Buffalo Chicken Soup

The downside of enjoying the wonderful flavor of Buffalo chicken wings is getting messy fingers when you eat them. This Buffalo chicken soup recipe takes care of the issue, providing loads of Buffalo wing flavor in every mouthful, no extra napkins required. This creamy soup also includes celery, carrots and onion for a bit of nutrition to go along with the pre-cooked chicken. Cream cheese makes the soup perfectly creamy, while a nice Buffalo sauce gives it that flavor you crave. This soup is great on game day, or any day, because we all could use a little more spice in our lives.

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Soup

• Celery, carrots and onion: This trio of chopped veggies adds textural variation to the soup, along with nutrients such as potassium, beta carotene, calcium and vitamin K.
• All-purpose flour: Flour makes an excellent thickener for soups and gravies. Cooking it in the butter ahead of the liquid ingredients makes it a roux, which in turn thickens the soup.
• Ranch seasoning mix: This tasty mixture gives the soup some of the same seasonings and flavors of a ranch dressing, but in powdered form, including the buttermilk. It’s the perfect companion for Buffalo chicken soup’s somewhat spicy, tangy flavor.
• Salt and pepper: The salt and pepper add more flavor to the dry mixture before the liquid ingredients go into the soup. Feel free to eliminate the extra salt here if you’re reducing your sodium intake, since several other ingredients include salt.
• Reduced-sodium chicken broth: The broth serves as the liquid base for the soup, starting things out with a savory chicken flavor.
• Half-and-half cream: Half-and-half helps turn the liquid into a creamy soup.
• Buffalo wing sauce: A Buffalo wing sauce is typically made of hot sauce and butter, but there are packaged versions that already have the flavor profile down pat. Here’s how to make your own Buffalo chicken sauce using hot sauce, butter and a little brown sugar.
• Chicken breasts: Cook the chicken breasts in advance, then shred them. Using two forks and pulling in opposite directions is an easy way to shred chicken.
• Cream cheese: The cream cheese makes the soup creamy, cheesy and tangy. It pairs perfectly with the Buffalo sauce that’s also in the recipe.
• Crumbled blue cheese and celery leaves (optional): The blue cheese adds a little extra tang atop the soup, while the celery leaves are purely a garnish, paying homage to the celery sticks typically served on the side with Buffalo wings.

Directions 

Step 1: Cook the vegetables

In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot and onion and cook them until they’re tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 2: Make the soup base

Stir in the flour, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper until the mixture is blended. Gradually add the broth, cream and wing sauce. Gently simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally until it thickens, or about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: Add chicken and cheese

Add the chicken to the liquid. Stir in the cream cheese and heat the mixture until the cheese is melted, or 4 to 5 minutes. If desired, garnish the soup with crumbled blue cheese and celery leaves.

Recipe Variations

• Add a different topping: Top each serving with a light topping such as pepitas, aka pumpkin seeds, or some thinly sliced celery. Either one adds plenty of color and a little crunch. Green onion slices are another option.
• Serve with rolls: Serve the soup with fresh dinner rolls and a little butter to make the meal a bit more filling. Hawaiian rolls are a nice option, as they’re slightly sweet, too.
• Use rotisserie chicken: That leftover rotisserie chicken sitting in the refrigerator is perfect for this soup; just shred it into bite-sized bits. There’s no need to heat it up in advance, either.

How to Store Buffalo Chicken Soup

When the Buffalo soup cools, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 3 to 4 days.

Can you make Buffalo chicken soup ahead of time?

Sure! Cook the soup in advance, then once it cools, store it in the refrigerator. Reheat it in a saucepan until the soup has warmed through.

Buffalo Chicken Soup Tips

Could I use turkey instead of chicken?

Absolutely, though it’ll be a Buffalo turkey soup, then! Leftover turkey breast or even thighs are delicious in this soup, and they’re packed with protein. Shred the cooked turkey or cut it into small cubes before adding it to the soup.

Could I use hot sauce instead of Buffalo wing sauce?

Sure! Hot sauce is one of the two main ingredients in Buffalo wing sauce (along with butter). If using hot sauce, use slightly less than the recipe calls for; you can always add more if the soup isn’t as spicy as you’d like. If desired, add a pat of butter to the soup to really bring out that Buffalo wing sauce flavor.

Could I use a ground meat instead?

Sure, though the texture will be different. Saute ground chicken or turkey in the pan with a little butter along with the vegetables, cooking until the meat is no longer pink and the veggies are tender. Drain any excess grease, then follow the recipe as directed.