Buffalo Chicken Chili

Name: Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 2 large carrots; 3 stalks celery; 1 large red bell pepper; 5 cloves of garlic; 5 tbsp chili powder; 2 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp paprika; 1/2 cup hot sauce; 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce; 1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained; 1 (15 oz) can chili beans in sauce, undrained; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; shredded cheese, for garnish; sliced jalapeños, for garnish

Buffalo Chicken Chili is a hearty, award-winning one-pot dish made with ground chicken, fresh vegetables, and a bold blend of spices balanced with hot sauce. It's surprisingly healthy and delivers bold buffalo flavor without cream or beans.

🌍American 🏷️Buffalo chicken chili 🏷️Chicken chili 🏷️Chili 🏷️Comfort food Game day

🏷️

🏷️Stew

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TikTok

Total

1h 30m

Servings

10

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$32–$53

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

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TikTok

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large carrots
3 stalks celery
1 large red bell pepper
5 cloves of garlic
5 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can chili beans in sauce, undrained
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
shredded cheese, for garnishoptional
sliced jalapeños, for garnishoptional

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Instructions

1
In a food processor, grind the chicken breasts until they have a ground meat consistency. Alternatively, you can use pre-packaged ground chicken.
2
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground chicken and cook for about 10 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink.
3
While the chicken cooks, roughly chop the carrots, celery, red pepper, and garlic. Add them to the food processor and puree until finely minced.
4
Add the pureed vegetable mixture to the pot with the cooked chicken. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
5
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot: chili powder, cumin, paprika, hot sauce, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, and chili beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6
Stir everything together to combine, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
7
Serve hot, garnished with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeños if desired.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Brown the chicken thoroughly in olive oil before adding aromatics—this builds depth of flavor and prevents steaming.
Add spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika) directly to the oil after garlic blooms to toast them briefly; this intensifies their flavor.
Simmer uncovered for at least 20 minutes so flavors meld and excess liquid reduces; chili should be thick, not soupy.
Taste and adjust heat at the end—hot sauce intensity varies by brand, so add gradually and balance with a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime if needed.

Substitutions

Hot sauce → cayenne pepper or sriracha (use 1 tbsp + water to replicate ½ cup liquid; flavor profile shifts)
Ground chicken → ground turkey (nearly identical cooking time and texture)
Chili powder → extra cumin + paprika + pinch of cayenne (loses depth; not recommended)
Fresh garlic → 1½ tsp garlic powder (less aromatic but workable)

Storage & make-ahead

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed.