Buffalo Chicken Chili

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is packed with buffalo chicken wing flavor, adjustable heat, and then topped off with creamy crumbled blue cheese. It’s perfect for a hands-off, mid-week meal!

We also love white chicken chili, crockpot white chicken chili and this ground chicken chili around here!

I’ve already shared recipes for more traditional chili like Instant Pot beef chili and Instant Pot turkey chili.

Now it’s the turn of this spicy, creamy buffalo chicken chili. It combines all the flavors of the buffalo chicken wings but in a less messy, more saucy chili form.

Not to mention, it is topped with plenty of creamy blue cheese crumbles or cream cheese that melts into the rest of the dish and makes for the most irresistible chili (believe me!).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 3 cooking options: You can make it in the crock pot, Instant Pot or on the stove.
• Freezer meal friendly: Cook from frozen in Instant Pot, or defrost and then cook in your slow cooker.
• Easy recipe: Minimal chopping, minutes of prep, and only one pan (two maximum).
• Lighter: Unlike many other recipes on the web, this chili uses less cream cheese.
• Crowd pleasing: Chili recipes are a game day, potluck or holiday party pleasers! Everyone loves chili!

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Chili

• Chicken: I recommend using boneless skinless chicken breasts for the lightest option. However, slightly fattier chicken thighs would also work very well, and even chicken with the bone-in.
• Aromatics: All you need is garlic and onion. You can use 2 teaspoons of each, garlic powder and onion powder, when in a pinch.
• Vegetables: Carrots and celery make up the base of this buffalo chili recipe.
• Canned beans: You can use any beans like cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans or white beans. I recommend “meatier” beans which will break down the starches more for a thicker hearty chili. Other beans like Instant Pot kidney beans, Instant Pot black beans or pinto beans will work in a pinch. Use low-sodium, drained and rinsed.
• Diced tomatoes: Use low sodium canned diced tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes. During summer, you could use ripe tomatoes instead.
• Buffalo wing sauce: Frank’s red hot sauce is our go-to for all things buffalo.
• Sweetener: You can use maple syrup, honey or sugar. It is just to balance out the acidity in tomatoes.
• Spices: A combination of cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika.
• Blue cheese: Use crumbled blue cheese. It is really a highlight ingredient of this chili but read the recipe notes for substitutions though.
• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil. I recommend either olive oil or avocado oil.
• Chicken broth: Low sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth.
• Garnish: Cilantro, green onions, lime, and tortilla chips. You could also use some extra hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, dollop of sour cream or yogurt, etc.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Chili

• Saute the veggies: Preheat large Dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the rest: Add chicken breasts, beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, hot sauce, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
• Cook: Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.
• Shred chicken and add cheese: Remove chicken breasts, shred with 2 forks and return to the pot along with cream cheese.

Tips for Best Results

• If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese: You can omit it but use 1/2 cup of cream cheese.
• Keep the cheese separate: Blue cheese isn’t to everyone’s taste. So if you’re serving this to a large group, I recommend to add cream cheese to the pot and serving blue cheese separately as a topping. So guests can decide if they want some or not.
• The salt content: If you aren’t using low sodium beans or diced tomatoes, reduce amount of hot sauce but it will affect how spicy the dish turns out. So, I recommend to use low sodium canned products.
• When serving to kids: Most kids do not like spicy food. Don’t add all of the hot sauce to the main dish or make child-friendly one with 1/4 cup hot sauce. That way, people can add more when eating, if preferred.

Can I Make It Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?

Yes, to make buffalo chicken chili in Instant Pot, just add the ingredients to your Instant Pot finishing with diced tomatoes on top and do not stir!

Close the lid, set the pressure vent to Sealing, and pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Then manually release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting position until the valve drops down.

To make chili in the slow cooker, first sauté the vegetables in a skillet. Then transfer to a large crock pot along with beans, tomatoes, broth, hot sauce, maple syrup, spices and stir. Finally, add the chicken breast and gently push to sink them beneath the mixture. Then cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Turn It into a Freezer Meal

You can prep all ingredients and freeze in a bag, then just cook from frozen. This chili is one of my go-to 20 freezer meals.

For Instant Pot: Add all the ingredients, except chicken broth and cream cheese, to a gallon-sized Ziplock bag, with the tomatoes on top.

Squeeze out all the excess air, seal, and freeze standing upright (so it can fit into the pot frozen) for up to 3 months. Add 1 cup chicken broth and cook from frozen for 30 minutes on high pressure with quick release.

For the slow cooker: First, sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Then freeze with the remaining ingredients in a large gallon-sized Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Then cook in a large slow cooker for 4 hours or high or 8 hours on low.

Variations

• Chicken thighs would be great as they are more fatty and will add an additional layer of flavor.
• Ground chicken: Saute 1 pound of ground chicken, transfer to a bowl and proceed with recipe.
• Rotisserie chicken: Use 3 cups shredded cooked chicken, no other changes needed.
• Other vegetables: There are several veggies you could add to this buffalo chili like corn, sweet potato, or kale.
• Vegetarian buffalo chili: Swap out the chicken for roasted cauliflower, additional beans and optionally a vegan chicken alternative.
• More heat: You can boost the heat in this chili further with the addition of fresh chilies like jalapeños, canned green chilies or chipotle in adobo sauce, or some cayenne pepper.

Serving Recommendations

Enjoy this buffalo chicken chili alone, with plenty of toppings or with a side of your choice, including:

• Bread: Cornbread or cornbread muffins is a classic side dish for chili.
• Potato: Serve spooned over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mashed potatoes.
• Grains: You might also enjoy it with rice or quinoa. Use cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
• Veggie salad: A slaw is always welcome with chili! Like this healthy slaw, vinegar based coleslaw, or dill coleslaw.

How to Store

Store: Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Freeze cooked and cooled chili in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. 

Reheat: Gently reheat chili on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

More Buffalo Flavored Recipes

• Buffalo chicken bites
• Air fryer buffalo cauliflower
• Healthy buffalo chicken dip
• Buffalo chicken tacos
• Buffalo cauliflower soup

More Chili Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot white chicken chili
• Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip
• Instant Pot vegetarian chili
• Chili mac
• Chicken quinoa chili

You might also enjoy browsing through my entire collection of soups and stew recipes.