This Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is a healthy, dairy-free, and kid-friendly meal. It’s filled with tender cubed chicken, white beans, vegetables, and a warm blend of spices for a comforting, satisfying bowl.
The recipe is dairy-free, but mashing half the beans into the broth gives the chili a pleasant, velvety creaminess without added dairy.
This chili comes together quickly and is easy to customize with toppings. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can prepare the same recipe on the stovetop or in a slow cooker — stove-top and Crockpot instructions are included in the recipe notes below.
Quick Instant Pot Tips
If you’re already familiar with the Instant Pot, feel free to skip this section.
The Instant Pot makes one-pot meals fast and convenient. For this recipe you’ll use the sauté setting to brown the onions and chicken, then switch to Manual/Pressure Cook for a short pressure-cooking time. Allow time for the pot to come to pressure before the cooking timer starts; this usually takes about 10–15 minutes for a dish like this.
- When releasing pressure, stand back from the steam. Use a long utensil to move the valve when performing a quick release.
- Before opening the lid, confirm the floating pin has dropped so all pressure is released.
- “Natural Pressure Release” means leave the pot alone for the specified time; “Quick Release” means vent the remaining pressure manually.
Faster Option
To save about 10–15 minutes, skip sautéing the onions and chicken. Add all ingredients except the corn directly to the Instant Pot and cook on Manual/High pressure for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release, then quick release, open, and stir in the corn.
How to Serve
This White Chicken Chili is mild and very kid-friendly. For a creamier bowl for small children, stir in about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese per serving and break the chicken into smaller pieces. Tortilla chips work well for added texture and are often a favorite with little ones.
Although the chili itself is dairy-free, we enjoy topping it with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. You can also add sour cream or Greek yogurt to your bowl for extra richness.
Optional Toppings:
- Avocado slices
- Lime wedges
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips
- Diced or sliced jalapeños
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
A drizzle of a crema-style yogurt mixture makes a nice finishing touch if you like added creaminess.
Enjoy!
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili — Easy, Healthy, Dairy-Free
A healthy, dairy-free, and family-friendly white chicken chili made with cubed chicken, white beans, vegetables, and a fragrant mix of spices. Alternative stovetop and slow-cooker methods are included in the notes.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 | Calories (per serving): 386 kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6 quart)
- Potato masher (or fork)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast, boneless skinless, cut into 1″ cubes
- 2 (15 oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained (Great Northern beans recommended)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 (7 oz) can mild green chiles
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 cup corn kernels (frozen, fresh, or canned)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash half of the white beans with a potato masher or fork and set aside.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (High). When it reads “HOT,” add olive oil and the diced onion. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cubed chicken and cook for about 5 minutes to brown slightly.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the mashed and whole beans, green chiles, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Close the lid and set the valve to sealing.
- Switch to Manual/Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes. Allow the pot to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, stir in the corn, and taste for salt and pepper, adding more if needed.
- Serve warm with your choice of toppings.
Optional Toppings and Serving Tip
Top bowls with avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, tortilla chips, sliced jalapeño, cheese, or a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. For a creamier single-serving option, stir about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese into a hot bowl.
Notes
Stovetop Instructions
Use a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and chicken as directed. Add remaining ingredients (except corn), bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered over medium-low for about 30 minutes. Stir in corn and heat through before serving.
Crockpot Instructions
Place uncut chicken breasts and remaining ingredients (except corn) into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks, stir in the corn, and serve.
Nutrition facts listed are per serving (1/6 of the recipe).
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories: 386 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.6 g | Protein: 40.5 g | Fat: 9 g | Fiber: 10.3 g | Sodium: 1698.6 mg
Course: Main Course | Cuisine: American | Keywords: chicken, chili, dairy-free, gluten-free, healthy, instant pot
