Easy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili (Award-Winning!)
This easy Buffalo chicken chili is spicy, hearty, creamy and has helped my readers win chili cook-off awards! Wildly simple to make, it’s protein-packed, made without cream, and can be made on the stovetop or in the slow cooker without pre-browning.
5 star review
“I won a neighborhood chili contest with this recipe! Couldn’t have been easier, too. Will definitely be making this again!”
– Marissa
Blue Ribbon Buffalo Chicken Chili
This easy Buffalo chicken chili is one of my favorites for feeding a crowd, game nights, parties, or family dinners, and has even helped some of my readers win chili cook-off contests. We love that! Slightly spicy thanks to hot sauce, hearty and protein-packed thanks to both chicken and white beans, it’s a filling meal that feels decadent but really is packed with feel-good food.
It also happens to be my go-to recipe when I want something different and a little more exciting than traditional chili. It’s actually a take on my wildly popular, award-winning slow cooker white chicken chili, using the same simple method of prep, but with the addition of a kick of heat from the Buffalo hot sauce.
And because I’m all about saving time in the kitchen, I have two cooking options based on what you need: Want dinner in a hurry? Try the stove-top version for a 30-minute version, or, try the crockpot version, perfect for feeding a crowd or making dinner ahead of time since you can keep it on warm until it’s time to eat, plus I love how tender and shreddable the chicken gets in the crockpot.
And since I know you’re going to love this buffalo chicken chili and the recipe freezes so well, make a double batch and freeze half for a future meal – you will thank yourself later! Though it really is the perfect on-pot meal, you can also round things out with any of these go-to sides for chili! P.S. If you can’t get enough of the buffalo chicken flavor, you need to try this buffalo chicken marinade too for a super fast chicken dinner.
Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Buffalo Chicken Chili
How to Adjust the Spice
After cooking, this has a medium to medium-spicy spice level. For a spicier option, add additional hot sauce at the end of cooking time (up to ¼ cup additional hot sauce).
If you don’t like spicy foods, I’d skip this recipe and try my white chicken chili, which is similar in flavor and texture without the heat.
For a milder version, you can also reduce the amount of hot sauce to 2 tablespoons, but it won’t have as much of that classic “Buffalo” flavor.
Simple Recipe Adaptations
This recipe is so good on its own, but feel free to switch things up based on what you have and your preferences.
- Don’t have Great Northern beans? That’s fine! You can use any white bean such as navy beans or cannellini.
- For a no-bean option, leave the beans out and add an additional pound of ground turkey.
- Add extra crunch and a bit of sweetness with the addition of 1 cup of fresh or frozen defrosted corn.
- Make this dairy-free by using diary-free cream cheese.
- If you’re looking for a vegetarian chili, try this slow cooker vegetarian chili.
This Recipe Is…
Easy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili (Award Winning!)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 3 (15-oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed, such as Great Northern or cannellini
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 2-4 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, plus more to taste
To Add at the End
- 3 oz cream cheese, about 6 tablespoons
Optional Topping Suggestions
- Hot sauce, sour cream, blue cheese crumbles, sliced green onions
Equipment
- Dutch Oven optional
- Slow Cooker optional
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the chicken, white beans, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, chicken stock and cayenne pepper sauce to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.
- Uncover, remove the chicken, and shred with two forks or dice into chunks. Using an immersion blender, blend the bean mixture for about 5-10 seconds. Alternatively, carefully, remove ½ to 1 cup of the bean mixture to a blender. Cover, blend on high, then add back to the chili, stirring to combine. Note: blending for just a few seconds will add a creaminess to the chili, while leaving the texture of most of the beans.
- Ladle a few tablespoons of the bean mixture into a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth. Add the shredded or diced chicken back to the slow cooker, along with the cream cheese-bean mixture, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or hot sauce if desired. If it's not spicy enough, this is your chance! Add 1 tablespoon of hot sauce at a time until your desired spice level is reached. Serve with any toppings you like.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add the chicken, white beans, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, chicken stock and cayenne pepper sauce to a large Dutch oven.
- Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook on medium-low heat at a high simmer, covered, for 40-60 minutes, until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with a fork, stirring occasionally.
- Follow remaining slow cooker steps 2-3.
Another amazing recipe. I used shredded jackfruit instead of chicken to make it vegetarian friendly. (you could easily make it vegan by using vegan cream cheese). It was easy to make and was delicious. I added the max amount of Franks hot sauce and I found I wanted a bit more spice before serving. I didn’t have the blue cheese, but added the green onions and they added a fantastic crunch. This is a fantastic family friendly recipe where you can add more zing at the end. Thank you Robyn!
Barbara, wonderful to hear this was a hit, and thanks for the tip on making this chili vegetarian with jackfruit. So helpful! Thanks so much for leaving a review. 🙂
I won a neighborhood chili contest with this recipe! Couldn’t have been easier, too. Will definitely be making this again!
Marissa, that’s amazing! So happy it was a winner for you. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Okay so if you’re reading these comments for tips I’m here to help. I followed the instructions for this recipe exactly with the exception of not blending (I prefer a chunky texture) and using Frank’s buffalo instead of original.
If you love the bland flavor of boiled beans, don’t change a thing. If you enjoy flavourful food, here’s how I fixed it:
Added 1 extra cup of chicken stock
Added 3oz more cream cheese
Quadruple the spices (seriously otherwise you can’t even taste them)
I used 2/3 of an entire bottle of buffalo sauce
Definitely add the green onions and blue cheese as topping, it was great.
I know some people genuinely enjoy bland food but I hope this helps you other flavor junkies! Good base recipe.
Hi Shannon, Robyn here, thanks for your notes and tip! Spice level is such a personal preference, and 2/3 of a bottle of hot sauce is likely way too much for most people (I also keep an eye on sodium levels, and again, 2/3 of a bottle of Franks will send this one into super high levels of sodium), however I’m sure those who love strong flavors and lots of spice will appreciate your suggestions. Of course adding more chicken stock is going to further the dilution of the spices, so I personally wouldn’t recommend that change to others. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Do I need to cook the ground turkey before placing it in the crock pot if I want to try the “no bean” version?
Hi Melissa, yes, if you plan on using ground chicken or ground turkey in place of chicken breast you’ll want to brown it first. Otherwise the texture can get pretty unappetizing. I hope you enjoy!
Could this be made in the instant pot?
Yes, I believe it can. I haven’t tested it, but I would try adding the ingredients as you would to the slow cooker to the Instant Pot, cover and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to “sealing.” Set to high pressure for 10 minutes for chicken breasts. Once the timer beeps indicating the time is up let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then move the valve to “venting” to release the rest of the pressure. Then follow the instructions to shred the chicken and add the remaining ingredients as you would with the slow cooker version. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
So easy & so delicious! Used a mix of great northern & navy beans. Added a small can of diced green chilies. Didn’t purée the beans. Added the cream cheese directly into the finished chili. It melted right in. Love the vibrant drizzle of hot sauce paired with crisp green onions on top! Many thanks for a great recipe where you eagerly look forward to leftovers!
What great tips and notes, Sherry! Thanks so much for sharing and for leaving a reivew.