This chicken chili is the best recipe around! Made in an Instant Pot, this white chicken chili is easy to prepare, has a creamy texture, and is made with healthy ingredients. Done in 25 minutes, this version is a great alternative to traditional beef chili.
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Chili is a classic comfort food and family favorite. This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is different than your traditional chili recipe because it's not tomato based, like my traditional Slow-Cooker Southwestern Style Chili and this hearty traditional beef chili. This white chili has a chicken broth base and contains shredded chicken and Great Northern Beans. This is hands down the best chili recipe I've ever tasted! And, this recipe doesn't contain any cheese! You can make a rich and creamy broth without the dairy!
Ingredients You'll Need
While you can use shredded chicken breasts in this chicken chili recipe, using a rotisserie chicken will make your prep so much quicker and easier! Rotisserie chicken is full of flavor, tender, already fully cooked, and is typically less expensive than a package of chicken breasts.
The best beans for white chicken chili are Great Northern Beans. The most common white beans are Navy Beans, Cannellini Beans, Great Northern Beans, and Lima Beans. While you can use any of these, Great Northern Beans have a mild, nutty flavor and their firm outer layer holds up well in soup recipes. They also take on the flavor of other foods, so they work perfect for this recipe.
For the white chicken chili seasonings, I use chopped green chiles, shallot, and garlic. I also use plenty of cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper which brings forth a ton of flavor! For the base, I use chicken broth and a little bit of unsweetened almond milk.
Variations Of This Recipe
You can also use 2% or whole milk instead of almond milk. And if you're gluten free, you can use a gluten free all purpose flour. The measurements will be the exact same regardless if you use regular milk or almond milk. The same holds true for regular flour and gluten free flour.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Start by shredding the cooked chicken and place it in the Instant Pot. Next, drain and rinse a 15 ounce can of Great Northern Beans. Put the beans into the pressure cooker. Open the can of chopped green chiles. Do not drain. You want all the flavorful juice from the green chiles in your white chicken chili.
Next, finely chop the shallot and mince the garlic and then add them in with the other ingredients. Add the ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. From there, add in the chicken broth, almond milk, and lime juice. Using a large spoon, mix together all the ingredients until well combined.
Place the lid on your Instant Pot and twist it so it locks in place. Make sure the pressure knob is set to the sealing position. Select the Manual button and make sure it is set to High Pressure. The display screen time should be set to 18 minutes.
The Instant Pot is going to do its magic and when the time display screen reaches 00:00, it will beep. Go ahead and release the pressure by turning the pressure valve. Once the pressure is released, remove the lid and set the it to Saute Mode. The pressure cooker will start to heat up and the chili will quickly start to boil.
Add in 1 Tablespoon of flour and continuously stir until the chili starts to thicken. Once the chili starts to thicken, turn off the pressure cooker. Serve with your favorite toppings.
If you're looking to pair other food with this recipe of chicken chili, my Quick Peppery Cheese Bread is excellent! Dip the bread into the bowl and you've got yourself a hearty meal.
Slow Cooker Recipe Instructions
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can make this easy white chicken chili in a slow cooker or a crock pot. Simply add all the ingredients, except for the flour, into your crock pot and stir. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
To thicken the chili after it's done cooking in the crock pot, set it to high and wait for it to start boiling. Then, add in 1 Tablespoon of flour and continually stir until the chili has reached the consistency you are looking for. Add your favorite toppings and serve.
Stove Top Recipe Instructions
To make this on the stove top, add all the ingredients, except for the flour, into a large pot. Stir well to combine. Place the pot on the stove top and turn the heat to medium high until the contents come to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, place on a lid, and continue to cook for 45 minutes.
To thicken the chili after it's done cooking, set the stove top temperature back to high and wait for it to start boiling. Add in 1 Tablespoon of flour and continually stir until the chili has reached the consistency you are looking for. Top with your favorite toppings and serve.
The easiest way to thicken this chili recipe is to bring it back to a boil after it is done cooking and add in 1 Tablespoon of flour. Whisk continually until it reaches the desired thickness. You can substitute flour by using either cornstarch or arrowroot to make a slurry. To make a slurry, add a Tablespoons of cornstarch to 2 Tablespoons of water and whisk until it forms a slurry. Slowly whisk the slurry into the chicken white chili until it reaches the desired thickness.
Yes. After the chili has cooled to room temperature, put the soup in a freezer safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove the frozen container from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw. Once thawed, warm the chili in the microwave or on the stove top.
Yes. The diced green chiles come in a variety of heat levels. I like less heat so I use mild green chiles. But you can use medium or hot green chiles to spice things up. You can also add fresh chopped or sliced jalapeño to make it even spicer.
Expert Tips
- You can use 2% or whole milk in place of the almond milk.
- Using chicken breasts works really well in this recipe, but chicken thighs also taste amazing. Leftover turkey is also a great option, especially smoked turkey.
