Description
This hearty and flavorful Buffalo Chicken Soup combines tender chicken, vegetables, and the spicy kick of Frank’s Red Hot sauce for a comforting meal. Slow-cooked to perfection, it’s creamy yet light, with a smooth texture achieved by blending potatoes and milk. Perfect for warming up on a chilly day, and easily customized with garnishes like blue cheese or green onions.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup carrots, cut into small coins
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup Yukon gold potatoes, cut in half (about 1 large potato)
- 5 cups no/low-salt chicken broth
- ¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk/other dairy-free milk)
Protein
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes until the vegetables are slightly translucent. This step is optional but helps deepen the flavor.
- Combine Ingredients in Crock Pot: Layer the raw chicken breasts, sautéed vegetables, diced potatoes (2 cups), and chicken broth along with the buffalo hot sauce in the crock pot. Cover and set to low heat for 6 hours to allow slow cooking that melds flavors and tenderizes the chicken.
- Blend Potato and Milk Mixture: After cooking, carefully remove the large potato halves and chicken breasts from the crock pot. Place the large potato halves, almond milk, and ½ cup of the broth from the pot into a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, then stir this mixture back into the crock pot to thicken and enrich the soup.
- Shred Chicken: Transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken finely. Add the shredded chicken back into the crock pot and stir until well combined with the soup base.
- Serve: Stir the soup thoroughly to ensure a smooth and uniform consistency. Garnish with fresh parsley, crumbled blue cheese, or chopped green onions as desired. Serve warm for a delicious, spicy, and creamy buffalo chicken soup experience.
Notes
- For a creamier soup, use whole milk or cream instead of almond milk.
- Adjust the amount of Frank’s Red Hot sauce to taste depending on your preferred spice level.
- Optional sautéing of vegetables enhances flavor but can be skipped for a quicker prep.
- Use a hand blender directly in the crock pot for fewer dishes.
- Garnish options include parsley, blue cheese crumbles, or green onions to complement the buffalo flavor.
