Spicy Buffalo Chicken Chili Inspired by Rachel Ray
Inspired by spicy buffalo chicken wings and buffalo wing sauce, this spicy buffalo chicken chili recipe is loaded with spice and perfect for a cold night. Using ground chicken and hot sauce along with some chopped vegetables, it’s an easy recipe and meal idea served with warm tortilla chips with melted blue cheese crumbles.
My husband has always loved super spicy food. We still laugh about one of our earliest dates where he ordered Five Alarm Hot Wings at a restaurant. He spent the rest of the evening with his nose and eyes running! But, he loved it.
So, when I watched an episode of Rachel Ray and saw Rachel’s recipe for Buffalo Chicken Chili, I knew I needed to try it. I’ve made it so many times that it has become a great meal and quick dinner idea that the whole family loves!
Why You’ll Love this Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe
- Customizable Heat Level – Easily adjust the spice by adding more or less hot sauce and spices.
- Flexible Ingredients – Works with what you have on hand, making substitutions simple.
- Full of Flavor – A bold and zesty twist on classic chili with a spicy buffalo kick.
- Great for Meal Prep – Makes delicious leftovers that taste even better the next day.
Ingredients
(For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- olive oil
- butter
- ground chicken
- diced carrots
- diced onions
- garlic cloves
- chipotle chili powder
- bay leaf
- salf and pepper to taste
- chicken stock
- hot sauce (We like Frank’s red hot sauce)
- white kidney beans or cannellini beans
- tomato sauce
- diced tomatoes
- corn torilla chips and blue cheese (to serve on the side)
Instructions for Spicy Buffalo Chicken Chili
(For the specific instructions, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
How to Portion, Freeze, and Meal Prep This Recipe to Fit Your Current Lifestyle
Making for Two – This recipe makes a full batch, but it’s easy to freeze ahead smaller portions.
Freezing Ahead – Portion leftovers into freezer-safe bags or containers (after the soup has completely cooled) for an easy future meal.
Reheating Options – When ready to eat, thaw overnight on the bottom shelf of the fridge and heat in the microwave or let it warm in a slow cooker on low for the day.
Tips & Tricks
- Spice up your soup slowly. Add in spices and taste. Add more if you’d like. It’s easier to add spice than take it away!
- If you happen to get it too spicy, add some honey to cool down the spice.
Substitutions and Variations for Spicy Buffalo Chicken Chili
- If you don’t have ground chicken, ground turkey works just as good. Turns out, turkey buffalo chili is delicious, too!
- The original recipe didn’t call for white kidney beans, so don’t worry if you don’t have any to add to the rest of the ingredients.
- If you don’t have diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes work as well.
- Smoked paprika could be used instead of chipotle chili powder.
- To make chicken broth, I stir 2 1/2 teaspoons chicken boullion powder into 2 cups of very hot (or boiling) water.
- Add in 3 ribs of diced celery along with the other vegetables if you’d like. It’s delicious in it, too.
What to serve with Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Our favorite side for this recipe (and shown in the pictures) is baked blue cheese nachos.
- Oven baked crispy tortilla strips are a nice side for soups and chilis like this.
- Buttered sourdough bread is delicious with chili!
- Sour dough chips are like crackers, and go so well with chilis and soups.
Equipment
I love my cast iron coated dutch oven for this recipe. And, since I like to reheat soup in the crock pot for an easy dinner idea, it is also an important piece of my kitchen tools. My crock pot is now 35 years old, but here’s a lovely new crockpot!
(Don’t forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite kitchen tools!) The links are affiliate links.
How do I store soup and chili?
Transfer the soup into an airtight container with a tight fitting lid within 2 hours of making the soup. It will keep in the fridge for a few days.
If you want to store this soup recipe for longer than 2 days, place it in a container with a tight fitting lid, or a freezer ziploc bag and freeze it (after it has cooled completely).
More Yummy Soup Recipes:
- White Chicken Chili
- Taco Soup
- Tortillini Soup
- Bring Olive Garden to Your Home Kitchen with this Comforting Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
- Creamy Curried Carrot Soup
- Spicy Pumpkin Soup
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER:
Buffalo Chicken Chili
nspired by spicy buffalo chicken wings and buffalo wing sauce, this spicy chili recipe is loaded with spice and perfect for a cold night. Using ground chicken and hot sauce along with some chopped vegetables, it’s an easy recipe and meal idea served with warm tortilla chips with melted blue cheese crumbles.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 large carrots, diced finely
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chipolte chili powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4-1/2 cup red hot sauce, use as much or as little as you like!
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 can white kidney or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bag tortilla chips, any color
- 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium high heat and add in the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts, add in the ground chicken. Break up the meat with a turner and cook until the meat browns and no red is showing.
- Add the diced carrots and onions to the pan and saute until the onions start to turn clear and the carrots soften – about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and spices and saute until fragrant. Salt and pepper to taste
- Add in the chicken broth and stir to release browned bits on the bottom of the pan.Pour in the tomatoe sauce, diced tomatoes, hot sauce, and white beans.Bring the chili to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
DON’T MISS A THING!
Join my list for more ideas for you and your home…