Instant Pot White Chicken Quinoa Chili
Servings 4 -6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 5 cups water
- 2 15 oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup quinoa
- 8-16 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts*
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
- ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
Topping ideas:
- Grated cheddar
- Pickled jalapenos or pickled red onions
- Chopped avocado
- Crumbled tortilla chips
- Pico de gallo or salsa**
- Chopped cilantro
- *This just depends on how meaty you want it. If using the full one pound, then this soup should serve 6 people.
- *If using breasts that are large, cut them in half (or into thirds if they are massive) so that they cook evenly.
- **I like to chop up cherry tomatoes and toss them in some vinegar or lime and salt to spoon on top!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 1 yellow onion
- Chop 1 jalapeno (optional)
- Chop 3 garlic cloves
- Measure spices in a jar
- Make the chili
- Prep any toppings, if needed
Instructions
- In a 6-qt Instant Pot, press the “sautee” button and add the oil, onion, jalapeno (if using), and ½ teaspoon salt. Once it starts to sizzle, cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion has softened, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili, oregano, and smoked paprika for about 30 seconds. Press “cancel”.
- Add the water, 1 can of beans, quinoa, chicken, green chiles, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
- Set the vent to “sealing”, then pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Once the 8 minutes is up, let it naturally release for 5 more minutes, then manually release the pressure.
- Remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Transfer about 1 heaping cup of the soup liquid into a high speed blender. To the blender, add the remaining can of beans and yogurt. Blend until smooth, adding more liquid, if needed. Pour back into the pot.
- Shred up the chicken with two forks and stir it back into the pot.
- Serve topped with all the toppings!
Stovetop instructions:
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, jalapeno (if using), and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion has softened, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili, oregano, and smoked paprika for about 30 seconds. Add the water, 1 can of beans, quinoa, chicken, green chiles, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low/medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid and follow the recipe as is.
Notes
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, add an extra can or two of beans into the soup. Be sure to taste the soup and add more salt, if needed (beans need salt!).
- To make dairy-free/vegan, see above + use a vegan yogurt alternative OR blend the beans with 1-2 tbsp of lime juice and ¼ cup raw cashews (soaked).
- You could use pinto beans along with or in place of white beans, but the soup won’t have the same lighter color.
- You could leave out the diced green chiles if you don’t have them.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover chili on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
- Top with all the toppings!
- If heating on the stove, you could stir in some leafy greens or finely chopped veggies and simmer until softened.