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This irresistibly creamy One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup packs the same tangy buttery heat as your favorite buffalo hot wings. Made with shredded chicken breast, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and vegetables, it’s the perfect game day recipe or easy weeknight dinner.
Today, I’m sharing my go-to buffalo chicken soup recipe. Soup in winter is like salad in summer – it’s just what’s for dinner. Classic chicken soup and beef barley soup are two of my family’s favorites, but this buffalo chicken soup is in a league of its own.
The best soup I have ever made (and I have made A LOT of soup recipes!), this recipe is comforting and versatile with bright heat and tangy buttery richness. It’s basically buffalo wings in soup form. And the best part? Buffalo chicken soup is easy to make and tastes just as delicious reheated the next day for lunch or dinner.
Buffalo sauce definitely tops my list of favorite sauces. It’s one of those magical, must-have condiments that makes everything taste SO much better. Tangy, spicy, buttery, and rich, it occupies a permanent space in my refrigerator (right next to ranch dressing). My husband shares a similar obsession, happily devouring the many MANY buffalo chicken recipes I’ve made over the years, most of which you’ll find here on The Forked Spoon (including my 5-star and reader favorite buffalo chicken dip).
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make this Recipe
This buffalo chicken soup uses a handful of easy-to-find ingredients that deliver big, classic buffalo wing flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Butter
Butter adds richness and helps build a flavorful base as you sauté the vegetables. Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter.
Substitute: Use olive oil or avocado oil for a lighter option, or use ghee for a similar buttery flavor.
Vegetables
This recipe calls for finely diced onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, aka the mirepoix.
Pro Tip: When I’m feeling lazy or I don’t have any fresh carrots and celery in the refrigerator, I’ll add a bag of frozen veggies to the pot. Frozen peas, carrots, corn, and green beans are all great.
Chicken
This recipe calls for approximately 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 large chicken breasts). Chicken thighs are just as delicious, but remove the skin before cooking for a less greasy broth.
Pro Tip: You can shave a little time off the total cooking time by using pre-cooked shredded chicken or meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Substitutes: If you do not have chicken breasts or chicken thighs, you can substitute with ground chicken, ground turkey, meatballs, or chickpeas.
- Ground chicken or ground turkey: Brown your ground meat in a little olive oil until fully cooked, then transfer it to a plate. Stir the cooked ground meat back into the soup during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking to warm through.
- Meatballs: Add fully cooked meatballs (including frozen) during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking so they heat through. If you’re using homemade meatballs, bake or pan-sear them first, then add them at the end.
- Chickpeas: Add one (15-ounce) can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to the soup in the final 5 to 10 minutes of cooking.
Hot Sauce
I recommend using Frank’s RedHot Original for this recipe. It gives the soup its tangy heat and classic buffalo wing flavor. The recipe uses 1/2 cup, which gives it a noticeable kick, so if you are sensitive to spicy foods, start with less and add more to taste.
Chicken Broth
Chicken broth keeps the soup savory and flavorful while letting the buffalo sauce shine. I like to use low-sodium broth when I can so that I can have complete control of its overall saltiness.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese makes the soup thick and creamy, which pairs perfectly with buffalo hot sauce. For the smoothest texture, cut it into cubes and let it soften a bit before stirring it in so it melts quickly without lumps.
Heavy Cream
Heavy cream adds extra silkiness and helps mellow the heat. Stir it in at the end and keep the soup below a simmer after adding it to prevent any curdling or separation.
Pro Tip: Cream cheese and heavy cream are both optional. If you prefer a lighter broth with more buffalo flavor, feel free to leave them out of the recipe.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Soup
This creamy buffalo chicken soup comes together fast, about 45 to 60 minutes max from start to finish. Simply chop the vegetables, sauté them until tender, then simmer everything with the chicken and buffalo sauce until the flavors come together. Finish with cream cheese for a rich, spicy, buffalo wing inspired soup that is both easy and delicious.
Begin by melting the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the diced onion (1) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chopped celery and carrots (2) and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Next, add the chicken breasts, buffalo sauce, chicken broth, salt, and pepper (3). Bring the buffalo chicken soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (165°F).
Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and shred it with two forks.
With the soup over low heat, add the softened cream cheese and whisk until completely melted and smooth. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the heavy cream.
