Chili is one of those comfort foods that warms the body and soul, but it can take a while to make. This instant pot 20 minute butternut squash chicken chili is delicious, really healthy, and can be made quickly for a weeknight meal! Note that the butternut squash isn’t really detectable in this chili, but it adds great body, fiber, and nutrients to the dish.
Don’t be scared off by the long list of ingredients. Most of them are pantry staples so this recipe comes together quickly and easily.
I used canned butternut squash puree that I found at Trader Joes, but if you can’t find butternut squash puree, you can just use a can of pumpkin!
Instant Pot 20 Minute Butternut Squash Chicken Chili Ingredients (Makes about 6 servings)
- 5 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 28 oz. can of san Marzano tomatoes (you can use regular tomatoes but I like these because they’re sweeter)
- 1 15 oz. can of butternut squash puree (you can also use pumpkin)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1-2 teaspoons chipotle flakes depending on how spicy you want it
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 large white onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno (seeds and stems removed)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup uncooked black beans, soaked and drained
I use uncooked black beans for this recipe. I prefer to use beans that I’ve cooked myself instead of the canned variety because the canned beans have a lot of sodium and preservatives, however if you would prefer to use canned beans her, just use a can of black beans that you have rinsed and drained. If you are using the uncooked beans, either soak them overnight, or if you’re making this for dinner, just put them in a bowl of water before leaving the house in the morning.
Start by chopping the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic into small cubes.
Turn the instant pot to the sauté function and let it heat up. While the instant pot is heating up, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Once the instant pot is hot, add in the olive oil and brown the chicken thighs. Once they are browned, remove the chicken thighs from the instant pot and set aside in a bowl.
Next, add in the onion, garlic, and pepper mixture along with the chili powder, chipotle flakes, mustard powder, cumin, and cinnamon, and sauté for about 5 minutes until it’s fragrant and translucent. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the chicken and get that flavor into the vegetables.
Add in the tomatoes, (don’t worry about crushing them because they’ll break down when they cook) squash, water, bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon of salt, soy sauce, molasses, and beans, and stir to combine. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back into the instant pot and mix everything so the chicken is all covered.
Close the lid, make sure the lid is set to “sealing” and set the instant pot to manual pressure cook for 22 minutes at high pressure.
Once the 22 minutes are up, turn the instant pot off and let the pressure naturally release. If you’re in a hurry you can do a quick release by setting the lid to venting.
Once the pressure has normalized, open the lid, remove the chicken from the chili, and shred it with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the chili and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed. Voila! Instant Pot 20 minute butternut squash chicken chili!
The chili may look slightly thin, but it will thicken as it cools.
Serve this Instant Pot 20 minute butternut squash chicken chili with cheese, Greek yogurt, cilantro, or any other way you love to top chili!