Buffalo Chicken Chili

Active time:30 min. Total time:50 min.
Yield: Serves 6 to 8 (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups [for 6] ) 

This Buffalo Chicken Chili is one the best soups that’s come out of our test kitchen. We’ve combined two of the best foods around to make one ultimate dish. It’s hearty, full of chicken and veggies, and has a subtly spiced buffalo flavor. The vegetables, especially the corn, add a bit of sweetness, while the beans offer creaminess that stands out from the cream cheese enriched broth. Lemon pepper adds a nice tang and contrast to the chili, and sprinkling blue cheese crumbles and scallions on top rounds everything out. Keep a quart or two of this in the freezer for a quick dinner on a cold night, or take a batch to your next potluck or tailgate. Serve with carrot and celery sticks, tortilla chips, and jalapeño cornbread sticks.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion)
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery (from 3 small stalks)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (from 2 garlic cloves)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce)
  • 2(11-oz.) cans shoepeg white corn, undrained
  • 1(15-oz.) can navy beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1(14.5-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1(4-oz.) pkg. blue cheese crumbles
  • Celery leaves, torn

How to Make It

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and lemon pepper; add to Dutch oven, and cook, stirring often, until chicken is lightly browned and almost cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate, and set aside. Do not wipe Dutch oven clean.

Step 2

Add butter to Dutch oven, and melt over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onion and celery begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring often, 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, stirring and scraping to loosen any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, until broth thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. 

Step 3

Stir in buffalo sauce, corn, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil over medium-high. Boil, stirring often, 8 minutes. Add reserved chicken and any accumulated juices on plate, and cook, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

Step 4

Add cream cheese cubes, and cook, stirring until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thickened and well combined, about 3 minutes. Serve chili topped with blue cheese crumbles and celery leaves. 

Source: Read Full Article