Buffalo Chicken Soup

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This creamy buffalo chicken soup is packed with all the flavor of buffalo chicken dip!

Course Dinner, Main Course, Main Dishes, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 383

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Equipment

Dutch oven or large pot with a lid

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion diced
2 medium carrots peeled and diced
2 ribs celery diced
2 cloves garlic minced
6 cups chicken broth low-sodium
2-3 chicken breasts (approx. 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless)
¾ cup cayenne pepper sauce Frank’s Red Hot
1 packet ranch seasoning or 3 tablespoons homemade ranch seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces cream cheese brick style, softened
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese sharp, shredded off the block

For serving (optional)

Blue cheese crumbles (optional)
Green onions or chives (optional)
Crushed tortilla chips or Doritos (optional)

Instructions

Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Once the pot is hot, add the butter and swirl to melt.
Add in the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until soft (about 5 minutes).
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant (30-60 seconds).
Immediately pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Nestle the chicken breasts into the broth, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Top with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through with a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC). Flip the chicken breasts halfway through to help promote even cooking. Note: Larger breasts will take longer, and smaller breasts will be done more quickly. Internal temperature is the best indicator.
Remove the cooked chicken to a plate or clean cutting board and shred it with two forks (or a hand mixer).
Meanwhile, add in the cayenne pepper sauce, ranch seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Cube the cream cheese, then add it to the pot. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes, then stir to melt the cream cheese into the soup.
Return the chicken to the pot and reduce the heat to medium; simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Note: The soup will thicken further as it cools.
Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and spiciness* to your preference.
Serve by ladling the soup into bowls and adding your desired toppings (blue cheese crumbles, chopped green onions, crushed tortilla chips, Doritos, etc).

Notes

Storing: Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The soup also freezes very well in plastic containers. Freeze for up to 2 months, and thaw before reheating.

Shortcut: If you have cooked and shredded chicken on hand (from a roasted or rotisserie chicken), you can bypass the step of cooking the chicken in the broth and use 2-3 cups of shredded chicken instead.

Keto: Substitute the carrots for an additional rib of celery and/or cauliflower florets.

*Extra spicy: Add ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground cayenne to the soup, or a small amount of extra Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.

Without cream cheese: Substitute for heavy cream, and mix in a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water to help thicken the soup.

Cheese: For the best results, use cheese that has been shredded off the block. This melts into your soup the most seamlessly.

Nutrition