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This simple Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili is perfect for game day, family dinners, and all the nights in between. Made with tomatoes, spices, hot sauce, poblano peppers, and shredded chicken. It’s spicy, creamy, and so delicious. Top each bowl of chili with plenty of cheddar cheese, fresh cilantro, and avocado. We love to add tortilla chips on the side. Delicious!
We have a new favorite chili recipe! This has been a winter for experimenting with chili. In the last few months, I’ve shared a queso chicken chili and a beef chili and we’ve been loving them both!
We’ve had a snowy start to the year, and temperatures have been COLD. I’ve been really leaning into the coziness of the season with more crockpot recipes or braised dishes. They’re always so easy and turn out delicious!
But now that the Super Bowl is around the corner, I’ve shifted my focus to dishes with the big game in mind. It’s so fun!!
Ingredients
- Medium yellow onion
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Hot sauce
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Chipotle chili powder
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Poblano peppers
- jalapeño pepper
- Chopped celery
- Bone or chicken broth
- Salted butter
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado
- Cheddar cheese
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
A buffalo chicken chili sounds different, but you have to trust me; this is one of our favorite recipes right now.
Traditionally, buffalo chicken requires you to bread your chicken tenders, bake or fry the chicken, and then toss it up in sauce. Delicious, of course, but sometimes this is more work than we want, especially during the week.
But buffalo chili? It’s easy! Simply mix all the ingredients together and slow-cook. You can use the crockpot or make the chili on the stove. Easy enough for everyone!
These are the details
Step 1: mix the chili base ingredients
For this chili, you’ll need chicken breasts or thighs (I like a mix), hot sauce (we love Franks), then a mix of seasonings, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chipotle chili powder.
For produce, you’ll need a can of fired roasted diced tomatoes, an onion, a couple of poblano peppers, jalapeños, and celery.
I like to use bone broth in place of regular broth for added protein. Then add a few tablespoons of butter.
Step 2: cook the chili
For the crockpot, mix everything listed in step 1, then cover and slow-cook either on low or high.
For the stove, mix all the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and shreds easily.
Completely no fuss.
Step 3: finish the chili
Once the chili has finished cooking, shred the chicken. It should be falling apart.
Now mix in plain Greek yogurt and melted cream cheese. I love to use yogurt as a higher protein option! The yogurt helps to cut down and tame the heat of the chili. Mix until the chili is a little creamy.
Finish it with cilantro.
Step 4: the toppings
The best part of any chili recipe? The toppings, of course!!
My must-haves for this chili are plain Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, extra cilantro, and green onions. Oh, and I like to add an extra spoonful of buffalo sauce! So yummy!
Instead of crackers or bread, tortilla chips are the way to go here! I bake my own with corn tortillas and olive oil. I use the chips to scoop the chili. It’s so delicious and a great recipe for the Super Bowl, too!
As with most chili recipes, the leftovers are even better. The more time the chili has to sit, the more flavor it develops!
I served this to my family last week and everyone certainly enjoyed it!!
My only tip is to make sure to adjust the recipe heat to your liking by using more or less hot sauce!
Looking for other dinners with a little kick? Here are a few ideas:
Crockpot Spicy Queso Beef Chili
Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili
Healthy Slow Cooker Chipotle Bean Chili
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Crockpot Chipotle Queso Chicken Chili
If you’re looking for a round up of game day recipes, check this post out!
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, use to your taste
- 1 can (28 ounce) fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped, and seeded if desired
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 2-4 cups bone or chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or cream cheese, melted
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- avocado, cheddar cheese, and Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the onion, chicken, hot sauce, garlic powder, paprika, chipotle chili powder, diced tomatoes, poblano peppers, jalapeños and celery. Stir in 2 cups broth. Add the butter slices. Season with salt and pepper.2. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.3. Shred the chicken using two forks. Stir in the cream cheese/yogurt, and cilantro.4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top, as desired with Greek yogurt, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. We add extra buffalo sauce and tortilla chips too! Eat and enjoy!
Stove
- 1. In a large Dutch oven, combine the onion, chicken, hot sauce, garlic powder, paprika, chipotle chili powder, diced tomatoes, poblano peppers, jalapeños and celery. Stir in 2 cups broth. Add the butter slices. Season with salt and pepper.2. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.3. Shred the chicken using two forks. Stir in the cream cheese/yogurt, and cilantro. Simmer over low heat, adding broth as needed until ready to serve4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Top as desired with Greek yogurt, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and green onions. We add extra buffalo sauce and tortilla chips too! Eat and enjoy!
This post was originally published on February 1, 2024
Hi Tieghan
Do you any recommendations for substituting the celery?
Hi Gabriela,
I would just skip it, no big deal. I hope you love this dish! Have a great weekend!
Not sure why but it turned out more like soup than chili. I had to add noodles at the end to give it some substance.
Hi Chris,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe! My chicken chilis are definitely not as thick as a traditional chili. Next time, you could reduce your broth. I hope it tasted okay!
This recipe sounds delicious! Can ground chicken be used in place of the chicken breasts?
Thanks so much, Donna! Sure, ground chicken would also work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe!
i like this but want to soften the buffalo flavor a bit. any ideas?
Hey Susan,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Next time, I would use less buffalo sauce.
Happy New Year!
What is buffalo sauce? Was any added to recipe? It says you add extra as a topping.
Hi Marylin,
You are going to use 1/2 cup of hot sauce in step 1. I like to use Frank’s Red Hot sauce.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Tieghan!
This was so delicious! However mine turned out more like a soup. I used 3 cups of chicken broth which I’m sure was part of the problem, but when I just looked back through your video it looks like maybe your fire roasted tomatoes were blended before you put them in. Is this the case?
Thank you!
Sarah
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback! I would say this is more on the thin side than a classic chili. You could certainly reduce your broth next time!
Love this recipe! I added carrots corn and pinto beans. So satisfying and delicious. My husband is rather picky and he loved it too! and I would have added more spice and buff sauce but my husband is not as fond of it so I just added to mine. One of my favorite soup recipes ever ! Also Hannah’s comment about tasting like vomit is really rude and unnecessary IMO
Hey Mary Alice,
Happy Monday! Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
Tried this recipe and it was delicious! Looking forward to making the chili for my son when he’s home from college. I know he will love it! Thank you.
Hey Tess,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it was a win!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Do you use the Franks Original or the Franks Buffalo? Thanks
Hi Amy,
I like to use the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Do you use the Frank’s Red Hot or do you use the Frank’s buffalo sauce? Thanks!
Hi Amy,
I use the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I’m not sure if it was the mix of acidity from the tomatoes and buffalo sauce, but this tastes like literal vomit. I added more greek yogurt, half and half, cheese, worcheshire sauce, honey, etc. to try to cancel the flavor. I mistakenly made this instead of the buffalo white chili I made last time. Make that one, not this one!! I spent $20 and was cooking for friends, and now I have to throw it away.
Hi Hannah,
So very sorry to hear this. Thanks for sharing your feedback and trying the recipe.
Which cookbook is this from? I have three!!
Hi Brooks,
Sorry, this recipe is only on the blog:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Can we add heavy whipping cream instead of Greek yogurt or cream cheese or will that be too thick?
Hi Kendall,
That will be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
Do you add both Greek yogurt and cream cheese, or just one?
Hi Christine,
It’s just one or the other, totally up to you! I hope you love this dish!
The recipe calls for 2-4 cups broth. But the instructions say 2 cups. Which is it?
Hi Laura,
I recommend starting with 2 cups. You can add up to 4 cups depending on how thick or thin you like your chili. I hope you love this recipe!