Buffalo Chicken Soup

Name: Buffalo Chicken Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons salted butter; 1 cup finely diced onion; 1/2 cup diced celery; 2-3 garlic cloves (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder); 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 4 cups chicken broth; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken; 1 cup regular or jalapeño evaporated milk; 4 ounces cream cheese; 1/2-3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (adjust to heat preference); 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2-1 teaspoon seasoning salt or salt and black pepper; 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese; Garnish options: cooked and crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions or chives, ranch or blue cheese for drizzling

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This Buffalo Chicken Soup is unbelievably delicious and takes less than 30 minutes to make. It has the best combination of creamy and spicy flavors, plus uses rotisserie chicken for ease! Made in one pot, it’s sure to become a family favorite recipe.

When game day rolls around during the fall and winter months, this Buffalo Chicken Soup is a recipe I love to make ahead of time to serve to a crowd. It’s warm and cozy with everyone’s favorite creamy and spicy buffalo flavors in each bite.

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I love to keep it warm in a slow cooker all game long and set up a toppings bar for guests to customize each bite. I always receive so many compliments, it’s truly a crowd-pleaser! Serve it alongside my Taco Pie or Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Easy one pot soup that’s quick to make. With just 30 minutes, you can have this comforting soup ready to serve and it tastes like it’s simmered all day!
Make in advance for any party. It’s a great meal prep recipe. I even think the flavors are more delicious the next day.
Goes with any menu. Serve it up with all of your favorite bites or just pair with rolls or warm bread for a weeknight dinner.

Laura Ashley’s Tip: My secret ingredient for this soup is cream cheese. It ensures the texture is lightly creamy with a subtle tang.

Ingredients

Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Salted butter: The fat for cooking the vegetables.
Finely diced onion: Adds nice sweet onion flavor into the base of the soup.
Garlic cloves: Infuses every bite with sweet garlic flavor.
Diced celery: Another bright veggie that adds nice freshness.
All-purpose flour: Helps to thicken the soup.
Chicken broth: The liquid that gives delicious and rich flavor.
Shredded cooked chicken: Use rotisserie or leftover chicken here for ease.
Regular or jalapeño evaporated milk: This is a creamy and concentrated version of regular milk to add lots of richness.
Cream cheese: Our secret ingredient, gives a creamy texture and rich, decadent flavor.
Buffalo wing sauce: Use your wing sauce and heat level of choice!
Smoked paprika: Adds a hint of smokiness with bright color.
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese: The finishing touch that makes it gooey and so good.
Garnish options: Some of our favorites to top off this buffalo chicken soup are cooked and crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions or chives, and ranch or blue cheese for drizzling.

The ingredients displayed to make buffalo chicken soup.

Tools You’ll Need

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Soup

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and celery. Cook 4–5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Mixing the ingredients in a pan for buffalo chicken soup.

Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in chicken broth, stirring until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Stir in shredded chicken, paprika, and seasoning salt or salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to low. Add evaporated milk, cream cheese, and 1/2 cup of the buffalo sauce. Stir until the cream cheese is fully melted and soup is smooth.

Let simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.
Taste and adjust seasoning or the amount of heat. Ladle into bowls and serve with garnishes as desired.

Expert Tips

Make sure you softened or room temperature cream cheese. This will help it to melt smoothly and evenly into the soup.
Avoid boiling the soup once the evaporated milk and cream cheese are added. This could cause the soup to break and curdle, which isn’t very delicious! Just let it simmer slowly to combine.
If your soup is still too thin, make a cornstarch and water slurry mixture (1 tablespoon each) and add to the soup base. Simmer a couple of minutes until thickened.
Perfect recipe for rotisserie or leftover chicken, just shred and stir into the soup.
Use your favorite buffalo sauce. Everyone has a particular favorite and good news, you can adds yours to this soup!

Storage

Store any leftover buffalo chicken soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave for a few minutes until warmed through.

Freezing this soup is easy too! You can freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge and reheat according to the instructions above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make buffalo chicken soup in the slow cooker?

You can! Just be sure to add the evaporated milk and whipped cream cheese the last hour of cooking and stir in the cornstarch about 30 minutes before serving. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Can I use rotisserie chicken in buffalo chicken soup?

Yes, simply shred the chicken and discard the bones. It’s the perfect easy shortcut for this soup.

Is it possible to omit the cream cheese in buffalo chicken soup?

You can replace it something like heavy cream or half and half, but we strongly recommend against it since the cream cheese makes for the best texture.

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