My Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup is a cozy, one-pot dinner loaded with tender chicken, carrots, celery, and cauliflower, all simmered in a spicy Frank's RedHot broth and finished with cream cheese. It's the kind of big-flavor, feel-good soup I crave all fall and winter, and the spoonable cousin to my buffalo chicken meatballs and healthier buffalo chicken dip.
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One Pot Healthy Buffalo Chicken Soup
I'm always looking for cozy dinners that come together in one pot, and this buffalo chicken soup has become one of my go-tos for exactly that reason. Everything (the veggies, the seasonings, even the chicken) cooks right in one Dutch oven, and the chicken poaches in that spicy broth so it stays juicy and tender. Less dishes, more flavor. That's a win in my book!
The secret to getting it so thick and creamy without heavy cream or flour? Blending half the veggies right into the broth. It's the same trick I use in my creamy cauliflower soup, and it means every bowl is packed with veggies and 29 grams of protein. A little cream cheese at the end makes it extra velvety, and the dill, parsley, and garlic give it that ranch-style flavor that pairs so well with Frank's RedHot.
This soup is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but I love serving it with a crisp green salad or a handful of tortilla chips for dunking. It also makes 8 cups, so it's perfect for meal prep lunches all week long. If you want more cozy soups like this one, you'll LOVE my Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup or my Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy without heavy cream. Blending half the soup with cauliflower and a little cream cheese gives you a thick, silky texture that still feels light.
- Packed with protein. Each serving has 29 grams of protein thanks to a full 3 pounds of chicken breast.
- Sneaky veggies. Cauliflower, carrots, celery, and onion all melt right into the broth, so even picky eaters won't notice.
- One pot, 45 minutes. Everything cooks in a single Dutch oven, and the chicken poaches right in the broth.
- Great for meal prep. It reheats beautifully and makes 8 cups, so lunches are covered for days.
- Easy to customize. Make it dairy-free, turn up the heat, or pile on your favorite toppings.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this buffalo chicken soup:
- Ghee or butter: Sautés the veggies and adds a rich, nutty base. Use ghee or olive oil to keep it dairy-free.
- White onion: Builds savory flavor. Yellow or red onion works just as well.
- Carrots and celery: The classic buffalo wing sidekicks! They add sweetness, crunch, and color.
- Cauliflower: The star of the creamy base. Once blended, it thickens the soup naturally with no flour needed.
- Garlic and seasonings: Fresh garlic, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill give it that ranch-style flavor that pairs perfectly with buffalo sauce.
- Chicken stock: Forms the brothy base. Beef or vegetable stock can be swapped in.
- Frank's RedHot: The classic buffalo flavor. Start with ⅓ cup and add more at the end if you like it spicy.
- Chicken breasts: Poached right in the broth so they stay juicy, then chopped and stirred back in.
- Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese melts in for extra creaminess. Use a dairy-free cream cheese to keep it dairy-free.
- Toppings: Blue cheese crumbles, sliced green onion, tortilla chips, and an extra drizzle of hot sauce.
Variations & Substitutions
This buffalo chicken soup is super versatile! Here are some easy swaps:
- Dairy-free: Use ghee instead of butter and a dairy-free cream cheese, then skip the blue cheese topping or use a dairy-free ranch drizzle.
- Protein: Swap the chicken breasts for turkey breasts or tofu. Short on time? Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken during the last 10 minutes of simmering.
- Stock: Beef, vegetable, or bone broth all work in place of chicken stock.
- Spice level: Add an extra splash of Frank's RedHot for more heat, or cut it back to ¼ cup for a milder, kid-friendly bowl.
- Extra veggies: Stir in a handful of fresh spinach or kale at the end for more greens.
How to Make Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup
Start by melting ghee in a large Dutch oven and sautéing your onion, carrots, celery, and cauliflower until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and seasonings, then pour in the chicken stock and Frank's RedHot. Nestle the chicken breasts right into the broth and let them simmer until cooked through. This keeps them so juicy!
Once the chicken is done, pull it out and blend a little more than half the soup until smooth. This is the secret to that thick, creamy texture without any heavy cream. Pour it back into the pot, whisk in the softened cream cheese, and stir in the chopped chicken. Let everything simmer together for 10 minutes, then top with blue cheese, green onion, and a drizzle of extra hot sauce.
