Description

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is a rich, creamy, and hearty dish bursting with layers of flavor. It features shredded chicken thighs, sweet corn, smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, creamy white beans, and tangy buffalo wing sauce all combined in a luxuriously creamy broth with cream cheese. Perfectly spicy and comforting, it's topped with blue cheese, crunchy tortilla chips, and avocado for an irresistible meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (patted dry or rotisserie chicken)

Vegetables & Aromatics

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

Beans & Corn

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

Canned Goods & Liquids

1 14 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
5 cups low sodium chicken broth

Thickening Agents & Seasonings

¼ 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

Sauces & Fats

2 tablespoons cooking oil (such as olive oil)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce

Dairy

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed and softened

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Instructions

Sear the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Season the chicken thighs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sear the chicken on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
Sauté vegetables: Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat in the same pot. Once melted, raise the heat to medium-high and add the chopped onions, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
Add flour: Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to create a thickened base.
Add remaining ingredients: Return the chicken to the pot. Add Great Northern beans, creamed corn, sweet corn, fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices, buffalo wing sauce, chicken bouillon, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
Mix cornstarch slurry: Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1 cup of chicken broth until smooth, then stir this mixture into the pot. Add the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth and stir to combine everything evenly.
Simmer chili: Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then uncover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender enough to shred, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
Shred chicken: Remove the chicken thighs onto a cutting board and shred them with two forks. Stir the shredded chicken back into the chili.
Add cream cheese: Turn the heat to low and stir in the softened cream cheese until it melts smoothly into the chili, about 2 minutes.
Season and serve: Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional buffalo wing sauce to taste. If the chili is too thick, thin it with extra chicken broth. Serve hot with optional toppings like blue cheese, crushed tortilla chips, chopped avocado, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

Notes

This chili is rich, creamy, and hearty with layers of flavor from spicy buffalo sauce to smoky paprika and creamy beans.
You can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save time; just shred and add it in step 7 without searing.
The cream cheese adds a luxurious creamy texture that balances the heat.
Adjust spice levels by varying the amount of buffalo wing sauce used.
Serve with blue cheese, crushed tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, or cilantro for a delicious topping combination.
This chili can be made ahead and reheated; flavors develop even more after resting.
Use low sodium chicken broth to control saltiness, as the buffalo sauce and bouillon add additional salt.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 320 kcal
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 28 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg