Instant Pot White Chicken Chili has a great Tex-Mex flavor with chicken, white beans, and green chiles. This pressure cooker white chicken chili is easy to make and so delicious! Serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and avocado.
Originally published 8/2017
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
We love this recipe for Instant Pot White Chicken Chili. It feeds a small crowd, and is so very flavorful! Pile on the fixin’s such as avocado, tortilla chips, cilantro, jalapeño, and sour cream. Yum!
White Chicken Chili is made with white beans, and either chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Often you will find green chiles added for extra flavor.
Can I use cooked chicken?
Yes, when the chili is finished pressure cooking, you can add the cooked chicken meat and it will heat through pretty quickly.
Can I use dry beans?
This recipe is not designed for using dry beans. Since everything is cooked together, including the chicken meat, it would dry the chicken out and overcook it.
The best way to get around that issue is to use cooked chicken. You can use a rotisserie chicken, or any cooked chicken meat.
Cook the dry beans in the chili for about 40 minutes, then a 15 minute natural release. Then test the beans to make sure they are tender before adding the chicken.
Does Instant Pot White Chicken Chili freeze well?
Yes it does. I like to freeze it in portions. What I do is fill a quart size freezer baggie and lay it on its side and freeze it that way.
Takes up less room in the freezer, and it thaws faster!
Instant Pot Corn Chowder
Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
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Instant Pot Chili
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If you make this delicious pressure cooker white chicken chili recipe, please leave me a comment below with a star rating. I’d love to know how you liked it!

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili has a great Tex-Mex flavor with chicken, white beans, and green chiles. We love this pressure cooker white chicken chili with tortillas and avocado.
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped
- 2 ribs Celery, diced
- 4 Chicken Breasts raw, cubed (or 1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and shredded)
- 4 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 Tbsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Oregano (Mexican Oregano, if you have it)
- 2 tsp Coriander
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 (7 oz) can Diced Green Chiles (with juice)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 1/2 cups Salsa Verde
- 3 (14.5 oz) cans White Beans,* drained and rinsed
- 4 cups Chicken Broth** (low sodium)
- 1/2 cup Cilantro, rinsed and chopped
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- 5 (6 inch) White Corn Tortillas, sliced in strips (helps thicken and gives good flavor)
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- Diced Jalapeño
- Extra Sour Cream
- Avocado
- Crushed Tortilla Chips
- Shredded Cheese
- Cilantro Leaves
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Turn pot on to Sauté. When display reads "Hot", add oil.
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Add onion and celery and stir. Cook until starting to get translucent.
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Add chicken and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until white. Don’t cook until completely done. If using pre-cooked chicken, just add it and move forward.
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Add the garlic and spices. Stir.
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Add the can of chiles, diced tomatoes, salsa verde, and beans. Stir.
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Add the chicken broth, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir.
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Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock into position, setting the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
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Press the Cancel/Keep Warm button to turn off the sauté function.
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Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button, then use the + or - button to choose 10 minutes. High pressure.
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When cooking cycle ends, let the pot sit undisturbed to Naturally Release pressure for at least 15 minutes.
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Turn the steam release knob to Venting to manually release the remaining steam/pressure, very carefully, and gradually (I use a wooden spoon and tap it slightly open, then closed a few times until I'm sure the soup won't spew out of the vent).
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When the pressure is out and the pin in the lid drops, carefully open the lid, facing it away from your face.
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Stir, taste, and adjust salt, if desired.
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Slice up white corn tortillas and add to the chili. Stir and let them soak up the liquid and they will break apart and give the chili a nice masa corn flavor. Then stir in the sour cream.
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Serve with your favorite garnishes. I love adding lots of toppings!
You can replace one of the cans of beans with black beans for a "Black and White" chili.
**For a thicker chili, reduce the broth to 3 cups.
Calories are based on skinless, boneless chicken breast.
Updated 1/18
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Amy
Is the White Chicken Chili on High Pressure?
Sandy
High pressure. Sorry, I’ll go add that to the instructions!
Suzie
This was really good! Even my picky eater loved it. We served it over rice. Thank you for this recipe!
Jason Foglietta
I followed this recipe just as written except i substituted Mexican hot chili powder for one of the teaspoons of chili powder for a bit of a kick. It was easy and came out absolutely delicious! I gave some to my brother and his response was “top-notch, outstanding! ” kudos to you and thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Sandy
Hi Jason, thank you! I’m happy that you and your brother enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for your review!
Meg
I made this last night, it was terrific. I used the three cups of broth, put in the the cut up tortilla strips and it was hearty and good. It had a tasty tex-mex bite. Next time I’ll ease up on the heat a bit for my kids, although they loved it otherwise. Thanks for the recipe!
Sandy
That’s great, Meg! I’m glad the family liked this soup! Thank you for your review!
Hayley
Delicious! I only made one change: I added a can of drained corn at the end when stirring in the corn tortillas and sour cream.
Sandy
Yum! Glad you liked it!
Bob
Hi Sandy….I watched your video on making your delicious looking chili that I’m thinking of making the next few days. Did you use a 6 quart Insta Pot to make your White Chicken Chili? I’ll be checking out more of your easy cooking.
Sandy
Hi Bob, yes I did use the 6 quart. Thanks for watching!
Bob
Thanks for responding! I made my shopping list and I’ll be making your White Chicken Chili for tonight. I’ll let you know how I did. Sure looks good….and probably healthy.
Sandy
Yum! I hope you like it as much as we do!
Bob
I made the White Chicken Chili last night….turned out delicious! I made it with a couple of changes. I didn’t add a cup of sour cream to it but garnished my bowl of chili with sour cream. Also, I could only pour in only 3 cups of chicken broth to the maximum line. Adding the sliced up white corn tortillas was a nice touch. It thickened up the chili really nice. So, I’m going to be enjoying leftover White Chicken Chili probably for the next two dinner!
Sandy
Hi Bob! I am so glad this recipe worked for you! Yummy! Thank you for your review!
Karly
Yeessssss! Bring it on, soup season! The insta pot and I are ready to dominate. My stomach is rumblin’ already!
Sandy
Haha! Right?! I’m soooo ready, too Karly!