Buffalo Chicken Soup

My entire family is from Buffalo, NY (go Bills), and I’m at least the fifth generation to grow up in the B-lo! So my Buffalonian roots run deep here. This means hot sauce and blue cheese are staples on our dinner tables!

So, when it comes to spicy buffalo wing-inspired recipes, you can be assured that you’re getting authentic “this is how we eat it in Buffalo” food – even when I lighten the recipes up to fit into a healthier diet. 

Some of my favorite buffalo wings-inspired recipes include these baked buffalo chicken tenders, healthy buffalo chicken dip, buffalo chicken wrap, buffalo chicken meatloaf, crockpot buffalo shredded chicken, Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese, and this fantastic Buffalo chicken soup. 

Just saying- if you’re looking for healthy Buffalo chicken recipes, you landed on the right blog.

Reasons you’ll love this Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup!

• Delicious! Honestly, this might be the best buffalo chicken soup you’ve ever tried- and that’s not coming from me; that’s coming from every family member and friend who has tried it. And we are all true blue Buffalonians!
• One-pot dinner! Everything is cooked in one pot for easy preparation and clean-up.
• Crowd-pleaser. Serve this up at your next football party! Everyone loves their favorite hot wing flavors created into a comforting soup/
• Healthy. But trust me, it doesn’t skimp on flavor at all! It’s packed with spicy wing flavor, creamy, and one of the most comforting soup recipes I make. It’s also low-carb and easy to make gluten-free.
• Make-ahead. This buffalo chicken soup gets better by the day, so make it on Sunday for the week or freeze it for a healthy dinner down the road.

Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts. I recommend organic high-quality for the best results and flavor.
• Olive oil. I prefer heart-healthy olive oil, but you can also use butter to saute the vegetables.
• Onions, Carrots, Celery, and garlic. This begins the delicious vegetable base for this healthy buffalo chicken soup recipe. I like to dice the vegetables into small pieces, but you can also cut them into larger chunks. If you opt for larger vegetable pieces, they’ll need to cook longer in the broth to soften.
• Flour. Stirring flour into the vegetable mixture creates a roux that will thicken the soup once it starts to cook. One tablespoon seems to make a perfect consistency. Still, you can add a slurry after the soup cooks by whisking in 1-2 tablespoons of flour with ¼ cup broth and then stirring back into the soup simmering for 5-10 minutes or until the soup thickens. For gluten sensitivity or allergy, use gluten-free flour.
• Onion powder and garlic powder. These spices give the soup another layer of flavor. If you have it, you can swap in 2 teaspoons of store-bought ranch dressing or seasoning mix or, even better, this homemade ranch seasoning for more flavor for the garlic and onion powder.
• Chicken stock. I recommend using high-quality chicken stock for the best flavor and results. You can also use vegetable broth, but I don’t recommend beef broth.
• Cream cheese. Stirring in a block of cream cheese gives this buffalo chicken soup a subtle cheese flavor and creaminess that pairs perfectly with hot sauce.
• Blue cheese crumbles. I know not everyone loves blue cheese, but I encourage you to use it because it gives a fantastic flavor to the buffalo chicken soup recipe. 
• Franks hot sauce. There’s no other hot sauce to use if you’re looking for an authentic chicken wing soup recipe! It has that distinct spicy vinegar flavor that everyone looks forward to with buffalo wings!

How to make Buffalo Chicken Soup

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and then cook the onions, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes or until fragrant.
• Stir one tablespoon of flour into the vegetables.
• Then place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetable mixture and slowly pour the chicken broth over the top. Give the soup a couple of stirs.
• Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Cook the chicken breasts until they are thoroughly cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the soup, put it onto a plate, and place it to the side until it is cool enough to handle. 
• Check the vegetables; if they are tender, continue with the next step or simmer until the veggies are cooked.
• Reduce to medium low heat and add the cream cheese, blue cheese crumbles, garlic powder, onion powder, and hot sauce to the soup. Again, start with 1/4 cup hot sauce, and add more if you want it spicier. Stir until the cream cheese, and blue cheese melts into the soup. Please note sometimes the cream cheese takes a few extra stirs until it’s smooth.
• Shred the chicken breasts and then stir the shredded chicken into the soup. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until hot.
• Taste for salt and pepper and add if needed.
• After the soup is ready, ladle it into bowls and garnish with more blue cheese crumbles, green onions, and parsley. 

