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Buffalo Chicken and Bean Chili

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An easy chili recipe with a buffalo chicken twist! So easy to make and SOOOO good – perfect for game watching or any night of the week!

This is chili with a buffalo chicken twist! So easy to make and SOOOO good – perfect for game watching or any night of the week!
Buffalo Chicken & Bean Chili Recipe

More chili recipes you might enjoy are Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili, Turkey Chili Taco Soup, and No Bean Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili.

And the best part is it doesn’t need to simmer all day. This is ready in about 40-45 minutes, and most of that time is unattended. To thicken the chili and give you that texture like it’s been simmering for hours, I added refried pinto beans to the mix which always works like a charm!

I like to serve mine with a handful of chips like Beanitos which are made from white beans, but any baked chip is great and of course, some carrot sticks and celery on the side. Hope you enjoy!

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Buffalo Chicken and Bean Chili

4.82 from 33 votes
4
Cals:307
Protein:26
Carbs:31
Fat:11
This is chili with a buffalo chicken twist! So easy to make and SOOOO good – perfect for game watching or any night of the week!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
This is chili with a buffalo chicken twist! So easy to make and SOOOO good – perfect for game watching or any night of the week!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Yield: 5 servings
Serving Size: 1 generous cup

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

Optional toppings:

  • reduced fat shredded cheddar
  • chopped scallions
  • reduced fat sour cream

Instructions

  • Heat a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Brown the ground chicken in the skillet and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks, about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through, set aside.
  • Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, a pinch of  salt and pepper, and cook stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Add white beans, refried beans, water  and chicken broth, bring to a boil and simmer covered on medium-low about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the hot sauce and add the chicken, cover and simmer until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the flavors blend.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 generous cup, Calories: 307 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 68 mg, Sodium: 1363 mg, Fiber: 9.5 g, Sugar: 1.5 g

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120 comments on “Buffalo Chicken and Bean Chili”

  1. I have been a Skinnytaste fan for years! I have made this a few times now. Its very easy to follow and the taste is great. I don’t add as much hot sauce, as the family doesn’t like spicy things. Highly recommend!!! Most time consuming part (outside of waiting for flavors to come together at the very end) is cutting up the onions, carrots, and celery.

  2. This was good. Substituted black beans for the white beans because I’m not a fan of white beans. Would make again.

  3. We have been eating this for YEARS it and it one of my all-time favorite recipes. Can’t recommend more highly!

  4. This was so good!! I was getting pretty tired of the same chili recipes and this one hit the spot! I double it every time now and freeze half.

  5. Love this recipe! I make it all the time and always get a ton of compliments. I’m not great with complex recipes but this is super simple and quick. I usually double it and use refried black beans and sub white kidney beans to get that chili “look”. I also add siracha (sp?) for an extra kick.

  6. I love this recipe! One of my favorites. But I’m having a hard time consistently being able to find Small White Beans. Any suggestions on substitutions?

  7. So easy and delicious. I have been making this for a few years now and have passed it on to many others who love it as well. 

  8. I love the chili recipes on this site! I made this tonight and it is so easy and so good! Perfect served with baked tortilla chips and celery/carrot sticks.  You could easily put this in the crockpot but honestly I simmered it covered for 20 minutes and the flavors really came together. I used all chicken broth and Frank’s Buffalo wing sauce— family added hot sauce if they liked it spicier. Next time I will double the recipe!

  9. Yummy! I did it in the pressure cooker; so easy & fast!

    I followed the recipe except I used dry cannellini beans and dry pinto beans – and about 6 total cups of broth/water bc of the dry beans. The 8 of us all loved it! 

  10. Delicious and so easy. I did opt for cooking in the instant pot- sauteed ground chicken and veggies then pressure cooked 10 min plus NPR. I ran out of Franks hot sauce so the last 2+ tbsp was Franks buffalo wing sauce. I added extra Franks! We served with bleu cheese crumbles, cheddar shredded, scallions and a drizzle of Boathouse bleu cheese dressing. Crusty bread on the side. My husband declared it one of the best chili recipes ever!

  11. This is one of my all-time favorites!! So delicious, and feels like a dip but it’s actually a healthy meal! I agree with one commenter – my WW app says this is 0 blue points, not 3. Another reason to love it!

  12. WOW just WOW.  Made the recipe exactly as offered and did use the scallions, cheese and sour cream, thought only about a teaspoon per bowl. So satisfying and flavorful. This is a keeper for an easy quick dinner. And it met my blue point requirement. 

  13. Another new favorite! Absolutely delicious! To cut even more on points, I drain and rinse a can of pinto beans and use my immersion blender to make them mush, and then add this to the chili instead of the refried beans. It’s an extra step but only takes a minute and I actually prefer the final outcome better this way (less salty too), but both ways are delicious. Also, I now use 3Tbsp Frank’s Buffalo Sauce and 3Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce because when I used 6Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce it was too hot for me and my kids. My husband can always add more hot sauce to his plate if he wants it super hot. When I serve this to guests, I put out blue cheese dressing – WOW! SO GOOD! But obviously that kinda kills the healthfulness and points so I only do that for guests. It’s delicious on its own.