- There are so many toppings you can add to this white chicken chili such as shredded cheese, tortilla chips, chopped cilantro, sour cream, and even tabasco!
- If you have homemade white beans cooked and are looking for a way to use them up, they will work great in this recipe!
- This chicken chili can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
More Instant Pot Recipes You'll Love
I love my instant pot and I'm constantly making new recipes! Make sure you check out my 25 Insanely Easy Instant Pot Side Dish Recipes for some new ideas! I also love making my own bone broth and if you've never made it in a pressure cooker, then you need to because it will make your life so much easier! This Instant Pot Bone Broth tutorial will tell you everything you need to know and more! And if you're a soup lover like I am, this Sweet Potato Soup with Butter Beans is so delicious and cooks up so fast when made in the pressure cooker!
Follow Recipes Worth Repeating for more amazing recipes!
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken,, shredded
- 1 15 ounce can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 ounce can green chiles, mild, chopped and undrained
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3½ cups chicken broth
- juice of ½ lime
- ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
- 1½ teaspoons cumin, ground
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 Tablespoon flour
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Shred the rotisserie chicken and place in the Instant Pot.
- Next, drain and rinse the can of Great Northern Beans. Dump the beans into the pressure cooker.
- Open the can of chopped green chiles and add to the pressure cooker. Do not drain.
- Finely chop the shallot and garlic and add to the pressure cooker. Add the cumin, salt, pepper, dried oregano. Lastly, you'll add in the chicken broth, almond milk, and lime juice. Give it a good stir to mix everything together.Expert Tip: You can use 2% or whole milk in place of the almond milk.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it in place. Make sure your knob is set to the sealing position.
- Press the Manual button and make sure the pressure cooker is set to High Pressure. The display screen will show 18 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot reaches 00:00, it will beep. Release the pressure completely. Once the pressure is released, remove the lid and set it to Saute Mode.
- The Instant Pot will start to heat up and the White Chicken Chili will start to boil. Add in 1 Tablespoon of gluten free flour and continuously stir until the chili starts to thicken.
- Once the chili starts to thicken, turn off the pressure cooker.
- Top with your favorite toppings of tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos, and tabasco.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except for the flour, into your crock pot and stir until well combined.
- To thicken the chili after it's done cooking in the crock pot, set the crock pot to high and wait for it to start boiling.
- Then, add in 1 Tablespoon of flour and continually stir until the chili has reached the consistency you are looking for. Add your favorite toppings and serve.
Stove Top Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except for the flour, into a large pot. Stir well to combine.
- Place the pot on the stove top and turn the heat to medium high until the contents come to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, place on a lid, and continue to cook for 45 minutes.
- To thicken the chili after it's done cooking, set the stove top temperature back to high and wait for it to start boiling.
- Add in 1 Tablespoon of flour and continually stir until the chili has reached the consistency you are looking for. Top with your favorite toppings and serve.
Notes
- You can use 2% or whole milk in place of the allmon milk.
- Using chicken breasts works really well in this recipe, but chicken thighs also taste amazing. Leftover turkey is also a great option.
- There are so many toppings you can add to this white chicken chili such as shredded cheese, tortilla chips, chopped cilantro, sour cream, and even tabasco!
- If you have homemade white beans cooked and are looking for a way to use them up, they will work great in this recipe!
- This chicken chili can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May 2019, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and FAQs in October 2021.
Jacque Hastert
I love how quickly this comes together in the instant pot. Nothing beats a good hearty chili like this one. I can't wait to make it.
Amanda Mason
You're going to love it, Jacque!
Jennifer Soltys
I've always wanted to make white chili and this looks like the recipe to use! I love that you use a rotisserie chicken. Yum! Perfect for fall nights!
Amanda Mason
Yes, Jennifer - the rotisserie chicken makes my life so much easier! Plus, it's so tender!
Jan Wheeler
I have made this recipe 3 times and since we finally have rain in Northern California, I wanted to make it again today! I had everything including the Costco Rotisserie chicken I bought yesterday, but only had dry beans! I did a bit of online searching to figure out how to cook the dry beans first, found it, but the bag of beans equaled 2 cups dry, so just used the whole bag. It was absolutely WONDERFUL! We haven't eaten yet, but I took a little out to taste test. Now chopping cilantro and sweet onions, shredding some jack cheese, broke up fleshly fried tortillas and putting a bowl of cubed of cream cheese (it makes it super creamy) and a bowl of sour cream out for garnishing. Soon my daughter, son in law, granddaughter and her boyfriend will be here for a GREAT steaming bowl of White Chicken Chili and a fresh peach pie for dessert. Thanks so much!
Amanda Mason
Hi Jan! Wow - this is wonderful to hear that you all love my recipe so much! And your additions sound marvelous! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it and thanks for me letting me know how amazing it turned out!!!
Megan Ellam
My kind of meal for any day of the week. Delicious, easy and everyone cleans their plate. Thanks for the great recipe.
Amanda Mason
So glad everyone loved it, Megan! It's a cold weather staple dish for sure!