This Instant Pot Chicken Chili is GREAT for weeknights and is so easy to throw together. Simple ingredients, and maximum flavor your family will love!
Hey! This is Kylee – if we haven’t met, I’m the cook, photographer and writer behind Kylee Cooks. I’m SO excited to be here sharing my favorites on Tornadough Alli.
The instant pot is my FAVORITE way to make weeknight meals. With just a little prep (mostly involving opening some cans), you can have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.
With just 15 minutes of cook time (plus coming-to-pressure-time of course), this is a great recipe for a last-minute dinner!
If you like this Instant Pot Chicken Chili recipe, you’ll also enjoy this vegetarian chili (made in a slow cooker)!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Commonly found ingredients and minimal effort. Win!
- You can switch it up to accommodate what you have on hand.
- You can double the recipe and have leftovers.
- Everyone loves it!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CHILI, STEP BY STEP:
- Switch your pot on the saute setting, add the cooking oil and allow to heat then add your chicken.
- Cook chicken until it looses the pink look.
- Sprinkle your taco seasoning over your chicken.
- Then add the remaining ingredients.
- Mix well, close the lid and seal. Choose the manual setting and cook for 15 minutes.Once the cooking time has ended, allow the pot to do a Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes (see below), then do a Quick Release.
- Shred your chicken with spoon (it is tender) or using a few forks then add in your cilantro.
- Stir cilantro until it is evenly combined.
- Serve with sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, etc.
CAN THIS RECIPE BE MADE AHEAD?
Yes! You can actually make the full recipe, and then let it hang out in the refrigerator for a few days before eating. This should last up to 3-4 days when stored properly.
CAN THIS CHICKEN CHILI BE FROZEN?
Yes! 2 ways: 1) freeze once cooked, OR 2) assemble the ingredients and store in a gallon-sized zipper bag, and freeze. Thaw, and cook as directed.
INSTANT POT COOKING TERMS EXPLAINED
What is Natural Pressure Release – aka NPR?
A natural pressure release happens when the cooking time is over and the valve is left closed. The pressure decreases without doing anything. Your Instant Pot will automatically switch to the Keep Warm setting.
As soon as it switches to Keep Warm the pressure will begin to drop and will release the pressure by itself. Youโll know itโs done when the pin drops!
What is Quick Release?
Quick Release means to let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally slowly for a few minutes (usually between 5 and 15 minutes). After the time has elapsed, switch the valve to โventingโ to quickly release any remaining pressure. The pressure will release to a point where the pin drops, and you can open the lid.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING INSTANT POT CHICKEN CHILI:
You can use frozen chicken breasts. Just skip the browning step, and increase the cook time to 20 minutes. When cooking is complete, remove the chicken (and test it – it needs to register 165F using a thermometer to be safe!), before shredding the chicken and adding it back into the pot.
HOW TO SWITCH IT UP
- You can skip the browning step of the chicken breasts but I think it adds a better flavor to the finished dish.
- Mix up the types of beans used. I use a 3 bean blend of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans – but if you don’t have those – just grab 2 cans of any of these varieties: kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, and even garbanzo beans. Whatever you have!
- Add some bell peppers – I like using a mix of colors, but red and green are my favorites for this chili.
- Want to dial up the heat? Add some crushed chili flakes, some chili powder or some cayenne pepper with the taco seasoning and garlic.
If you like this recipe you might also like:
If you’ve tried this INSTANT POT CHICKEN CHILI or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and what shenanigans I’m getting into!
Instant Pot Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs cooking oil
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 Tbs taco seasoning
- 15.25 oz sweet corn canned
- 2 15oz cans tri bean blend canned (see notes)
- 2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes canned
- 2 4oz cans green chilies canned, diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 Tbs garlic minced
- ยฝ cup cilantro chopped finely
OPTIONAL
- sour cream, cheese, cilantro
Instructions
- Switch your pot on the saute setting, add the cooking oil and allow to heat.
- Chop the chicken breast into large chunk, then add to the pot and cook until it loses the pink look, but is not fully cooked.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken, then add the corn, beans, tomatoes, chilies, onion and garlic to the instant pot and mix well.
- Put the lid on the instant pot and seal. Choose the manual setting and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Once done, allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Open the lid and stir. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken, or simply break up the chicken chunks on the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add your cilantro and sitr until combined.
- Test for seasoning, and serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese and extra cilantro.
Notes
- You can skip the browning step of the chicken breasts but I think it adds a better flavor to the finished dish.
- Mix up the types of beans used. I use a 3 bean blend of kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans - but if you don't have those - just grab 2 cans of any of these varieties: kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, and even garbanzo beans. Whatever you have!
- Add some bell peppers - I like using a mix of colors, but red and green are my favorites for this chili.
- Want to dial up the heat? Add some crushed chili flakes, some chili powder or some cayenne pepper with the taco seasoning and garlic.
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
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