- Step 1: Wash and chop all your veggies.
- Step 2: Heat the ghee in a large Dutch oven or sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and cauliflower and cook for 6-8 minutes, until they start to soften.
- Step 3: Add the garlic and all of the seasonings and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and hot sauce, then add the chicken breasts, making sure they're submerged in the liquid.
- Step 4: Bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes once boiling. Remove the chicken and set it aside. Ladle a little more than half of the soup (about half the veggies and broth) into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Step 5: Pour the blended soup back into the pot, add the softened cream cheese, and whisk until melted.
- Step 6: Chop the chicken into small pieces and add it back to the soup. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Serve topped with green onion, blue cheese, tortilla chips, and extra hot sauce.
Erin's Expert Tips
Don't skip the blending step. Blending a little more than half the soup is what makes it thick and creamy without any flour or heavy cream.
Soften your cream cheese first. Room-temperature cream cheese whisks in smoothly, while cold cream cheese can leave little lumps.
Blend safely. Let the soup cool for a minute, fill the blender no more than halfway, and remove the center cap and cover with a towel so steam can escape. An immersion blender works too.
Taste before serving. Hot sauce brands vary in saltiness and heat, so adjust the salt and add extra Frank's at the end.
Don't skimp on toppings! Blue cheese, green onion, and crunchy tortilla chips take this soup from good to amazing.
To store leftovers, let the soup cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze, portion cooled soup into freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and whisk well when reheating, since cream cheese can separate slightly.
To reheat, warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, or microwave individual portions in 60-second increments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Yes! This version gets its creaminess from blended cauliflower and just 4 ounces of cream cheese, so it's about 278 calories per serving with 29 grams of protein and only 10 grams of carbs.
You can! The blended cauliflower already makes it creamy. Use a dairy-free cream cheese, or skip it entirely for a lighter, brothier soup.
It is! This soup is thickened with blended veggies instead of flour. Just double-check that your chicken stock is labeled gluten-free.
Absolutely. Skip poaching the chicken and stir about 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken into the soup during the final 10-minute simmer.
It has a medium kick. For a milder soup, start with ¼ cup of Frank's RedHot and add more to taste.
Storing Leftovers
Store cooled buffalo chicken soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave, whisking well since the cream cheese can separate slightly after freezing. If it's thickened up, just add a splash of chicken stock to loosen it.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
If you liked this recipe, try these!
Find more cozy, crowd-pleasing dinners perfect for fall and winter:
Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare all veggies by washing and chopping.
- In a large dutch oven or sauce pot, heat ghee over medium-high heat. Once melted, add onion, carrots, celery, and cauliflower. Let cook about 6-8 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add in garlic. Then add in spices: parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Pour in chicken stock and hot sauce. Then add 4 chicken breasts and submerge in liquid.
- Bring pot to a boil, and once boiling, cook 12 minutes.
- Take chicken out after 12 minutes and set aside. Ladle a little more than half of the soup into a blender (including half of the cauliflower, carrots, celery, and broth) and blend until smooth.
- Pour blended mixture into remaining soup broth.
- Add in cream cheese and whisk until melted.
- Cut chicken into small pieces and add back into soup.
- Let simmer for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, then serve.
- Top with green onion, blue cheese, tortilla chips and more hot sauce if desired.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Don't Skip the Blending Step: Ladling just over half the soup into a blender and blending it smooth before adding it back to the pot is what gives this soup that incredible thick, creamy texture everyone goes crazy for.
- Soften the Cream Cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is softened before adding it to the pot so it whisks in smoothly without any lumps. Cold cream cheese takes forever to melt and can leave you with little chunks throughout the soup.
- Don't Skimp on Toppings: Blue cheese crumbles, sliced green onion, a drizzle of extra hot sauce, and a handful of tortilla chips for crunch take this soup from delicious to absolutely next level. Don't skip them!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Katie says
Holy Moly!! This is sooooo good! It’s the perfect amount of heat and the texture with the veggies and chicken is perfect. I always have high hopes with Erin’s recipes but this one really blew us all away. Definitely a new staple in this house!
Erin says
Hi Katie, I am so happy you loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Kelsey says
Sooo good!!! What a great soup recipe!
