Buffalo Chicken Chili
Combine two gameday favorites into one with this Buffalo Chicken Chili. This easy recipe is creamy, spicy…and absolutely delicious!
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As we head into the coldest part of the year here in the North Carolina mountains, we’re always looking for new warm, comforting foods. We make a large batch of soup each week for lunches, and we often turn to stews or chilis in the evening. Curling up with a hot bowl of chili on a cold winter night is one of the best feelings ever!
This one-pot Buffalo Chicken Chili is a delicious (and fun!) spin on the classic chili. It’s made with shredded chicken, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes and buffalo sauce. Not only is this chili easy to make, but the taste is amazing, too. It’s creamy, spicy…and absolutely delicious!
Buffalo Chicken Chili
This Buffalo Chicken Chili is far different than your classic chili. Instead of ground beef, this recipe uses chopped rotisserie chicken. Don’t want to use a rotisserie chicken? Cook and shred several boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs instead. Another option is ground chicken – just make sure to cook it fully!
Celery. In chili!? Somewhere in Texas, a true chili purist is groaning at the use of celery, chicken and beans in this chili. Hey, I’m from Texas, and I absolutely love a good Texas-style chili. However, I’ve rarely met a chili I didn’t like, and this buffalo chicken version is a fun way to mix things up a bit. Think about it. Celery sticks are often served with buffalo wings…and the flavor of the celery adds a nice twist to this recipe.
Buffalo chicken anything is always a winner in our house – this Buffalo Chicken Pierogi Bake is one of our all-time favorites! Now we’re updating that list to include this Buffalo Chicken Chili.
Favorite Toppings
As with most chilis, the recipe itself matters…but the toppings are just as important! So what toppings go well with Buffalo Chicken Chili?
- Sour Cream – a dollop of sour cream on top is always a good choice with all types of chili.
- Green Onions – The bright flavor of the green onions is a nice balance to the spiciness of this chili
- Blue Cheese – If you like blue cheese, then crumbling a bit on top is a requirement for this chili! After blue cheese dip goes well with buffalo wings. Shredded cheddar cheese would be equally as delicious.
- Celery Leaves – For a fun presentation, stick some celery leaves into this chili as a garnish. They don’t add too much in the flavor department, but they certainly embrace the buffalo chicken vibe!
How to Store Leftover Chili
Leftovers of this Buffalo Chicken Chili should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you think you won’t get to the leftovers in that time, then they can be frozen. Place the chili in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let chili thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
If you’re looking for a delicious gameday recipe, then a pot of this Buffalo Chicken Chili is a winner! Even if you aren’t into sports, a pot of this chili is a great option for a game night with friends or just a quiet evening at home. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do here! Cheers!
Did you make this Buffalo Chicken Chili recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) on Instagram – I’d love to see your version!
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 celery ribs diced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- 2 (15.5-oz. cans) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed or another variety of canned white beans such as navy beans or great northern beans
- 1 (14.5-oz. can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (4.5-oz. can) fire-roasted green chiles
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ cup hot pepper sauce I used Frank’s Red Hot sauce
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken fully cooked
- {toppings} Sour cream green onions, blue cheese crumbles, crumbled tortilla chips
Instructions
- Using a Dutch oven or large pot, add butter and place over medium heat. Once butter has melted, add celery and onions.
- Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add chili powder, dried parsley, smoked paprika, onion powder and minced garlic; stir until well combined. Continue sauteing for 1 more minute.
- Add beans, tomatoes (undrained), chiles (undrained), chicken broth and hot pepper sauce; stir until well combined.
- Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Using a wooden spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the saucepan to thicken the chili. (Note: The amount of beans you mash – some or all – is entirely up to personal preference!)
- Add cooked chicken; stir until well combined.
- Continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes.
- For serving, top with a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions and crumbled blue cheese.
Looking for more Buffalo Chicken recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Thanks for making me hungry BTW cant wait to make your recipes soon for me
Haha – my pleasure, Ramya! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Simple, quick and tasty!
That’s just how I like it, Barb! (Of course, I’ll tackle larger kitchen adventures on occasion, but sometimes you just need easy comfort food!)
My comment vanished! Sad! Anyways just asking what buffalo chicken is?
sherry
Oh no – the case of the missing comment! Buffalo chicken is named after Buffalo, New York – it’s basically chicken tossed in a spicy sauce. Most often you see buffalo chicken in the form of chicken wings, but you can find it in other forms too – like dips or this chili!
Amazing! I’m down with the whole thing, from the rotisserie chicken to the celery!
This is such an easy and flavor-packed recipe, Jeff. Perfect for these chilly evenings!
Yeah, this time of the year is for all the hearty and soul-warming soup, chili, and stew recipes. And this one perfectly fits the bill. So many great flavours and textures are going on. I wish I had a bowl of this chili in front of me right now 🙂
I’m with you entirely, Ben! I love a good hearty bowl of soup or chili, and this one definitely fits into that category. It’s so easy to make, too!
Chili is one of my favorite things to eat when the weather is cold. This buffalo chicken chili sounds delicious. I love the twist on classic chili.
I love twists on chili, too, Dawn! I mean I love a good classic chili, too, but I have to say that this buffalo version is pretty fantastic. Cheers!
Your Buffalo Chicken Chili recipe sounds absolutely fantastic! The combination of shredded chicken, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and buffalo sauce is a genius twist on the classic chili. I love the idea of adding celery for that extra crunch and flavor. This is definitely going to be a hit for those cozy winter nights or game day gatherings.
I have to say that this is a new favorite around here now, Raymund! It’s perfect for these chilly nights.
I’m all for using a cooked chook from the supermarket to make life easy at times. Then I can allocate more time to dessert. We love a Beef Chilli here so know we would devour this. Great recipe, thanks David. Best wishes,
Pauline (Happy Retirees Kitchen)
We love using cooked rotisserie chicken – in fact, we always try to keep a bag in the freezer for quick meals. This one was definitely a favorite! Thanks, Pauline!
What a great idea, David. I really like Buffalo wings so this would be just my thing. Like wings only heartier!
We love Buffalo everything around here, so of course this chili was perfect for these winter evenings. Thanks, Frank!