Buffalo Chicken Chili
Do you ever find a recipe that ends up being a staple to your meal planning? Well, Buffalo Chicken Chili is that recipe for us! It is the perfect mix of our family’s two favorite things, chili and buffalo chicken.
I am a HUGE Rachael Ray fan. I love everything about her, subscribe to her magazine and watch her show any chance I can get. Quite a few years ago, she had a show called “30 Minute Meals”. I watched that show a lot and learned some very delicious recipes. This one, however, has stood the test of time and has been a family favorite for years. I have altered it a bit, but it will always be one of the best chili recipes I have made.
In a large stock pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, brown 2 lbs of ground chicken. I have also used a combination of ground chicken and shredded chicken breast for a little different texture. Once the chicken is browned, add 1 medium carrot that has been shredded, 1 onion chopped, 3 stalks of celery chopped, 3 cloves of garlic minced, and 1 tablespoon of Paprika. Stir these all together and saute until soft and fragrant (3-4 minutes).
Add 2 cups of chicken stock, stir to combine, and then the main ingredient takes the stage……Hot Buffalo sauce!!! You can use your favorite brand, but we always use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Add this according to how spicy you like your food. I usually add 1/2 cup of hot sauce.
Along with the hot sauce add 1-15 oz can of tomato sauce, and 1-15 oz can of crushed tomatoes. You can add any combination of tomatoes/sauce you have in your pantry. I’ve use diced tomatoes several times with either the sauce or crushed tomatoes with excellent results. Bring everything to a bubble and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
One of our favorite ways to eat our chili is to place some rice in the bottom of a bowl, add some chili and top with some sour cream. Using tortilla chips as dippers is also something we love. Rach (I think she would be okay with me calling her that since I’ve been her fan since the beginning), suggests placing a layer of tortilla chips on a cookie sheet and top with blue cheese crumbles. Place in a 375 degree oven for 4-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Then dive into your spicy bowl of buffalo goodness! Enjoy~!~!
BUFFALO CHICKEN CHILI
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 stalks of celery chopped
- 1 medium carrot shredded
- 3 large cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon Paprika (or smoked paprika)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4-1/2 cup of hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)
- 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
- 1 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, butter, and ground chicken. Brown the chicken (about 5 minutes).
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, and paprika to the browned chicken. Stir and cook until the vegetables are soft and fragrant (3-4 minutes).
- Add chicken stock, hot sauce to taste, tomatoes and sauce, stirring to combine.
- Bring to a bubble and then simmer for at least 10 minutes.
Optional – Serve with rice at bottom of the bowl and top with sour cream/shredded cheese with tortilla chips to dip!
