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buffalo chicken chili in a white bowl with shredded cheese and sour cream
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Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe

Nobody wants Buffalo chicken soup pretending to be chili. That why I made this over and over until I got it right. This chili is thick, creamy, and built to hold up to all of your favorite toppings. The key is balancing the Buffalo sauce with a rich, seasoned base so you get plenty of heat without overpowering everything else in the bowl.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword buffalo chicken chili
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 7 cups
Calories 284kcal
Author Brandi Crawford

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • ½ cup diced onions I like to use red or white onions.
  • 2-3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 pound skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 15.5 oz canned black beans Drained
  • 1 15.5 oz canned chili beans or red beans (kidney) Drained
  • 15.5 oz canned diced tomatoes and chilis Drained
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor Optional for flavor.
  • ½ cup whole kernel corn I used frozen, drained canned corn also works.
  • 2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing Adjust to taste.
  • ½ cup Buffalo Sauce If you like your chili really spicy, add more.

Spices and Seasoning (Feel free to use a store-bought chili seasoning blend if you wish.)

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
    1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ cup diced onions, 2-3 garlic cloves
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Add the chicken, black beans, chili beans, diced tomatoes and chilis, corn, optional Better Than Bouillon, and the chili seasoning. Stir everything together.
    ½ cup chicken broth, 1 pound skinless chicken breasts, 1 15.5 oz canned black beans, 1 15.5 oz canned chili beans or red beans (kidney), 15.5 oz canned diced tomatoes and chilis , 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor, ½ cup whole kernel corn, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste
  • Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes for chicken breasts or 20-25 minutes for chicken thighs, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the chili and stir.
  • Stir in the buffalo sauce and ranch dressing until well combined. Let the chili simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes so the flavors come together and the chili thickens.
    2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing, ½ cup Buffalo Sauce
  • Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning as needed. Feel free to add more salt or more cayenne if you like it more spicy. If it's thicker than you like, add a little more broth. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Video

Notes

  • Adjust the amount of buffalo sauce used to fit your taste. Your first time making the recipe, you may start with ¼ cup of buffalo sauce, taste and then adjust as necessary.
  • If you are a ranch lover, add more ranch. If you don't like ranch, omit it.
  • You can use any canned beans you like. Here are options: Navy Beans, Kidney Beans, Great Northern Beans, and Chili Beans. 
  • The type of beans you use will impact how the chili looks. My chili has a browner look because of the black beans and red beans.
  • Dried beans have a completely separate cooking time and will need to be cooked separately. Check out my Instant Pot Black Beans and Instant Pot Red Beans.
  • You can also use a rotisserie chicken. You won't need to cook the chicken again if you use fully cooked chicken. Add the chicken at the end.
  • Instead of making your own homemade chili seasoning, you can use a store-bought packet, if that's what you want.
  • You can add cream cheese and Colby-Jack to give the chili a creamy and delicious texture.
How to Make the Chili in an Instant Pot: Use 2 cups of broth instead of ½ cup.
  1. Place the Instant Pot on the Saute setting. Add the garlic and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until both are soft.
  2. Add the chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Next add the chicken breasts, beans, diced tomatoes and chilies, Better than Bouillon and all of the seasonings (I reserve the salt and pepper until the end).
  3. Close the pot and seal. Cook on Manual High-Pressure for 20 minutes.
  4. When the pot indicates it has finished, allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes instead of quick release.
  5. Open the pot and remove the chicken breasts. Shred the breasts using a knife and fork. Return the chicken to the pot.
  6. Place the Instant Pot on the saute function. Add the buffalo sauce, ranch, frozen corn, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until combined.
How to Make the Chili in a Slow Cooker:
  1. Add the onions, garlic, chicken, broth, Better than Bouillon, beans, diced tomatoes, and chilies, and chili seasoning to the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on Low for 8 hours.
  3. Remove the chicken, shred, and return it to the slow cooker. Add the buffalo sauce, ranch, frozen corn, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 9g