A fast, pantry-friendly chicken chili made with chicken breasts, beans, tomato sauce, broth, and simple spices. No browning. No sautéing. No extra pot.
25 minutes. 12 servings. Dinner done.
Dump everything into the Instant Pot. Set it. Walk away. You get tonight's dinner, tomorrow's lunch, and extra portions stacked for the freezer, all in one cook.
Naturally gluten-free as written (just double-check your broth and tomato sauce labels), and it stretches across multiple meals without extra work.
Why This Recipe Works
- Dump-and-go method. No browning, no sautéing, no extra pot. Everything goes in at once.
- Big batch, small effort. Twelve servings from one pot. Stretches across dinner, leftovers, and lunches without extra cooking.
- Naturally gluten-free. No flour, no thickeners, no hidden gluten. Confirm your broth and tomato sauce and you're set.
- Freezer-friendly. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months with no loss of texture.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Chili
- Red Kidney Beans, Pinto Beans, Black Beans (15 oz each, drained and rinsed): Adds texture and soaks up the chili flavors.
- Yellow Onion (¾ cup, diced): Brings sweetness and depth.
- Green Bell Pepper (¾ cup, diced): Adds a bit of crunch and color.
- Garlic (1 Tbsp, minced): Adds a punch of flavor.
- Chili Powder (2 Tbsp): The key spice that defines the chili flavor.
- Ground Cumin (1 tsp): Adds warm, earthy notes.
- Oregano (1 tsp): Brings a hint of herbal flavor.
- Bay Leaf (1 leaf): Adds background complexity.
- Sea Salt (1 tsp): Wakes up the other flavors.
- Chicken Broth (2 cups): Forms the base and keeps the chili from getting too thick.
- Tomato Sauce (12 oz): Adds a rich, balanced tomato backbone.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (3 lbs): The star protein, cooked right in the chili to soak up every flavor.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Chili
Layer the base. Add the drained kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans to the Instant Pot. Top with the diced onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and salt over the top.
Add the liquids. Pour in the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Give it a quick stir to combine.
Add the chicken. Nestle the chicken breasts into the pot, making sure they're fully submerged in the liquid. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When it's done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release the rest and remove the lid.
Shred the chicken. Pull the chicken breasts out and shred with two forks for chunkier pieces, or a hand mixer on low for a finer shred.
Return and rest. Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors meld and the chicken soaks up the chili base.
Expert Tips
- Submerge the chicken. Make sure the breasts are fully covered by liquid so they cook evenly.
- Pick your shred. Two forks for chunkier chicken, a hand mixer on low for a finer, almost-pulled texture.
- Let it rest. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and let it sit for at least 10 minutes (up to 30) to absorb the flavor.
- Season at the end. Taste before serving. A little more salt, chili powder, or hot sauce can take it from good to great.
- Top generously. Sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, or a squeeze of lime bring the whole bowl together.
Easy Variations
The main recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but this chili is flexible. Here are the swaps that work without throwing off the timing or method.
- Ground chicken chili. Swap the 3 pounds of breasts for 2 pounds of ground chicken. Brown it first on the sauté setting (the one version that needs a quick browning step), then add the rest and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
- Chicken thighs. Use 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Same time, same method. The chili comes out a little richer and more tender.
- Green chile chicken chili. Stir a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles in with the tomato sauce. Adds mild heat and a brighter, slightly tangy flavor without changing the cook time.
- Extra thick. Mash a cup of the beans against the side of the pot before serving, or simmer uncovered on the sauté setting for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.
FAQs
Yes. Keep the cook time the same (10 minutes at high pressure, 10-minute natural release). The Instant Pot will take a few extra minutes to come up to pressure, but the cook time itself doesn't change.
No. Any electric pressure cooker works with the same settings: high pressure, 10 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes. Some folks search for this as "instapot chicken chili," and yes, it's the same thing.
Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs work great with no changes to the timing or method. The chili tastes slightly richer and shreds extra tender.
Yes, with one adjustment. Brown 2 pounds of ground chicken on the sauté setting first, then add everything else and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes instead of 10.
Yes. Use a large pot, add everything at once, and simmer covered on low for 40 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and shreds easily.
The chili thickens as it rests. For a thicker texture, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon, or simmer uncovered on the sauté setting for a few minutes before serving.
Yes, it's naturally gluten-free as written. Just double-check your chicken broth and tomato sauce labels, since a few brands add gluten-containing ingredients.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container. The flavor actually gets better on day two.
Yes. This chili freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Let it cool fully, portion it into freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Made this Instant Pot Chicken Chili?
Leave a star rating and tell me how it turned out in the comments.
📖 Recipe
Dump-and-Go Instant Pot Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 15 oz. canned red kidney beans drained, rinsed
- 15 oz. canned pinto beans drained, rinsed
- 15 oz. canned black beans drained, rinsed
- ¾ cup yellow onions diced
- ¾ cup green bell peppers diced
- 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz. tomato sauce
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Add the drained kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans to the Instant Pot. Then, add the diced onions, green bell peppers, and minced garlic on top. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and sea salt.
- Pour in the chicken broth and tomato sauce, stirring everything to combine.
- Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture, making sure they are fully submerged in the liquid.
- Lock the lid and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then perform a quick pressure release by turning the valve to venting. Remove the lid carefully.
- Take out the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks or a hand mixer, depending on your preferred texture.
- Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot and let it sit for at least 10 minutes (or longer if you can) to allow the flavors to meld.
- Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, or a squeeze of lime. Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
- Chicken thighs: Use 3 lbs boneless, skinless thighs in place of breasts. Same time, same method.
- Ground chicken: Use 2 lbs ground chicken. Brown first on sauté, then cook at high pressure for 7 minutes instead of 10.
- Green chile version: Stir a 4 oz can of diced green chiles in with the tomato sauce. No other changes.
- Frozen chicken: Same cook time. The pot takes a few extra minutes to come to pressure.
Jesse
Quick question.
If I use a store bought rotisserie chicken, do I need to do any prep to it? Or just pull it off the carcus when it's room temperature and use as is?
Chef Gary
Just use as is. Add it once the rest is done cooking.
Joel
I prefer to use dry beans as I always have them on hand. I imagine I would have to cook them first before adding other ingredients. Fyrgye304
Gary White
Probably so. If you cooked them with everything else, I'm afraid all the other ingredients would become mush.
Wedy
Thanks for sharing. I made this mean the Chili Chicken, followed directions as they are written! And Wa-La, Good!
Dianne
Delicious!
Nikki P
Now my go-to easy and delicious meal! Everyone loves it!
Stacey Hunt
My family loves this Chile. So easy.
Ashwini Raghuram
If I use ground chicken and also canned beans - is the cook time still 15 mins?
Gary
No, I think that would be too long. I would brown the chicken first, then cook all together for 7 minutes at high pressure.
Jan
This is so easy and so yummy! It's even better the next day. My favorite chili recipe.
Janelle
My 2 year old took a bit and immediately said "yum!!!" Praise the Lord! Thanks Gary. Super yummy and was easy to put together with stuff I had on hand.
June
Easy, good and filling. Great recipe
Michele
Another winner!
Tim
This was good and fit my macros for a cut. Definitely a keeper.
Geona
I made this last week and it was delicious. Lunch and dinner left overs and it held up.
Angie Knechtel
If the chicken is frozen, does that affect the cook time?
Gary White
No, the cook time will remain the same. It will just take longer for it to come up to pressure.
Adriana Hill
What is tomato sauce? Is it passata or canned tomatoes. Here tomato sauce is ketchup........it can't be ketchup 😂
Gary White
It's the equivalent of passata. Not ketchup! Lol.