Creamy Chicken Chili Verde - Instant Pot
A creamy chili with a southwestern flair. I combined a couple of other recipes to make this chili. Great result, and easy to spice up with the addition of green chilies or jalapeno peppers if desired.
A creamy chili with a southwestern flair. I combined a couple of other recipes to make this chili. Great result, and easy to spice up with the addition of green chilies or jalapeno peppers if desired.
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
- 16 ounce jar salsa verde
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 cans cannellini beans (or other white bean), drained
- 6 ounces monterey jack cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 3.91531092392293 g
- Cholesterol 728.581969325989 mg
- Fat 129.181033194101 g
- Fiber 2.44107493750254 g
- Protein 189.502354656176 g
- Saturated Fat 39.6314987337289 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1086g)
- Sodium 829.923285715623 mg
- Sugar 1.47423598642039 g
- Trans Fat 11.2460840996824 g
- Calories 1980 calories
Step-by-step
- Place chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add salsa verde, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne. Secure lid and set on the "Poultry" setting on the Instant Pot, or for 25 minutes on pressure cooker.
- Do a quick release as soon as the cooking timer is finished. Lift lid and shred chicken (it is easier to remove the pieces one or two at a time and shred in a bowl or on a plate).
- Return shredded chicken to pot. Mash the beans from one can into a paste and add to the pot. Add remaining three cans of beans, and chicken broth. Turn Instant Pot saute setting to medium and warm the chili stirring occasionally. Once hot, add heavy cream and stir. Warm through and then stir in the shredded cheese.
- Serve warm, garnish with avocado pieces.
Traditional chili verde relies on pork shoulder simmered slowly in tomatillo sauce, but this version uses lean poultry for a faster pressure-cooked meal. Utilizing both chicken breasts and thighs provides a balance of lean protein and rich dark meat that handles high-pressure cooking without drying out.
- Test the chicken for doneness by pressing the thickest piece with a fork; it should yield instantly and shred apart with zero resistance rather than offering a rubbery bounce.
- Shred the meat outside the cooker on a cutting board using two forks, pulling parallel to the grain for uniform strands that distribute evenly through the broth.
- Mash one entire can of cannellini beans into a paste before adding them to the pot, using the natural starches as a thickening agent instead of flour or cornstarch.
- Stir in the heavy cream and Monterey Jack cheese only after switching the machine to the sauté function and dropping the heat, preventing dairy proteins from curdling or separating.
- Pair the finished bowls with warm corn tortillas to balance the acidity of the salsa verde and the richness of the cheese.
Pressure cooking breaks down connective tissue quickly while infusing the salsa verde directly into the poultry fibers. Proper bean mashing provides body without altering the authentic southwestern flavor profile.
