This easy crockpot or Instant Pot white chicken chili is creamy and flavorful. Make it in your electric pressure cooker (I prefer Instant Pot) for a meal that takes just 20 minutes of hands-on time or in the slow cooker if you want a meal ready when you get home from work. Full of veggies, chicken, beans and chili spices, this white chicken chili recipe will be a family favorite. Serve it as a weeknight meal or as a game day chili.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love Easy White Chicken Chili
- Flavor: This rich and creamy chili is full of flavor. Cream cheese gives it a rich creamy base and the seasonings give it a chili spice.
- Nutrition: Only 219 calories per serving (makes 6 servings).
- Time: Hands on time only takes about 20 minutes.
- Equipment: This recipe requires an Instant Pot or crock pot (slow cooker).
- Diet: Gluten Free
If you love this delicious white bean chicken chili recipe you'll enjoy this quick and easy Crockpot Taco Soup recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and instructions for the Instant Pot bean and chicken chili are listed below in the recipe card.
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium red onion, diced
- 10 oz frozen sweet corn
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
- 4 oz canned green chilies
- 3 15 oz canned white beans: navy beans, great northern beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 3 cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
Optional Garnish
Use one or all of these garnishes or top with your favorite toppings.
- shredded Mexican cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro
- fresh avocado
- lime wedges
Substitutions and Variations
Make substitutions based on your personal tastes or what's in your pantry.
Chicken: Substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breast if you prefer dark meat. If you want to skip most of the cooking time, buy store-bought rotisserie chicken. See notes below for how to cook with pre-cooked shredded rotisserie chicken.
Broth: Use chicken broth or vegetable broth. Buy canned chicken broth or boxed chicken broth or use boullion cubes or powder to make the broth. Be aware that some broth contains gluten. Most packages are clearly marked as gluten free if they are actually gluten free.
Corn: Substitute the frozen corn for canned corn.
Beans: Use 3 cans of your favorite beans. The recipe recommends white beans but you can substitute for pinto beans, black beans or kidney beans as well.
Chilis: Canned chilis are used because they're easy. Use mild chilis or hot chilis. You can also substitute canned jalapeños.
Cream Cheese: Omit the cream cheese or substitute for greek yogurt, if you prefer.
Instant Pot Instructions
Full step-by-step white chicken chili instructions are in the recipe card below. You can print or save to Pinterest for later.
Prep: Dice your onion and bell pepper and mince your garlic before you begin to cook. Open all your cans and rinse your beans.
Saute: I prefer to saute onions before cooking them in a soup. This will help bring out the flavors and make them soft. I saute the bell peppers and garlic at the same time. If you're in a hurry you can cook the chili without sauteing the vegetables.
Pressure Cook: Add all the soup ingredients (except the cream cheese). Lock the lid and seal. Cook on manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a 15 minute natural release. Then release the pressure valve and allow the steam to release. Shred chicken with two forks. When that's done, stir in the cream cheese until it melts.
Serve: Top your soup with shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro or tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Crockpot White Chicken Chili Instructions
To make this in the crockpot (slow cooker) you should saute the vegetables and garlic over medium heat in olive oil, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Then add the onions, peppers and garlic to the crockpot. Add chicken and the rest of the soup ingredients except the cream cheese. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks. Then stir in the soft cream cheese until it's melted into soup. Garnish and serve!
Use Pre-cooked Shredded Chicken
In a large dutch oven or large pot, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and saute the vegetables and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the shredded chicken and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes to heat ingredients. Remove lid and add cream cheese to create a creamy broth. Stir until it's melted into the soup. Garnish and serve.
Tips For The Best White Chicken Chili With Beans
- If you have time, don't skip the sauteing step! This helps bring out the flavor and soften the vegetables.
- Add more spice if you like things spicy. I recommend adding some diced canned jalapenos or some more cayenne pepper. Remember you can always add more spice later, you can never subtract!
- Shred the chicken then allow it to soak in the chili for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will help make the chicken juicier.
- Serve with your favorite garnish. Don't forget the cheese!
Serving Suggestions
This is the best white chicken chili recipe. Make a double batch and serve one big pot of chili on the dinner table and freeze the rest. Chicken chili can be served a few ways. Serve it alone or try pouring it over white rice or tortilla chips. Top with:
- avocado slices
- shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese
- sour cream
- lime wedges (spritz some lime juice over the soup)
- chopped cilantro
- tortilla strips
Serve with fresh tortillas, crusty bread or cornbread on the side.
Storing
Store leftover chili in airtight freezer containers or a large ziplock bag. Freeze in individual portions or freeze it all together. Freezing individual portions is a great way to store soup. Chili will keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Freeze soup for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator.
Reheating
Reheat the instant pot white chicken chili in a saucepan over medium-low heat on the stove-top, stirring frequently until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Either! This recipe has slightly thicker base but it's not super thick. It's not going to stick to your spoon. For a thicker base you can make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon or water and stirring it into your soup while it's still hot. Stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes until it's thickened.
