This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Instant Pot creamy white chicken chili recipe is quick, incredibly flavorful, warming, and delicious. Ready in about half an hour!
This is an awesome game day recipe.
I have plenty of chili recipes on my blog, including (but not limited to) my Instant Pot turkey chili, Crockpot turkey chili, and quick beef chili, but my favorite so far is this white chicken chili.
It’s probably due to the fact that it’s creamy. Yeah, I can’t help myself.
Other than the way this recipe tastes, my favorite part is probably how fast it is. Being able to get this on the table in 30 minutes after a busy day at work is a good thing. I know I’m always ready to gnaw my arm off if I don’t get something in my belly STAT.
This chili isn’t too spicy, but it does have a bit of kick. If you do want to add some spice, I suggest adding a bit of cayenne pepper, using spicy green chilis (vs. the mild ones I used) or adding some chopped fresh jalapenos as toppings.
Pro tip: Leave the cream cheese sitting on the counter so it softens up while everything is cooking. That’ll make the recipe even faster.
Don’t own an Instant Pot? Make this creamy white chicken chili on the stove!
How to top white chicken chili
Add any/all of these tasty toppings would work:
- Lime wedges (I love to squeeze in extra lime juice!)
- Tortilla strips
- Cilantro
- Jalapeno peppers
- Tex-Mex or Monterey Jack shredded cheese
- Avocado
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- …etc.
Have you made chili in the Instant Pot before?
Questions about this recipe? Ask me in the comments below.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 (4 fluid ounce) cans mild chopped green chilis with juices
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 (14 fluid ounce) cans white beans drained
- 4.4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block Philly) softened
- Salt & pepper to taste
Toppings (optional, to taste):
- Lime juice
- Avocado chopped
- Cilantro chopped
- Tex-Mex cheese blend
- Tortilla strips
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in your Instant Pot for 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic.
- Add the remaining chili ingredients to your Instant Pot except for the cream cheese.
- Give it a good stir, close the lid, set the valve on "sealing", and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. It'll take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to get up to pressure. I like to prep the toppings while it's getting up to pressure and cooking.
- Once the countdown has finished, do a quick pressure release.
- Take the chicken out of the Instant Pot. Add the cream cheese to the Instant Pot and press the "sauté" button so it heats through. Meanwhile, shred the chicken using 2 forks. Stir the chili until the cream cheese nicely incorporates into the sauce (this may take a few minutes). Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot and give it a good stir. Season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Serve chili into bowls and top with desired toppings.
Notes
- I used about 1 pound of chicken breasts in this recipe. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead.
- I like the tanginess the cream cheese gives to the chili, but you could also use heavy cream (I'd start with 1/2 cup). I'd add some lime juice to provide tanginess if you go this route. Sour cream also works in a pinch.
- If you want to double the recipe, keep cooking time the same.
- Makes 4 generous portions (especially with toppings).
- Want to make this recipe on the stove? Check out my stovetop creamy white chicken chili recipe instead.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
It’s a tradition to have chili on Halloween night before we walk the kids/grand kids around. I am not eating red meat so I turned to my favorite salt and lavender recipes. I tweeted it by accident and added a can of diced roasted tomatoes to it and made a little corn starch slurry to thicken it up after but it turned out yummy. Now to take it to the party and see how it goes!!
Awesome!! Hope it goes well, Pam!! 😀
This chili was delicious and a real hit with my family. I added potatoes and carrots. Loved it.
I’m thrilled to hear that!!
Good recipe. But any hot recipe like this I can never get my chucks of cream cheese to melt completely. I try making them small and flat but still doesn’t work! Any other suggestions?
Thanks!
I like to microwave it for about 30 seconds or so so it’s super soft.
I was craving white chicken chili the other day and this recipe really hits the spot in so many ways. It’s flavorful, super easy to make, hearty and cozy, but also zingy which a lot of chili recipes lack. I’ve been making it since 2020 during quarantine when we were all craving comfort, and everyone who I’ve served it to raves about it. It also somehow tastes even better the next day?! I add lots of lime, and sliced green onions on top. My fiancé likes hot sauce added. It doesn’t need any subs though, it’s really the best I’ve come across!
I’m so glad it’s a favorite!! 😀 Thanks for your detailed review, Lil!
This is my husbands absolute favorite thing ever. I do one can of hot chilies, one mild. Add a splash of green salsa and about 1/3 of a Mexican lager as a portion of the liquid. Sometimes even add in a fresh jalapeño. I’ve made this countless times and it never ever gets old. And it’s even better the next day if you can stop yourself from eating it all the first night! 10/10!!!
Aw that makes us so happy to hear, Arianna! Thank you so much for your review!
This is the first time to make this. I have been wanting to make white chili and ran into your recipe. Thank you for this. Janet
You’re very welcome! 🙂
This white chicken chili is everything you hope it will be. It is tangy, zesty, and creamy! It is so delicious. I doubled the batch because I couldn’t get enough of it last time I made it. My husband, toddler, and I all licked our bowls (don’t worry, we were at home!) like animals. Absolutely a recipe going into our dinner arsenal!
Aww thank you!! I’m so pleased it’s a hit with your family. Appreciate your review! 😀
I meant to say beans lol
Hi! I’m so looking forward to making this chili for an event I’m having, but I need to have at least 36 servings and I read serving size is 4-6. I know I have to use 6 pounds of chicken, but I’m concerned with the longer cook time that the means will get mushy. Any suggestions? Thanks so much.
Hi! I would cook it in batches. That’s a lot of servings. I think you could easily double it with the same cook time (that’s what IP recommends when doubling most recipes), but you’re right that more than that could potentially impact the recipe results. I do have a stove top version of this recipe (it’s linked in the blog post), so if you do have a LARGE pot (like commercial kitchen size) and want to do it in one go, you may want to opt for that method.
My favorite white chicken chili recipe. I have made it in the instapot and on the stove. Yum!!
Yay!! That’s great to hear!! Thanks, Diane. 🙂