Making this Chicken Chili Mac and Cheese in your Instant Pot means you can have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. This recipe is full of all the things we love about chili: ground beef chicken, beans, tomatoes, spices with cheesy goodness added. If Chili and Mac and Cheese had a love child, this would be it.

This is not a complicated dish to make. Prep work?  You can chop while you wait for your Instant Pot to heat up and while the chicken is browning. Also awesome is that you get the benefit of lower calories, but won’t know that it’s ground chicken. This is not a spicy dish at all – no fear, spice wimps! This is kid-friendly and you can always add more zip later! Want another family-friendly comfort dinner? Check out my popular Student Stroganoff, here!

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 12 minutes (+10 minutes to get to pressure and 2 minutes resting time); Serves: 4 – 6 people (makes 8 cups)

What you need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) lean ground chicken (ground turkey or ground beef)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pepper, diced (I used yellow)
• 1 jalapeño, deseeded and diced (watch your hands and eyes!)
• 2 cups macaroni (or other short pasta)
• 1 can 28 oz (796 ml) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 can 19 oz (540 ml) kidney beans (I used small red kidney beans)
• 2 tsp My Southern Spice Mix
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp chipotle puree (or 2 tsp chipotle powder)
• 2 tsp Urfa Biber (this is a mild pepper – if you don’t have it, you can omit or substitute paprika)
• 2 cup grated cheddar cheese (1 3/4 + 1/4 cup)
• Chives (for garnish)
• Optional: Hot Sauce – if you want it hotter!

What you do:

• Put you Instant Pot on Saute, when it says HOT, add the olive oil and ground chicken, stirring and breaking it up

• Cook for approximately 4 minutes until no longer pink (do not drain)
• Add the onions and garlic, stir, cook for about 2 minutes

• Turn OFF
• Add the My Southern Spice Mix, cumin, chipotle puree, Urfa Biber and pepper, stir

• Add the diced pepper and jalapeño, stir 

• Add the macaroni and spread across the ground chicken
• Add the beans
• Add the can of diced tomatoes

• Add the beef stock and make sure that the macaroni is covered

• Put the lid on and make sure it is set to SEAL.  Set to MANUAL pressure for 4 minutes
• When 4 minutes is up, “QUICK RELEASE” and remove the lid
• Let it sit a few minutes (1-2) before serving as the sauce will thicken up
• Add grated cheese and stir

• Serve

• Top with extra cheddar cheese and sliced chives

• Yum! 

• Quick and easy dinner for 6! (Or dinner and leftover lunch!)

Yield: 6

Instant Pot Chicken Chili Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 29 minutes

An Instant Pot warm hug of a meal that combines the great flavours of chili with the gooeyness of cheese. Best part? The ground chicken lightens it up calorie-wise.

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb (450 g) lean ground chicken (ground turkey or ground beef)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pepper, diced (I used yellow)
• 1 jalapeño, deseeded and diced (watch your hands and eyes!)
• 2 cups macaroni (or other short pasta)
• 1 can 28 oz (796 ml) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 can 19 oz (540 ml) kidney beans (I used small red kidney beans)
• 2 tsp My Southwest Spice Mix
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Chipotle puree (or 2 tsp chipotle powder)
• 2 tsp Urfa Biber (this is a mild pepper - if you don't have it you can omit or substitute paprika)
• 2 cup grated cheddar cheese (1 3/4 + 1/4 cup)
• Chives (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Put you Instant Pot on Saute when it says HOT, add the olive oil and ground chicken, stirring and breaking them up
2. Cook for approximately 4 minutes until no longer pink (do not drain)
3. Add the onions and garlic, stir, cook for about 2 minutes
4. Turn OFF
5. Add the My Southwest Spice Mix, cumin, Chipotle puree, Urfa Biber, and pepper, stir
6. Add the diced pepper and jalapeño, stir 
7. Add the macaroni and spread across the bottom
8. Add the beans
9. Add the can of diced tomatoes
10. Add the beef stock and make sure that the macaroni is covered
11. Put the lid on and make sure it is set to SEAL.  Set to MANUAL pressure for 4 minutes
12. When 4 minutes is up "QUICK RELEASE" and remove the lid
13. Add grated cheese and stir
14. Let it sit a few minutes (1-2) before serving as the sauce will thicken up
15. Serve
16. Top with extra cheddar cheese and sliced chives

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

6
Amount Per Serving: Total Fat: 156gSaturated Fat: 63gTrans Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 78gCholesterol: 833mgSodium: 3845mgCarbohydrates: 258gFiber: 58gSugar: 31gProtein: 270g