Buffalo Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese
Spicy chili combining shredded chicken, kidney and great northern beans, and tomato base with buffalo hot sauce and cream cheese for richness. Topped with crumbled blue cheese for tangy finish. Quick weeknight comfort food with bold flavors and creamy texture.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, large, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 1 carrot, large, peeled and diced
- 3 clove garlic, chopped
- 5 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pound chicken, cooked, shredded
- 1 16 ounce kidney beans, drained
- 1 15.8 ounce great northern beans, drained
- 2 15 ounce tomato sauce
- 1 15 ounce crushed tomatoes, undrained
- ¼ to 1 cup, hot sauce
- 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
- blue cheese, crumbled(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- 2
Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
- 3
Add garlic and dried spices; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 4
Add chicken, beans, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes.
- 5
Simmer 20-25 minutes.
- 6
Stir in hot sauce and softened cream cheese until smooth.
- 7
Serve topped with crumbled blue cheese if desired.
Tips
Start with 0.25 cup hot sauce and add more to reach desired spice level.
Rotisserie chicken saves time; ensure it is fully shredded before adding.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
Prepare through step 5 up to 1 day ahead. Reheat gently, then stir in cream cheese and hot sauce before serving.
Ladle into bowls. Top with crumbled blue cheese, additional hot sauce, or diced onion.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the bloom of spices in step 3 to avoid flat, one-dimensional flavor.
Stir cream cheese gently and thoroughly to avoid lumpy texture.
Do not add hot sauce before cream cheese as acidity may prevent smooth incorporation.