This buffalo chicken chili takes classic hearty chili to the next level with ranch seasoning and hot sauce. The tender chicken, fire roasted tomatoes, and white beans round out the dish in the delicious buffalo broth.
Looking for more crockpot chili recipes? Try this sweet potato chili, slow cooker steak chili, or easy no-bean chili next.
Quickly throw everything into the crock pot and forget about it until you come home to the most delicious meal. Crock pot soups like this one, healthy chicken tortilla soup, and sausage lentil soup make weeknight dinners a breeze.
The chicken breasts are cooked low and slow in a flavorful, spicy broth made with chili powder, smoked paprika, white beans, chicken broth, and fire-roasted tomatoes until the chicken is so tender it falls apart. Finishing it with cream cheese or blended cottage cheese for richness and protein.
Just like buffalo chicken stuffed peppers, adjust the spice level to your preference and enjoy the game day flavors we all love any day of the week.
Love buffalo chicken? Try dairy free buffalo chicken dip, buffalo chicken salad, or buffalo chicken casserole next.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the simple ingredients to make this buffalo chicken chili recipe. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Chicken breast: You could also add in rotisserie chicken at the end.
- Buffalo sauce: The same sauce you’d use on your favorite buffalo wings! My favorite buffalo wing sauce is Primal Kitchen, but I also like Frank’s Red Hot.
- Diced Tomatoes: Take it up a notch with fire-roasted tomatoes!
- Beans: White beans add richness and texture to this chili dish, just like slow cooker white chicken chili. Cannellini beans, navy beans, or great northern beans all work.
- Spices: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, dill, and paprika.
- Cream cheese: cut the heat and add a creamy texture with a block of cream cheese. You could also stir in blended cottage cheese for added protein.
Recipe Variations
- Ground chicken: brown 2 lbs of ground chicken in a skillet then transfer it to the crock pot and follow the instructions to finish cooking.
- Rotisserie chicken: make the soup without the chicken in it and add leftover rotisserie chicken into the chili with the cream cheese.
- Add veggies: Add bell peppers, celery, poblano pepper, canned corn, or carrots!
- More Protein: Blend 1 cup of cottage cheese until smooth (similar to cottage cheese dip) and mix it in at the end instead of cream cheese.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Chili
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make crock pot buffalo chicken chili. Jump to the recipe card for full instructions.
Step 1. Add to Slow Cooker. Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, except the cream cheese and cilantro. Mix and submerge the chicken in the liquid.
Step 2. Cook. Slow cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Step 1. Shred the Chicken Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks.
Step 2. Finish and Serve. Stir in the cream cheese until melted, taste, and adjust seasoning and heat as needed. Serve with your favorite chili toppings!
Can I Make it on the Stovetop or Instant Pot?
Yes, you can make this chili on the stovetop like I do with my sweet and spicy chili, or make it quickly in the Instant Pot.
Stovetop: Place everything in a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken and add it back to the soup with the cream cheese and cilantro.
Instant Pot: add all of the ingredients to the instant pot and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Turn the valve to venting to quick release the steam. Remove the chicken from the chili, shred and place it back in the Instant Pot. Turn it to saute mode and add the cream cheese and cilantro and stir well to melt.
Expert Tips
- Start with less buffalo sauce. You can always add it but you can’t take it out! Taste and add more spice as needed!
- Get creative with mix-ins. Try adding veggies like celery, corn, or carrots.
- Don’t skip the toppings. Serve with toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, blue cheese crumbles, sour cream, green onions, and cilantro.
- Taste and adjust as you go. Don’t forget to adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Fridge: store leftover buffalo chicken chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: cool completely and store in a freezer safe container or storage bag for up to 3 months. Lay the freezer bag flat to freeze solid and save space. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Freeze before cooking: make it a freezer meal by adding everything but the cream cheese to a plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw overnight, and follow instructions to slow cook.
Reheat: Warm the chili on the stove in a large pot over medium-high heat or heat individual bowls of chili in the microwave until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
There are around 300 calories in one serving of this buffalo chicken chili. It makes about 6 servings, which means there are 1800 calories in the entire soup.
This recipe has a good kick to it, but can be easily adjusted based on your preference. I recommend starting with less hot sauce as desired. You can always add more spice to get it just right, but you can’t remove it!
We wrote an entire article on ways to serve buffalo chicken. But some of our favorites are cooling ingredients that balance out the spice like cheese or sour cream. Anything crunchy is another great option!
Need more chicken soup? Try this Instant pot chicken noodle soup, marry me chicken soup, or creamy chicken tortilla soup next!.
Feels like Breakfast on the Beach!
- Thick and delicious with tons of coconut flavor
- Takes 5 minutes to make
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Full of healthy fats
- Add protein powder for a complete breakfast
- Sweet tropical flavors
Love refreshing smoothies? Try this pitaya smoothie bowl, blueberry raspberry smoothie, or tropical kale smoothie next!
Why You’ll Love This Smoothie Bowl
- Thick enough to scoop with a spoon. Not a drink.
- 5 minutes from freezer to bowl.
- One blender, no extra dishes.
- Add 25g of protein with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Full breakfast, full morning.
- Naturally Gluten-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Vegan. No swaps needed.
- Pre-portion the fruit ahead so weekday mornings are zero decisions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen banana. One whole. Banana is the texture anchor; don’t skip.
- Frozen pineapple. ¾ cup. Pre-cut from the freezer aisle works.
- Frozen mango. ½ cup. Same rule.
- Full-fat coconut milk. ⅓ cup, from the can. Shake the can well before measuring or you’ll pour off only the watery part.
- Coconut extract. Optional, ¼ teaspoon. Boosts the coconut flavor without making it taste like sunscreen. A little goes a long way.
- Vanilla protein powder. Optional, one 25g scoop. I use Be Well by Kelly because the ingredient list is short. If you add protein powder, add an extra splash of coconut milk to keep it blendable.
- Toppings. Whatever’s in the kitchen: shredded coconut, chia seeds, fresh fruit, granola, nut butter.
How to Make a Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Add the Frozen Fruit First. Dump all the frozen into a high-speed blender. Don’t add the liquid yet. Start dry.
- Add the Liquid Slowly. Add the coconut milk, coconut extract, and protein powder if using. Blend on low first, then high. Stop and stir or tamp down as needed. If the blender stalls, add coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until it moves. Don’t drown it.
- Pour and Top. Pile the toppings on, hit it with a drizzle of nut butter or honey if you want, and serve immediately. Smoothie bowls melt fast.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl Toppings
The toppings are where you make it yours. A few that work:
- Chia seeds: crunch and fiber. Half a tablespoon goes a long way.
- Granola: crunch. Use one with chunky clusters.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: doubles down on the coconut.
- Nut butter: coconut almond butter, macadamia butter, or cashew butter for a tropical feel. Warm it slightly so it drizzles.
- Extra fruit: kiwi, banana slices, mango, fresh pineapple. Sparingly, because there’s already a lot of fruit in the bowl.
- Bee pollen, hemp hearts, or cacao nibs if you want to lean health-y.
Prefer a more decadent smoothie? Try our cake batter protein shake, chocolate peanut butter protein smoothie, or chocolate and cherry smoothie.
FAQS
Too much liquid. Add more frozen fruit a handful at a time and blend until it thickens. Or remember the rule for next time: 2 parts frozen fruit to 1 part liquid, max.
Not enough liquid, fruit not chopped small enough, or the blender isn’t powerful enough. Stop, scrape the sides, tamp the fruit toward the blades, and pulse instead of running on high.
Yes. The recipe works as-is without protein powder. If you do add protein, add an extra splash of coconut milk so it blends.
Yes. With coconut milk and a plant-based protein powder, it’s naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, and Vegan.
Yes. Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags. In the morning, dump one bag in the blender, add coconut milk and protein powder, and blend.
Store the smoothie base (without toppings) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it separates and loses creaminess. Give it a stir or a quick re-blend before serving.
Coconut Smoothie Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk shaken
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder optional
- Toppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a highs-speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until a smooth and thick consistency. If you don't have a high powered blender it may take a little longer or you may need to add another splash of coconut milk.1 frozen banana, 3/4 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen mango, 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 scoop (25g) vanilla protein powder
- Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppingsToppings: mango, banana, granola, chia seeds, cherries, nut butter, or coconut
Notes
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed to get the desired texture.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips for Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit as the base.
- Start with less liquid and add more as needed.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results.
Prep and Storage Tips
Prep ahead: Pre-portion the frozen fruit into individual zip-top bags so weekday mornings are just dump-and-blend.
Storage: Store the smoothie base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. It separates after that.
Freezing: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight, give it a stir, and pour into the bowl.
More Smoothie Recipes
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans drained and rinsed
- 2 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup buffalo or hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 11/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon EACH: dried dill, onion powder, paprika, and kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 8 ounces cream cheese or Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Toppings to taste
Instructions
- Add everything to the slow cooker, except for the cream cheese and cilantro. Close the lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high fro 4 hours.1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, 2 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, 4 cups chicken stock or broth, 1 cup buffalo or hot sauce, 2 teaspoons dried chives, 11/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: dried dill, onion powder, paprika, and kosher salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Carefully remove the lid and transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a clean cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces. Place the shredded chicken back in the slow cooker and stir it well.
- Add the chopped cilantro and cream cheese and stir well until the cream cheese is melted and mixed into the chili. Serve it hot with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, or your other favorite chili toppings.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is a must make! So good and my husband is already asking when I’m making it again. We loved it with avocado on top and homemade beer bread on the side for dipping. Thank you for sharing!!
Thank you so much Anna!
Any variation of the Buffalo chicken recipe and we know we’re going to love it. This was delicious. We used coconut cream to be dairy free and I think it helped balance the spic level so it was perfect for us. A great winter night dinner. We actually enjoyed it even more the next day. It seemed like the flavors were richer and it was a bit thicker. So win-win!
#WhatWEMade
Thanks so much Liz!!
This was really good! It’s spicy and creamy but not too heavy feeling. Started with half a cup Buffalo sauce but was still too spicy for my kids so added some sour cream for them. Added more Buffalo sauce to my serving so I think I would have liked the whole cup if it was just for adults/older kids. Super easy to make, plan to try the Greek yogurt in place of the cream cheese next time.
#whatwemade
Thanks Mallory! Love that you customized the spice level.
Delicious! Buffalo Chicken Dip is my favorite, so having those same comforting flavors in a soup was a hit! i halved the amount of hot sauce for my three year old and she loved it. Topped with tortilla strips, green onion, and sour cream.
Yum!! Those toppings sound incredible!
Made this for meal prep and froze some to have later. Followed the recipe, no adjustments. It was delicious! Perfect amount of heat! This will be added to my soup rotation!
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Thanks, Buffie!
This is so tasty and filling! We loved adding tortilla strips and avocado as well as some chopped tomato. I kept it on the milder side for the spice-sensitive members of my family and it was still so full of flavor. A keeper for sure!
#WhatWEMade
Love it! So easy to customize for your spice preference. Thanks for sharing!
Made this with the Kite Hill dairy free cream cheese and it was perfect! Thanks for the alternative options, I don’t always know how to sub in dairy free or gluten free for my family and this makes it so easy!
Thanks so much! I love having dairy-free options! Glad it helped.
I LOVE buffalo chicken and have never done a spin off recipe before. This was really good! My kids ate some too and they’re not real good with spice.
I did reduce the hot sauce to 1/2 cup, cut the paprika by half and left out the chili powder.
#whatwemade
Thanks Nikki! Love it!