White Chicken Chili, But Make It Easy (and a Little Messy)

Listen, if I could count the times I’ve made this Instant Pot White Chicken Chili on two hands—I’d have to borrow a couple toes. The first time I whipped this up, it was one of those desperate Tuesday nights (my feet were freezing and the dog somehow ate half a bread loaf). I threw what I had in the pot and hoped for the best. Now, it’s my go-to, especially when someone in the house suddenly announces a chili craving “like mom used to make”—even though I’m not sure my own mom ever saw a white chili, but let’s not tell the kids. Every batch comes out a little different, and I’ve mildly declared myself a chili rebel because of it. Honestly, that’s half the fun.

Why You’ll Love This (Or At Least Find It Less Stressful Than Most Soups)

I make this when dinner needs to be hearty but not heavy, and, okay, when I forgot to thaw anything before noon. My family goes nuts for this because it’s warm and tastes like you tried harder than you actually did. Also, can I say how much I love the whole dump-and-go thing? No onions burning on the stove. (There was a fiery incident, don’t ask.) My only complaint: someone always finds the lone undercooked bean and announces it with the passion of a talk-show host. So maybe I soak my beans a little longer now—live and learn.

Here’s What Goes In (Swap Stuff, It’s Fine)

2 – 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I sometimes use thighs, especially if they’re on sale, or honestly rotisserie chicken if I’m feeling lazy)
1 onion, chopped (Red, yellow, even that weird half-onion from the fridge—no one notices)
2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (or navy beans; or whatever white beans you have in the cupboard)
1 can diced green chiles (mild or medium—pick your adventure)
2 handfuls frozen corn (or a can, or leave it out, who cares)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (old bouillon cubes work in a pinch, just watch the salt)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (my grandmother always insisted on her fancy stuff, but frankly, regular store-bought’s fine)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (a little less if you’re a spice wimp; my husband always whines about too much heat)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or mince two fresh cloves if you’re ambitious)
Small dollop of cream cheese (I say 2-3 ounces, but honestly, I just cut a chunk and call it good)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Fresh cilantro, lime juice, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips for serving

Let’s Make It! (Loosely Speaking)

Plop the chicken, onions, beans, chiles, corn, and spices straight into the Instant Pot. Pour over the broth. Stir—or don’t. Either way works (I never notice a difference, honestly).
Lock the lid, set to Pressure Cook (Manual) for 15 minutes. It takes a few to come up to pressure—go yell at your kids to set the table or something. Natural release for 10-ish min, then quick release the rest. Sometimes it splatters a bit; you’ll be fine. Actually, open a window if you’re nervous about steam—trust me.
Remove the chicken, shred with two forks, or just some clean hands if you’re in a hurry. Throw it back in. Here’s where I always sneak a bite, and sometimes I pretend I didn’t.
Add the cream cheese. It’ll look weird at first, kind of floaty and chunky—totally normal. Stir till melty. If it’s being stubborn, use the Sauté function for a few minutes, but don’t wander off—it can scorch on the bottom faster than you’d think.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Add salt if it needs, pepper if you’re feeling fancy. Squeeze in a little lime if you have it. Now’s also when the kitchen usually starts smelling so good, someone asks, “Is it done yet?”

Notes That Come From Hard-Won Experience

If you use frozen chicken breasts, just add 3 min to the cook time—no biggie.
Sometimes I mash a few beans against the side to thicken the chili—by accident the first time, now on purpose.
I once doubled the chili powder by accident; kids complained, but my dad was thrilled.
This soup actually tastes better the next day—if you manage to have any left over, which rarely happens here.

Tried-and-True (And Once-Botched) Variations

I’ve made it Tex-Mex style with a handful of jalapeños (oooh, too much, won’t make that mistake again—unless you like to sweat).
Replace cream cheese with half a cup of heavy cream for a lighter version (though I’m not sure “lighter” is the right word when it comes to cream).
Vegetarian-ish: Sub veggie broth and add extra beans. The flavor’s still pretty cozy.
I tried pureeing the whole thing once. Don’t. It turned an odd color and had the texture of baby food. Lesson learned.

What If I Don’t Have The Right Stuff? (Instant Pot Drama)

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, use a regular big pot on the stove—just cook the chicken low and slow (about 30-40 min). If you don’t have two forks, use your actual hands—just let the chicken cool. Seriously, don’t overthink it. I’ve used whatever old spoon I could find.

Storing Leftovers—But They Barely Last

Supposedly this chili keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. It reheats beautifully, creamier the second day (I think it’s even tastier then). But honestly, in my house it’s a rare day if there’s enough left to stash away. Sometimes I hide a container at the back if I want a secret lunch—oops, revealed my tricks.

How We Serve It (And Sometimes Fight Over Toppings)

We plop it in bowls, heap on shredded cheese, a blob of sour cream, and a handful of tortilla chips for crunch. Sometimes a squeeze of lime, almost always cilantro (unless that one cousin visits who hates it). On especially cold nights, I like it with warm cornbread—just like the old diners back in Texas, or so I imagine.

Pro Tips I Learned The Hard Way

I once tried rushing the cream cheese step to save time, figuring, meh, it’ll melt later—nope. It left lumpy pockets that tasted fine, but looked like odd white blobs. Stir a bit longer. Oh, and don’t skip the salt check at the end: sometimes I forget, and it comes out sorta bland, which is just plain sad. Slow and steady really does win this race.