Buffalo Chicken Soup is warm, cozy, and packed with flavor. Serve it up with crusty bread for a satisfying finish to a chilly day. Using an Instant Pot makes prep virtually effortless.
3boneless skinless chicken breastscut into bite-size cubes (about 1.5 pounds)
6cupschicken broth + 3 tablespoonsdivided
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoondried thyme
1teaspooncrushed red pepper chili flakes
1cuphalf and half
½cuphot buffalo sauce
3Tablespoonsall-purpose flour
8ouncecream cheese
4Tablespoonsranch dressing
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot on saute. Allow to heat up a minute, then add butter to melt.
Once melted, add onion, celery, and carrots. Using a wooden spoon, cook until softened (a couple minutes). Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Add 6 cups broth and using the wooden spoon, scrape up the bits of chicken and vegetables from the bottom of the Instant Pot (this is called deglazing and will help prevent the burn notice. Turn off saute.
Add garlic powder, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Mix with chicken and vegetables.
To the pot, add half and half and buffalo sauce. Do not mix. Secure the lid and turn the valve to SEALING. Select high pressure (manual) and add 10 minutes to the cook time.
While this is cooking, combine the remaining 3 Tablespoons of broth with flour. Whisk until combined, set aside.
When the cook time ends, allow Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then turn the valve to "VENTING" and release the remaining pressure.
Remove the lid and select SAUTE. Add in flour and broth mixture as well as the cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook until bubbly and thickened to desired thickness (and the cream cheese has melted completely.
Turn off Instant pot and serve soup with crusty bread. ENJOY.
Notes
Pick the right cut of chicken. Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs work best for this recipe. Use breast fillets to make a leaner soup or thigh fillets to make a richer soup.
Add more heat. Sprinkle extra chili flakes while sauteing the vegetables, or add cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the soup before serving.
Be generous while garnishing. Generously top your soup with sour cream, green onions, and extra buffalo sauce. This will impact both the flavor and texture of the dish.
Adjust its consistency when reheating. This soup tends to thicken once it cools down. So add broth or water to thin the soup to your desired consistency before reheating.
No Instant Pot? No problem. Make it on the stove top instead. After sauteeing vegetables and chicken, add remaining ingredients (except cream cheese). Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add cream cheese and heat until warm and melted.