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Soup In The Slow Cooker

The great thing about this soup is that you can make it on the stove or in the slow cooker. The only difference with the slow cooker instructions is that you need to add cream cheese, blue cheese, and slurry at the end.

Here’s how you can make it:

1. In a dutch oven or pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots.
2. Pour the cooked vegetables into the slow cooker and add the chicken stock and raw chicken breasts.
3. Cook for 5 hours on low. Remove chicken breasts and let them cool to the touch.
4. While the chicken cools, add 1 cup of hot broth to the cream cheese and blue cheese. Whisk until smooth, and then add back into the soup. 
5. Remove 1/4 cup broth and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch. Stir back into the soup.
6. Shred the chicken and stir it back into the soup. Cook for another ½ hour or until the soup is hot and thickened.

Cooking Tips

• It’s okay to use more or fewer chicken breasts when making this buffalo chicken soup recipe, so don’t worry if you don’t have the exact amount. However, I wouldn’t recommend using more than 2lbs of chicken breasts because it will be too much and more like a dip than a soup.
• If the soup is too thick, stir in more chicken broth until you get the consistency you want. It’s good to have extra chicken broth on hand.
• Softening the cream cheese will help it blend better into the soup.
• For a thicker soup, make a slurry, whisking 1-2 tablespoons of flour into ¼ cup of broth, and then stir the slurry into the soup. Bring the soup to a slow simmer and let it cook for 5-10 minutes until it thickens.
• You can leave the flour out altogether if you want a thinner consistency.
• Start with ¼ buffalo sauce for a milder soup, and add more if you prefer a spicy buffalo chicken soup recipe. You can also serve extra hot sauce on the side for everyone to add their own level of spiciness.

Substitutions

• For more of an authentic chicken wing soup flavor, use boneless chicken thighs.
• You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey. Add the cooked chicken to the soup after the veggies are soft.
• If you want to switch the cheese, stir in some shredded cheddar cheese in place of blue cheese crumbles or add it to the top of each bowl before serving.
• Bulk up the veggies. You can add in extra carrots or celery. Or add mushrooms, spinach, kale, or even diced potatoes. If adding potatoes, I recommend butter or Yukon gold potatoes and cooking them in the chicken broth until soft before adding the cream cheese.
• You can also swap in 1-cup sour cream for the cream cheese.
• To make a Paleo or dairy-free buffalo chicken soup, use non-dairy cream cheese or swap the cream cheese for 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk. It won’t be as creamy, but the flavor will still be delicious. You can also leave out the blue cheese.

For the week: After the soup cools, place it into airtight containers and refrigerate for four days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water if you need a thinner consistency.

For the freezer: My favorite way to freeze buffalo chicken soup is by using Souper Cubes. These are silicone trays, and they come in various sizes, and I have the ½ cup – 1 cup portions that work perfectly for soup.

To reheat, place a frozen brick of soup in a soup pan and warm up on the stove, or I’ll place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on high for 3-4 minutes or until hot. You can also reduce cooking time by letting the soup thaw overnight in the fridge.

You can also freeze using mason jars (plastic or glass) or into quart-size freezer bags.

My most significant advice when freezing soups is to freeze them into portions. You don’t have to heat a substantial amount when you only want a bowl. It’s also great to bring to work!

More Healthy Soup Recipes

This recipe for buffalo chicken soup is fantastic for the fall and winter season! It’s going to be a comfort food favorite!

If you are looking for a couple of more healthy soup recipes, take a look at this list:

• Low Carb Chicken Soup
• Pizza Soup
• Easy Cheeseburger Soup
• Healthy Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup {Panera Copycat Recipe}
• Healthy Potato Soup
• Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup

See all of my healthy soup recipes.