Jessica’s Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili
Chili is one of those foods that varies greatly. Every family has their favorite version. Every state or region has the “right” way to make it. There are entire festivals and cook-offs dedicated to it! I am no chili competitor but, it is getting to be that cool time of year in Minnesota where we crave a hot bowl of chili that has been simmering away all day in a slow cooker.
For the last few years it seems that buffalo everything has been the trend. I have to admit, I am quite fond of all the varieties of snacks and meals that have incorporated this beloved hot sauce. Speaking of beloved hot sauce…it has to be Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce. It just has to!
Jumping onto the buffalo creation bandwagon, I came up with a chili recipe last winter. By some magic force of nature, I actually wrote this one down. (It was before my blogging days.) I call it Buffalo Chicken, but I have also used turkey. It can be shredded or ground…up to you!
Two tips for this recipe…First, use a big slow cooker. This makes 6-7 quarts of chili. Second, buy all low-sodium or no salt added ingredients and do not salt this at all. The hot sauce and all of the canned ingredients have enough salt. If you add any, it will be overpowering.
Here it is!
Some of the starting line up…get out your can opener.
If using ground meat, brown it in a large skillet. When it is almost done, add onions and garlic.
When the onions are soft and translucent add cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Stir and then remove the pan from heat. Set aside.
Time to start opening those cans. Add fire roasted tomatoes and a large can of sauce or crushed tomatoes.
Drain and rinse pinto, black, and kidney beans.
Dice red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and celery. You can use a little bit of the leafy celery tops too.
Add the beans and hot sauce to the slow cooker.
Next, add the meat and onion mixture along with all of the diced veggies.
Top the whole thing with a box of unsalted chicken broth.
Gently stir everything to combine and turn on the slow cooker. I cooked mine on high for about 5 hours. Plan for 8 or more hours if you use the low setting.
Buffalo sauce has to be served with blue cheese…just like wings. So when the chili is done, top it with a little blue cheese. I like this smoked kind.
- 1 pound of ground chicken, ground turkey, or shredded chicken/turkey
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 can diced, fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 - 28 ounce can unsalted crushed tomatoes or sauce
- 1 large or 2 small onions, diced
- 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 celery stalks (you can use the tops too), diced
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 bottle Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1 can low-sodium black beans, rinsed
- 1 can low-sodium pinto beans, rinsed
- 1 can low-sodium kidney beans, rinsed
- Crumbled blue cheese to serve
- Cut up all veggies.
- Brown ground turkey or chicken.
- Saute onions and garlic with meat.
- When the onions are soft, add seasonings.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Drain and rinse all beans.
- Add hot sauce, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, cooked meat, onions and garlic, celery, peppers, and chicken stock to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.
- If you prefer a thicker chili, use 2 cups of broth instead of 4 or add tomato paste.
- Top with crumbled blue cheese to serve.
This makes so much chili that after Brandon and I ate, I was able to freeze a couple of bags for later too!
Curl up to a football game or a movie and stay warm!
Enjoy,
Jessica
That looks like a delicious bowl of chili!
This is awesome. Your incorporation of celery and bleu cheese sets the new standard for buffalo chicken chili.
Thank you so much! Let me know what you think if you try it!
I love hot sauce and that exact brand too! HIgh five for great minds.. 🙂
It is the best!!