Some Instant Pots have a chili setting. This will cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, or you can adjust the time. I recommend cooking this white chicken chili for 15 minutes on manual high pressure (or adjust the chili setting) with a 15 minute natural release.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium red onion (diced)
- 1 large red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 4 oz canned green chilies
- 3 15oz canned navy beans or great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
- 10 oz frozen sweet corn
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened and cubed)
Garnish
- shredded Mexican cheese (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
- cilantro (optional)
- avocado (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Using the saute function on the instant pot, saute the onion and bell peppers with the olive oil until they are soft and the onions are translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Once onions are soft, add in the garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant and slightly golden. Make sure not to overcook and burn the garlic.
- Add in whole chicken breasts, green chilis, seasoning, beans, corn, and chicken broth. No need to stir.
- Lock the lid in place and make sure the seal is set to sealed. Pressure cook on manual high-pressure for 15 minutes.
- Once the 15 minutes is up, allow a 15 minute natural release. Then release the pressure valve and allow the steam to release.
- Press cancel. Turn Instant Pot to saute. Add in cream cheese and stir until melted. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Using 2 forks, shred the chicken then mix into the chili. If you have time, allow the chicken to soak up the soup for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve in bowls. Garnish with cheese, cilantro, avocado and sour cream.
Notes
Crockpot White Chicken Chili Instructions
To make this in the crockpot (slow cooker) you should saute the vegetables and garlic over medium heat in olive oil, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Then add the onions, peppers and garlic to the crockpot. Add chicken and the rest of the soup ingredients except the cream cheese. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks. Then stir in the soft cream cheese until it's melted into soup. Garnish and serve!Use Pre-cooked Shredded Chicken
In a large dutch oven or large pot, over medium-high heat, add olive oil and saute the vegetables and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add the shredded chicken and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes to heat ingredients. Remove lid and add cream cheese to create a creamy broth. Stir until it's melted into the soup. Garnish and serve.- If chili is too thin for your liking, create a slurry using 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water. Mix into the chili.
- For a spicier chili, use a 4oz can of jalapenos with the green chilis.
- Chili will keep for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Ann says
A delicious, easy to make white chili! Yum!
Ann says
This is a delicious, easy to make white chili! Yum!
MJ says
This was a hit for dinner! Can't wait to make it again for Game Day gatherings.
Nathan says
This chili looks incredible and so creamy! Definitely adding to my list to make for dinner next week. Can't wait to try it!
Luci Petlack says
So, so tasty! I always saute food before using them in the crockpot but hadn't thought of doing the same with an instant pot. Thanks for the tip!
Andrea says
Oh does this look hearty, creamy and comforting. Really like that it's made in the Instant pot too.
dana says
This is such a cozy meal! Really looking forward to enjoying this when the cooler weather starts. Nothing beats meals like this!
Sharon says
This heart and comforting white chicken chili come together so easily and the chicken comes out super tender in the Instant Pot.
Ieva says
Great recipe! And a brilliant way to use an instant pot (which has been abandoned at the back of the cupboard for months!). Really tasty, and so quick to make. We served it with a good dollop of creme fraiche and a bunch of coriander! Will definitely make it again!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I had to look up navy beans. If anyone else is stuck, we call them haricot beans in the UK. I always have some in the cupboard. They are good in sandwiches and salads too. Nice choice!
Andrea says
Thank you! Great info!
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
This chicken chili is such a great recipe for instant pot to have on hand. It is quick and delivers plenty of flavors!
Marta Rivera Diaz says
I made this white chicken chili for our Sunday night dinner and the family devoured it. The cayenne pepper along with the chili powder and green chilies added the perfect amount of subtle spice to the chili. Making it in the Instant Pot made my life easier, too.
Pete says
I'm in love with my Instant Pot and am always looking for delicious recipes! This chicken chili didn't disappoint, and only took 20 minutes to prep!
Cathleen says
I love a good Instant Pot meal on hot days, and this one looks like a winner! I am so excited to make this tonight, thank you so much for this recipe 🙂
Kathryn says
This chili was so delicious- we all LOVED it! So easy to make too in the Instant Pot. Will be making this for lots of fall dinners 🙂
Tammy says
I'm so looking forward to Autumn and this is giving me those vibes. A bowl of this, a cozy night in- absolute perfection! So delicious..cannot wait to try!
Tracy Koslicki says
Great tip for sauteeing the onions before adding them. It's what separated it from other white chilis I've had. So so good!
Veronika says
This chili was delicious! I love anything that can be made in an instant pot, it always makes my life so much easier. It was flavorful and so comforting!
Claire says
This was totally delicious!!
I don't have an electric pressure cooker. Mine is one that goes on the cooktop, but the chili was so delicious!!!
We had it with some flour tortilla strips and lots of cilantro.
The leftovers were delicious over a baked potato the following day!
Loreto and Nicoletta says
I would have never thought of putting creamcheese in a chili, however what a beautiful and brilliant idea. It would add such an element of richness and creaminess. Beautiful!🥰😋👍👌
Ann says
I love white chicken chili! Screams the fall season to me! This recipe sounds delicious! Excited to give it a try this fall.