    1. So glad you all enjoyed them! You can try https://www.skinnytaste.com/low-fat-creamy-blue-cheese-dressing/

    2. Make Gina’s blue cheese dressing (it’s also low points too). It’s super easy and I promise you you’ll NEVER buy any again. Blue cheese is the only dressing I eat. I’ve made it many times for carrots and stuff (cause come on, plain carrots suck). Gina’s recipe is the best I’ve had. Try it. 

  14. Made exactly as instructed-with no substitutions. My picky 12 yr old and I loved it-it was the perfect amount of buffalo-y goodness for us. My family hates when I make ‘regular’ chili, so this was a great change-up from the norm!

  15. not a fan 🙁 way too salty from the Frank’s red hot and the carrots were still hard despite cutting them very small and cooking per instructions. I do like the idea behind this chili, and the refried beans were a great thought to make it thicker. I will stick to regular chili.

  16. Made this today, used ground turkey and cubed chicken breast and left out the water, it was a hit…thank you

  17. This is an oldie but a goody. It’s cold and snowy outside and I made this today. I have made it at least a dozen times and it’s delicious. I make sure I keep a can of refried beans on hand.

  18. Avatar photo
    Maureen Lawlor

    Love this! Used it as part of a low saturated fat diet. Question: The recipe lists 0 saturated fat, is that correct? I would think the meat has some. Thanks for your great recipes, they always have great flavor!

  19. I put the ingredients in the new SP calculator and it looks like everything that gave this chili SmartPoints in the past is now 0 points. This chili is the best!

  20. Just made this for lunch and yes, it was so good and so filling!  I follow weight watchers so I really appreciate the low points for this meal!  Thank you Gina!

  21. This is quite possibly one of the best chillies I’ve made or eaten. So much flavor. I changed this ever so slightly based on what I had on hand (Used a 24 oz. can refried pinto beans and all chicken broth, no water, increasing to 2 cups to compensate for the extra beans. Lastly, doubled the spices – I like it HOT.) And, wow. This will be on the frequent rotation in our house for sure.

  22. I have a really bad habit of not fully reading the directions on a recipe before I get started, so I ended up sauteing my veggies in with the chicken. They ended up a bit crunchy, (totally my fault) but the chili is amazing! I will definitely make this again and it will be a go to wheb I’m craving wings!

  23. Avatar photo
    candy cervera

    This is one of my favorites to make. You can make it as spicy as you like it. It’s great for cold weather.

  24. Another perfect chili, and one that satisfies buffalo sauce craving is a plus!! As a red meat lover, I’ve found I prefer chilis with turkey or chicken over beef. Nothing feels lacking and the flavor is so good. Save the red meat for steaks and burgers ????

  25. Hi Gina,
     This is one of our favorites, but confused how it is still 5 Freestyle points? I used 99% fat free ground chicken and fat free refried beans… where do the 5 points come from? Thank you so much! 

    1. Yes. Sauté the chicken, then add in the veggies. 20 minutes on high pressure! Delicious! Just don’t mix in the refried beans or you might get a burn warning. We just plopped them right on top before putting the lid on. 

  26. I have been making this chili for years now. It is the hit of all parties I take it to, as well as one of my  most requested dishes. It is easy to make and you can make it the day before as the flavors will blend even more. I am making this today for a pre-thanksgiving pot luck at work tomorrow. I always make extra so there are plenty of leftover for lunch the next day for my co-workers.  Love this chili !

  27. Made this today and it was a hit. So yummy. I omitted the celery and put very little red hot and it was still good. The refried beans base gave it a great flavor.

  28. I was making chili for a crowd, so I doubled the recipe and added ground chicken AND chicken thighs. I also did it in my Instand Pot of slow cooker for 6 hours. It was a huge hit. Very flavorful and everyone really loved it, even my uncle who is fighting dementia told me how awesome it was. 🙂 Thank you!

  29. My new favorite chili recipe!! Love this so much! Tastes so much more indulgent than it is. Thanks for the great recipe!

  30. I made this tonight and it was delicious!!! I am loving your recipes. I haven’t made one that I haven’t loved! Thank you so much for sharing! 

  31. I’m slowly learning how to cook and your recipes are so easy to follow! This is delicious. I used turkey and it still tastes awesome. Though I think I missed a step because mine turned out really really think.

  32. Just made this and it’s sooo delish! Instead of ground chicken I used the crockpot buffalo chicken from your buffalo chicken lettuce wraps and added fire roasted diced tomatoes. Amazing! Definitely keeping it in the recipe line up this fall/winter. Thanks Gina! 

