Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

Slow cookers! I love my slow cooker and its convenience. I use my slow cooker at least once a week to help myself stay on track with my meal plan. Between busy work schedules and evening plans, sometimes dinners can get lost in the shuffle. I like to use my slow cooker throughout the year to help my family avoid spur-of-the-moment unhealthy dinners. Here is a recent recipe that I tried and it was a hit!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of chicken breasts OR 1 pound of ground chicken
• 2-3 cans white navy beans, drained and rinsed (add 3 cans for a heartier chili)
• 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¼ - ½ cup buffalo wing sauce (start with ¼ cup and add more at end if needed)
• 1 package ranch dressing mix
• 1 can of corn, drained
• ½ chopped onion OR ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic OR ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• ½ teaspoon dried cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon salt (I omitted this because let’s face it, there is already sodium in the broth!)
• 8 oz. low fat cottage cheese OR  8 oz. cream cheese
• Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Instructions:

1. If using chicken breasts: place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. If using ground chicken: brown ground chicken until fully cooked, place in the slow cooker (or brown ahead of time and store in fridge until ready to assemble)
2. Add remaining ingredients except for cottage cheese OR cream cheese and blue cheese. Stir all ingredients to combine it.
3. Once everything is stirred, add cottage cheese OR cream cheese on the top and cover.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8.
5. If using chicken breasts: remove chicken from the slow cooker, shred, and place back in the soup. Stir to incorporate cottage cheese/cream cheese and add additional wing sauce as desired. Simmer mixture for another 10-15 minutes.
6. Serve and top individual bowls with blue cheese crumbles if desired.

Enjoy!

Be Well,

Sarah.

Recipe modified from http://slowcookergourmet.net/slow-cooker-buffalo-chicken-chili/