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5 from 10 votes

Buffalo Chicken Chowder

thick, rich, creamy, hearty, and flavorful, this chowder is easy to make and delicious finished with crumbled blue cheese and chopped bacon. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 438kcal
Author: Tricia

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken breasts diced or shredded
  • ¼ cup Buffalo sauce (I use Frank’s)
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 4 small potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 cups half-and-half divided

Optional toppings:

  • blue cheese crumbled
  • cooked bacon chopped
  • parsley leaves chopped
  • Ranch dressing
  • Hot sauce

Instructions

  • In a large bowl toss the chicken together with the Buffalo sauce. Set aside.
  • In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove to a paper towel to drain.  Set aside.  Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Sauté the celery and onion in the bacon drippings until tender.  Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or two or until fragrant.  Add the potatoes, chicken broth and pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch into 1 cup of the half-and-half until blended.  Gradually stir the mixture into the soup.  Bring it to a boil again and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
  • Stir in the chicken, any remaining hot sauce and the last one cup of half-and-half.  Heat the chowder until steaming but not boiling. Check the seasoning and add salt, pepper and more hot sauce if desired.
  • Crumble each bowl with reserved chopped bacon and blue cheese. Ranch dressing is a great substitute for the blue cheese if preferred.

Notes

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 566mg | Potassium: 1099mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 401IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg