Description
This Buffalo Chicken Chili is a rich, creamy, and hearty soup combining juicy shredded chicken, sweet corn, smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, creamy white beans, and spicy Buffalo wings sauce. Finished with cream cheese for a luxuriously smooth broth, it's perfect for those craving a comforting, flavorful bowl with a bit of heat. Serve topped with blue cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, or cilantro for an elevated dining experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (patted dry OR rotisserie chicken - see notes)
- 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Thickening and Seasonings
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Canned Goods
- 2 14.5 oz cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can cream style corn
- 1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
Sauces and Dairy
- 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce
- 4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons oil (for searing)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sear chicken until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Once melted, increase to medium-high and add onions, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until onions soften. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Sprinkle flour and cook an additional minute, stirring constantly to form a thick roux.
- Add Ingredients: Return chicken to the pot. Add beans, cream style corn, sweet corn, fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices, Buffalo wings sauce, chicken bouillon, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 1 cup chicken broth until smooth, then stir into the pot. Add the remaining chicken broth.
- Simmer: Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then uncover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning, until the chicken is tender enough to shred.
- Shred Chicken: Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred it finely. Return the shredded chicken to the soup pot and stir well.
- Incorporate Cream Cheese: Lower heat to low and stir in cream cheese until fully melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or Buffalo wings sauce as desired. Thin with extra chicken broth if you prefer a less thick chili. Serve hot, optionally topped with blue cheese, crushed tortilla chips, chopped avocado, sour cream, and cilantro.
Notes
- This chili is make-ahead friendly and tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
- If you prefer, use rotisserie chicken to skip searing and shredding steps for a quicker meal.
- You can adjust the heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of Buffalo wings sauce.
- For a thicker chili, reduce chicken broth slightly or add more cornstarch slurry.
- Top with blue cheese and crunchy tortilla chips for authentic Buffalo flavor and texture contrasts.
- Leftover chili stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freezes for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