Pro tip: For the smoothest, creamiest buffalo chicken soup, use softened cream cheese and room temperature heavy cream. Cold dairy can take longer to blend and may leave little lumps or cool the soup too quickly, which makes it harder to emulsify into a silky finish.
How to warm them up fast
- Cream cheese: Cut it into small cubes and let it sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes while you prep the veggies. Need it faster? Microwave on a plate in 5 to 10 second bursts just until softened (not melted).
- Heavy cream: Pour it into a measuring cup and let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes, or place the cup in a bowl of warm water for 3 to 5 minutes.
Cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, keeping the soup below a simmer and do not boil.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.
Topping Ideas for Buffalo Chicken Soup
Here are a few of my favorite topping ideas for this buffalo chicken soup recipe from classic to crunchy, and even a little extra creamy:
- Blue cheese crumbles (classic buffalo flavor)
- Sliced green onions or chives
- Extra drizzle of buffalo sauce (or hot sauce)
- Tortilla chips (for scooping) or crushed tortilla chips on top
- Oyster crackers or crunchy croutons
- Shredded cheddar or a cheddar-jack blend
- Ranch drizzle or a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt (cools the heat)
- Crispy bacon bits (buffalo + bacon is always a win)
- Diced celery (fresh crunch, wing-night vibes)
- Fresh cilantro or parsley (if you want a fresh finish)
If you want a “loaded bowl” combo try topping with blue cheese crumbles + green onions + a small buffalo drizzle + crushed chips.
Flavor Variation – Buffalo Ranch
It’s easy to add that cool, creamy ranch flavor to this buffalo chicken soup.
- Dry ranch seasoning: Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning (homemade or store-bought) after the broth is added, then taste and adjust at the end. Store-bought ranch seasoning packets can be salty, so start with less and add more to taste.
- Ranch dressing: For a milder, creamier finish, swirl in 2 to 4 tablespoons of ranch dressing at the end, right after the cream cheese and heavy cream, and warm gently (do not boil).
Tip: If you’re adding ranch, reduce or skip the additional salt slightly until you taste the finished soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
This soup has a noticeable kick thanks to the buffalo sauce. If you are sensitive to spice, start with less buffalo sauce, then add more at the end to taste. You can also mellow the heat with extra cream cheese or heavy cream, and toppings like blue cheese help cool things down, too.
For a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes before adding the cream cheese and heavy cream. You can also whisk in a little extra cream cheese for a creamier, thicker texture. Just keep the heat low once the dairy is added and avoid boiling.
Yes. Sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots first for the best flavor, then transfer them to your slow cooker. Add the chicken, buffalo sauce, broth, salt, and pepper and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and easy to shred. Shred the chicken, then stir in the cream cheese until smooth and finish with the heavy cream. Warm everything through and do not boil.
Stored in an airtight container, it will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over low heat and avoid boiling since the soup is finished with cream cheese and heavy cream.
Creamy soups can separate after thawing. For best results, freeze the soup before adding the cream cheese and heavy cream, then add the dairy when reheating.
Frank’s RedHot Original is my top choice. It gives the soup that classic buffalo wing flavor with tangy heat, and it is consistent every time.
More Cozy Soup Recipes
If you try making this creamy buffalo chicken soup recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below, your feedback helps other readers discover (and enjoy) this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Buffalo Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 4 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts , about 2-3 large chicken breasts
- ½ cup Frank's RedHot Original, plus more for serving, see notes
- 4-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- Chopped green onions, to garnish
- Crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese, to serve
- Tortilla chips, to serve
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the celery and carrots and continue to cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken breasts, ½ cup buffalo sauce, 4-6 cups of chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred with two forks. Keep the soup on low heat.
- Whisk in 6 ounces of softened cream cheese until melted and smooth. Then return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir 1 cup of heavy cream.
- Warm for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat (do not boil).
- Garnish with green onions and blue cheese and serve with tortilla chips, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This soup looks amazing! I’d like to make it for Super Bowl Sunday but since it’s only hubby and myself eating, can you tell me how many servings this soup makes? I know everybody’s ‘serving size’ is different but a guesstimate is appreciated. I was thinking I would cut it in half and there still will be enough for seconds. Your thoughts?
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much! This recipe makes about 6 servings. I think your right – cutting it in half should work well for a single meal for couple.