Buffalo Chicken Chowder

I should preface this recipe with a little back story. When I first met Taylor his favorite food on the planet was buffalo chicken calzones dipped in ranch dressing. Typical college boy food but in reality, who doesn't love a good buffalo chicken dish now and again? Taylor's diet has changed quite a bit over the years (farming has influenced that) but he will forever and always hold a special place for buffalo chicken in his heart. This past Christmas Taylor decided that instead of a Christmas gift all he really wanted was a homemade buffalo chicken dinner and a six pack of nice beer. Have I mentioned I married a very simple man?  Always up for a challenge and making my husband happy I decided to get to work. The beer was easy, but I wasn't sure I could handle making the calzone (I knew I'd mess up the dough somehow!) So instead I opted for a hearty stew and crossed my fingers while I got busy preparing it. This may seem like a Sunday football meal (which it totally is!) but this special chowder is what Taylor and I enjoyed on Christmas night at the farm. In fact, this may be the same chowder we enjoy every Christmas from now on.  The truth is, I freaking nailed this one folks!  With plenty of hearty vegetables, organic chicken, hot sauce and creamy coconut milk this is a chowder that I can get behind. I hope you all give this a try. It's a keeper and perfect on these chilly winter nights. Cheers to new traditions, less gifts and more quality time enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Grab a spoon, pour a pint of your favorite beer and dig in!

Buffalo Chicken Chowder

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 pound russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup buffalo style hot sauce (we used Franks hot sauce)
  • 4 cups chicken broth (plus more to thin if needed)
  • 1 (13.5) ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh lime juice
  • cilantro for serving
  • diced avocado for serving

Preparation

  1. Heat the ghee in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, celery, peppers, and potatoes. Cook for about 2 minutes longer. Add the chicken breast, hot sauce and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and place a lid on the soup. Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and the potatoes are soft. About 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board to the side. When it's cool enough to handle use two forks to shred the chicken. Keep the chicken to the side.
  2. Use an immersion blender (or carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender) and blend until about half of the soup is creamy, still leaving a lot of the veggies chunky for texture. Return the chicken to the pot, add the coconut milk and stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.
  3. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, minced cilantro and diced avocado.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *This recipe is inspired by "Just Jessie B's" blog

Comments