‘Sauté’ on your Instant Pot. Drizzle in a splash of oil, toss in the onion and garlic. Let ‘em cook till the onion looks like it’s softening up and smells good. Don’t stress if it gets a tad brown; flavor, right?
Now, add the chicken breasts (I don’t even slice them up first—true lazy style), beans (including the liquid—makes it creamier!), chilies, broth, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and a few good shakes of salt and pepper.
Give it a quick stir. It’ll look strange, murky—don’t worry. This is where it always looks weird to me. Just slap on the lid, seal the valve, and cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ for 15 minutes.
After it beeps, let the pressure release on its own for 10 minutes while you, I dunno, scroll your phone or chase a toddler. Then release the rest of the pressure yourself (careful with the steam, learned that the hard way…)
Open it up. Pull out the chicken, shred it up with two forks—right there in the pot if you can’t be bothered to move it. Add it back in. This is when I usually sneak a taste. Just a little.
Stir in the corn and cream cheese. Fish around to find every rogue lump of cheese so it melts ; it’ll look like it won’t, but give it two minutes. Keep stirring until it’s all creamy and blended. If it’s a bit too thick, slosh in a splash more broth or water. Up to you.
Ladle out into bowls, top with cilantro, squeeze of lime, and whatever else your heart desires. Oh, cheese! Don’t forget grated cheese if you’re that way inclined.

Lil’ Notes Only a Real Home Cook Would Give

It took me way too long to realize this tastes way better (like, not night and day, but still) if you make it ahead and let it sit, even just an hour. Not that I have that much willpower often.
Don’t try to substitute Greek yogurt for the cream cheese—too tangy, tried it once, moved on.
If the chili is ever too thick, a glug of milk or even water saves the day. Don’t stress it.
If the chicken looks a bit pink in the middle when you shred it, toss it back in and set the IP to sauté for a minute or two. Learned that lesson after some slightly nervous dinner guests.

Swaps & Experiments (Some Winners, Some… Mehh)

I swapped in rotisserie chicken once—super fast, but skip the pressure cooking and just warm everything through.
Tried adding a handful of spinach at the end (because, you know, health) and it wilted in beautifully. Gave it some color, too.
Once, I put in smoked paprika instead of chili powder—not the same vibe. Wouldn’t recommend unless you’re in the mood for smoke, I guess.

What If You Don’t Have an Instant Pot?

Listen, you can do this on the stove top. Just simmer everything (except cheese and corn) until chicken’s cooked through—takes about 30 minutes. Could even use a slow cooker if you plan way ahead—6 hours on low does the trick. Don’t have a pressure valve? I once used a giant covered pan, topped with a foil hat. Not ideal, yet it worked! Necessity’s the mother of invention, right?

How Long Does It Keep? (Hint: Not Long in My House)

In theory, it’ll keep in the fridge 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Honestly, it never lasts a full 24 hours at my place—we hover around the fridge like it’s a campfire. If you must freeze it, I’d leave out the cream cheese and add it fresh when reheating. Learned that from some weirdly grainy leftovers. Up to you though!

Here’s What We Do When Serving

I’m all about those toppings. We go big with shredded sharp cheddar, dollops of sour cream, more lime wedges than anyone really needs, and crushed tortilla chips on top. Sometimes my sister makes fresh corn muffins, but I’m honestly happy with a slice of crusty bread. Winter nights, cardigan on, chili bowl in hand. That’s the good stuff.

A Few Things I Wouldn’t Skip, Learned the Hard Way

Don’t rush shredding the chicken. I once hacked at it with a knife and made a stringy mess—patience, friend.
Don’t dump in cold cream cheese in big chunks; cut it up or let it sit out while it cooks. Otherwise, there’ll be weird white blobby bits (ask me how I know)
If you use less spice, it’s a bit dull. Actually, I find adding an extra sprinkle of cumin at the end wakes it all up.

Some of the Questions Folks Actually Ask Me

Can I use frozen chicken? Yeah, most of the time! Just up the cook time by a few minutes—maybe 18 minutes. Check it pulls apart easily, or you may need a little more time.
Can I make it dairy-free? Depends. I tried coconut cream as a stand-in. It was okay, but the flavor’s different. Maybe just leave it out and blend a bit of the beans for creaminess?
Does this get spicy? Not really—most of the zing comes form the green chilies. If you want heat, throw in a diced fresh jalapeno or a bit more chili powder!
Beans, in or drained? I usually dump the whole can in, liquid and all—makes it thicker. You can drain them if you want it lighter.
Why is mine more soupy? Probably just needs to simmer a bit with the lid off, or add a handful more beans. Sometimes I think the weather affects it. No science, just a hunch!

And if you ever find yourself with too many leftovers, just know—cold chili with tortilla chips is weirdly addictive for a midnight snack. Or so I’ve heard.

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili