Try my Instant Pot Jalepeño Popper Chicken Chili the next time you want to change up your white chicken chili a bit: It’s simply a flavor explosion of a recipe! (Alternative slow cooker directions also included.)
Course dinner
Cuisine chili
Keyword chicken, chicken chili, chili, instant pot, instant pot chili, jalapeno popper chili, jalapenos, white chicken chili
Cut up the onion, peppers, and garlic. When cutting the peppers, you can optionally remove their seeds and membrane to keep flavor while reducing the heat. Just cut off the stem, slice the jalapeños lengthwise, then scoop the seeds out and discard before dicing. See Note.
Trim the chicken, if necessary.
Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add the olive oil and heat briefly, then add the onion and saute for two minutes.
Stir in the jalapeños and garlic and continue to saute for another three minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile: Open cans, rinse and drain the beans, and drain the corn. Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and leave it out on the counter to soften.
After your onion and peppers have cooked and softened, cancel saute mode and add the chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, chicken broth, ranch dressing mix, and seasonings to the pot.
Close and seal the lid of your pressure cooker. Cook chili on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
Quick release the pressure, then leave the Instant Pot on keep warm.
Remove and shred the chicken.
Stir the cream cheese and half of the bacon bits into the pot of chili until cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated, then stir the shredded chicken back in.
Serve your jalapeño popper chili topped with the rest of the bacon bits. I also highly recommend topping each bowl with chopped green onion and/or shredded cheddar for optimum flavor (and to make it prettier!).
Alternative slow cooker directions
After chopping your veggies as outlined above, saute them in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until softened. Add the sauteed jalapeños and onion to your slow cooker, plus all other ingredients up to, but not including, the cream cheese & bacon bits.
Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 4 hours), then proceed with the rest of the recipe steps above: Remove and shred the chicken while leaving your Crock-Pot on keep warm; stir in the cream cheese and bacon bits until cream cheese is melted; stir the chicken back in.
Notes
I left the seeds in just two of the jalapeños today, but would likely leave all of them in next time for my own personal heat preference. You can remove the seeds and membranes for less heat, leave some or all of them in for a spicier chili, and/or cut down on the number of jalapeños if you are sensitive. I also like to use my little Ninja Express Chop food chopper to dice multiple jalapeños; it’s SO much easier.