Buffalo Chicken and Bean Chili
Make Buffalo Chicken and Bean Chili tonight: tangy, hearty chili with shredded chicken and creamy beans.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground chicken (or turkey)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground paprika
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 15 oz can small white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 13.6 oz container fat free refried pinto beans
- 3/4 cups Swanson's reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 tablespoons Frank's hot sauce
- reduced fat shredded cheddar
- chopped scallions
- reduced fat sour cream
Instructions
Step 1: Brown the ground chicken
Warm a large deep nonstick skillet and brown the lean ground chicken, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks until just cooked through and no longer pink; cook patiently so the meat develops little browned edges and a tender, shreddable texture. Season lightly with salt and pepper while it finishes, then transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside so the pan is ready for the vegetables. This step builds savory browned flavor and yields juicy, slightly textured pieces that will fold back into the chili later.
Step 2: Sauté the aromatics and spices
In the same skillet add the chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic with the chili powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika, plus a pinch more salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften and become glossy and fragrant, the onions translucent and the carrots and celery tender but still holding shape. The spices should bloom onto the vegetables, coating them in warm orange-red tones and releasing a toasty, savory aroma — this is the flavor backbone.
Step 3: Build the bean-chili base
Add the rinsed small white beans and the refried pinto beans to the softened vegetables, pour in the chicken broth and a splash of water, and stir until everything is combined into a chunky, saucy base. Bring the mixture briefly to a simmer and then reduce heat to gently simmer, covered, so the beans soften further and the refried beans melt into a creamy binder; the texture becomes thick, lumpy and comforting, with whole beans peeking through a smooth, flavorful matrix.
Step 4: Finish with hot sauce and return the chicken
Stir the Frank’s hot sauce into the bean base to impart bright, vinegary heat, then fold the reserved browned chicken back in, cover and simmer gently until the chili thickens and the flavors meld — about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so the textures harmonize into a cohesive, hearty chili. The finished stew should be glossy and spoonable, studded with shredded chicken, soft white beans and tender vegetables; serve topped with a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, a scattering of shredded reduced-fat cheddar and chopped scallions, with tortilla chips and a small bowl of carrot and celery sticks on the side.
Notes
- Taste and adjust hot sauce gradually to control heat level.
- Brown the chicken well for deeper flavor before adding vegetables.
- Add a splash of broth when reheating if the chili is too thick.