Erin says
Hi Kelsey, I am so happy you liked it!
Alana Miller says
This recipe has become a staple for the winter! Some soup is just not up to par with the favorite flavors of today and this beyond exceeded my expectations!
Erin says
Hi Alana, so glad you love it so much!
Danielle says
The best soup!!
Erin says
Hi Danielle, so glad you love it!
Erin Carswell says
So yummy! One of my favorite healthy soups - will def be making it again! Thanks Erin!
Erin says
Hi Erin, so glad you liked it!!
Gina McShane says
I love this soup. I’ve made it twice this month! My husband hates cauliflower but loved this soup also! I used rotisserie chicken the second time I made it and I think it has more flavor when you cook the chicken In the soup as the recipe says. Perfect winter comfort food
Erin says
Hi Gina, I am so happy you both enjoyed it and made it your own!
Mary says
This is literally my new favorite recipe. I typically don’t love soups but this is INCREDIBLE. I am absolutely obsessed with it and will be making it again this week. I omitted the cream cheese (didn’t have any on hand) and it’s still creamy and delicious (and healthier!). If you like buffalo chicken, you have to try this! It’s easy and guilt free.
Erin says
Hi Mary, thanks for sharing and love that you made it your own!!
Courtney says
Loved this so much and so did my boyfriend!
Erin says
Hi Courtney, so glad you both loved the soup!
Haley says
This soup is so so good!! So creamy, flavorful and filling. Thank you for putting this deliciousness in my life Erin!
Erin says
Hi Haley, thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Nikole says
THIS SOUP IS THE MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE!! My boyfriend and I were a little skeptical but decided to try because we both love buffalo chicken dip and WOW!! Did not disappoint!! We both loved it and he asked me to make it again a week later. Such bold flavor but not overpowering. Must try!
Erin says
Hi Nikole, I am so happy to hear you both love it so much!! 🙂
Alissa says
Love this recipe! My boyfriend loves buffalo anything and this is a delicious compromise for both our tastes ☺️
Erin says
Hi Alissa, so happy you both loved it!
Morgan says
This soup was AMAZING and so easy to make. This will definitely be a staple in my house!
Erin says
Hi Morgan, I am so glad you love it!
Courtney Hoppe says
You have the best recipes, Erin! I made this last night and it was delicious. I used frozen riced cauliflower and did not add the cream cheese. Highly recommend!!
Erin says
Hi Courtney, I am so happy you enjoyed it!
Samantha says
THIS SOUP IS EVERYTHING!!!! I made this last week and ate it for 4 days straight. I love anything buffalo chicken. I also used my immersion blender and the consistency was perfect. Smooth and creamy but also with those hearty bites loaded with soft veggies. Will definitely be making this again and again!!
Erin says
Hi Samantha, thanks for your kind words!! I am so happy you liked it!
B says
This soup feels like something that shouldn’t be good but it’s amazing!! All I had was Trader Joe’s frozen colorful cauliflower and their frozen tri-color carrots so the color of this was more purple... but the taste was amazing!! I used the trick someone mentioned above for the immersion blender and this turned out amazing! Super quick and healthy meal for my family. Thanks!!
Erin says
Hi! I am so happy you and your family enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Shannon says
I was a little apprehensive at first as I dont like cauliflower but this soup is AMAZING! So creamy with a nice kick—will definitely make this again!
Erin says
Hi Shannon, ah I love hearing that!! Thanks for sharing!
Bianca says
This was SO delicious and comforting on a cold day. If you are lazy like me and don’t feel like cleaning a blender, I stuck my immersion blender in there and just blended until it looked like about half of the chunks were gone. Did the trick!
Erin says
Hi Bianca, I am so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing your trick!
Sara says
Our whole family loved this. We omitted the hot sauce for the kids but added it to our bowls.
Erin says
Hi Sara, I am so happy to hear that!
Sarah says
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was so so tasty! I added more veggies to bulk it up plus a bit more buffalo for more of a kick. Will definitely be making it again!
Erin says
Hi Sarah, I am so glad you liked it and made it your own!
Kaitlyn says
This was SO delicious and arguably one of the best soups I’ve ever had! I will now exist off of this soup and live happily ever after!!!
Erin says
Hi Kaitlyn, I am so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