Description
Hearty slow cooker buffalo chicken chili delivers spicy comfort with tender chicken and bold southwestern flavors. Robust ingredients and easy preparation make this a perfect meal for chilly evenings you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 15 oz (425 g) white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
- 15 oz (425 g) diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup buffalo wing sauce (adjust for spice level)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (for serving, optional)
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh cilantro or green onions (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker, creating a flavorful foundation for the buffalo chicken chili.
- Initial Mixing: Thoroughly blend chicken, white beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and buffalo sauce, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Seasoning Integration: Fold in onions, garlic, corn, and selected seasonings, developing a harmonious flavor profile.
- Slow Cooking: Seal the slow cooker and allow the mixture to simmer on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, developing deep, complex flavors.
- Chicken Preparation: Extract chicken pieces, then meticulously shred using two forks until achieving a tender, pulled consistency.
- Final Incorporation: Reintroduce shredded chicken to the chili, then gently melt cream cheese chunks throughout the mixture, creating a luxurious, creamy texture.
- Serving: Transfer the chili to serving bowls, adorning with sharp cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, green onion slivers, and an optional buffalo sauce drizzle for an extra flavor kick.
Notes
- Chicken Shredding Technique: Use two forks to pull chicken apart while it’s still warm for easier, more uniform shredding that ensures tender, well-distributed meat throughout the chili.
- Cream Cheese Integration: Cut cream cheese into small cubes and let them sit in hot chili for a minute before stirring to help them melt smoothly and prevent clumping.
- Heat Level Control: Adjust buffalo sauce quantity based on personal spice tolerance; start with less sauce and gradually add more to achieve desired heat without overwhelming the dish.
- Meal Prep Friendly: This chili stores well in refrigerator for 3-4 days and freezes excellently for up to 3 months, making it perfect for batch cooking and quick weeknight meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg