Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili is delicious, simple and award winning! This is the go-to when you are tired of boring chili recipes!
You guys might tell me I’ve been living under a rock, and honestly that might not be far from the truth. But did you know that on Friday nights there is like a marathon of Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives on the Food Network? I go to turn on the TV and my six year old gears up for one of her favorite cartoons and I have to crush her dreams. I can’t take even one more episode of kid TV. Despite this somehow, at some point during the evening, the whole family ends up curled up in front of the TV drooling over all the amazing (and sometimes weird!) food and trying to figure out if it would be at all possible to plan a trip to whatever location Guy Fieri is featuring. Yep. We know how to party. Now I’m going to share with you something that you should have while you are watching your marathon TV session…. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili. Yum! A great meal to come home to on a Friday night after a busy week. Easy to make! Easy to love this spicy, creamy goodness!
Heartier than a soup but different than a traditional chili this would be fun to serve up at a party, to take along to a tailgate, or to take to a potluck. Ground chicken instead of beef and white beans instead of chili beans make the base of this chili.
Lots of flavor from chicken broth, ranch dressing mix and fire-roasted tomatoes and some heat from the buffalo sauce are balanced out with some sweet corn and cream cheese. Top it all of with some cilantro for some super fresh flavor. And I can’t forget the blue cheese crumbles on the top! I leave them out of the soup since not everyone is a fan but I can guarantee you I have my bowl topped of with some!
So park yourself on the couch with a big ‘ol bowl and watch endless episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives until you are convinced you should open your own funky restaurant so you can be featured on the show too. Or wait…is that just me? Yeah, I’m weird like that :). But at least it helps me dream up recipes like Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili!
This recipe was originally published on April 7, 2014 and has been updated to reflect fresh photos and updates to the recipe based on reader feedback and re-testing.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 15 oz canned white navy beans (drained and rinsed)
- 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (drained)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (start with 1/4 cup and add more at end if needed)
- 1 package ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz cream cheese
- Blue cheese crumbles (optional)
Instructions
- Brown ground chicken until fully cooked, place in crock (or brown ahead of time and store in fridge until ready to assemble)
- Add remaining ingredients except for cream cheese and blue cheese and give it all a stir to combine
- Add block of cream cheese on the top and cover
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8
- Stir to incorporate cream cheese and add additional wing sauce as desired
- Top individual bowls with blue cheese crumbles if desired
Nutrition
Can’t get enough buffalo chicken?
Slow Cooker Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Original photos:
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Hi – what if I dont have a slow cooker?
While I’ve written and tested these recipes for a slow cooker, you could certainly adapt to stove top or oven if desired if you are willing to test it out or have some experience.
My sister and I both entered this chili at different churches’ chili cook-offs and won! Easy and delicious.
Hooray!
Do not put the cream cheese in until the very end. Placing it on top inside the crock pot for 8 hours caused the cream cheese to separate.
Can this be frozen after cooking for a freezer meal option??
Yes it can. Keep in mind the cream cheese will likely separate from freezing. It won’t affect the quality, but will impact the appearance and texture.
Hi there! I cannot find any ground chicken…Covid-19. I have chicken breast, how would you suggest I substitute?
Hey Aubrie! You can just add regular boneless skinless chicken breast to the slow cooker instead and then when done cooking shred them with forks! Just as tasty!!
THREE WORDS: BEST MEAL EVER!
what is slo cooker buffalo sauce?
Any allergens to be aware of ?
Hi Krystal! Unfortunately, I can’t advise on that because of there being so many different allergens for different people. If in doubt, feel free to show the ingredient list to your dietician or whoever advises you on these matters specific to you.
Just wanted to say thanks. I (like most people I know who like to cook) use recipes as guidelines. I wanted to do something different for a charity Chili Cook-Off and found this. I made 2 small additions – about 2 teaspoons of chili powder for more of a ‘chili vibe’, and I used half the cream cheese and substituted a jar of chunky bleu cheese dressing. Nabbed 2nd place in the cook-off. 😉
That’s awesome! Congrats and thank you so much for sharing this with me!
Do love this recipe. Shouldn’t do it while tired, forgot to brown the chicken first, so gonna do it high for longer to make sure the chicken cooks, didn’t want to just throw it away.
BTW, I don’t cook often, need to not do it so early.