  33. I made this last night and it was soo good! My husband and brother and law loved it too. I also made some cornbread to eat with it. Delish!!

  34. We made this last night, and it was delicious, we added a can of crushed tomatoes, and it gave it a stew like taste and consistency, I was skeptical about refried beans, but it turned out very good.

  35. We make this regularly and its ridiculously good. Easy to make, no prep really. It's super filling and delicious!! Thank you!

  36. This was Great!!! I am not the biggest on chili but had decided I wanted to make some with ground turkey I needed to use up from the freezer. Used a regular can of fat free refried beans which was my only substitute.They were a great way to thicken and flavor but I did have to add double the liquid to allow it to simmer without drying out. Would add more hot sauce but I like that it is not the same old buffalo flavor, it was a bit more complex. Perfect mix between buffalo and chili! Might be my new go to chili recipe! Thanks!

  37. I'm new to the site and just discovering Gina's recipes. On this one – WOW. Buffalo flavor, no frying, super easy, and delicious? I'm overjoyed. Eight tablespoons of Frank's for me. I just made it – for lunches this week – and my only complaint is that I can't stop eating it and there won't be anything left for lunch! Someone get me away from this pot!

  38. Avatar photo
    CaribbeanSoul

    Mine is simmering right now. Doubled the recipe and doubled again the spices plus I through in a jalapeno. I used ground turkey….it smells and tastes very good and easy to make. Especially with the pre diced onion, carrot and celery packages from Trader Joes. This should last me the week!

  39. I've made this once a week since you posted it back in September, I'm addicted!! I usually eat it during the week for a quick lunch as it's very filling. I like all of your recipes but this one really has me hooked.

  40. Doubled this for a World Series potluck last night and EVERYONE loved it! Not as much left over as I was hoping. It was so easy and quick to make! Thanks! GO GIANTS!

  41. Made this last night and LOVED it. Used my crockpot on low for 6 hours. I couldn't find the exact refried beans this called for, so I just bought a can of low-fat black refried beans and added them. Perfect! It's warm, but I wouldn't say spicy or even Hot.

  42. Gina, this was great. I love "buffalo" anything so this was right up my alley. Very creamy, tasted like it was in the crock pot all day. I loved that it simmered for only 30 minutes, because in that time I was able to bake some muffins for my coworkers during that time. Definitely a winner. Would love to see more Buffalo recipes from you that don't involve potato 🙂

  43. OMG I made this recipe over the weekend and it was AMAZING!!! I was completely amazed at how the refried beans thickened the chili the way it did! It had such WONDERFUL flavor and was super easy!!! The only thing I would change is limit the Franks to 3 tbsp because for me and my guy it was a bit too much but not overwhelming…..Next time I'll definitely be doubling this wonderful recipe and adjusting the heat!!! Spot on, Gina!!! You've done it again as always!!!!! Thanks so much for all you do!!!

  44. I'm a one star-Thai kind of guy, and 6 TB of Frank's was perfect. Would love to see a crockpot version of this, so I could easily double the recipe.

  45. Sooo delicious! It makes me sad to see those that eliminated the hot sauce entirely, the hot sauce is what adds the buffalo flavor! Yummy! Definitely add some even if only 1 TBS, it adds a lot of the flavor. 🙂 I added 5 TBS and it was the perfect amount of spicy for me.

  46. I made this today for my lunch this week as well! I stole a quick taste and it's awesome!! I don't think it's too spicy. My fiance tasted as well and he's typically pretty picky but he enjoyed it! Thank you for your amazing recipes!

  47. I made this tonight to eat for lunch throughout the week. I am glad it's weight watcher friendly, it will help me with my points.

  48. Made exactly as described- delicious! Wasn't too spicy for my 2.5 year old- he ate it on a taco shell

    1. Thanks! I was just looking through all the comments to see if others had had luck making it for kids and I think I'll just try it and cut down a little on the Franks for the kids' sake! it looks yummmy!

  49. Avatar photo
    Susan Turner

    This rated 5 stars at our house. I did cook it a tiny bit longer to get the carrots good and done. Very good. Will make a lot more times for sure!

  50. Made this last night. I would DEFINITELY suggest you start with 3-4 TBSP of Franks, taste, and then add from there. I went all in with 6 TBSP and it was hot hot hot! Additionally, I did three large shredded chicken breasts, and other than that, FANTASTIC recipe!

  51. I made this in the crockpot yesterday and turned out great! I didn't add all the hot sauce as I'm not a fan of too spicy stuff, but I could have and it would have been fine. Probably should have added a bit more liquid as well, but it's still delicious.

  52. Was just wondering what would be a substitute for the buffalo chicken. Tofu? or the morningstar product that fakes chicken? Adding vegetables makes the chili flavorful..but adding beans may not. Any suggestions?

  53. I made a version of this yesterday using no meat and my pressure cooker. I added a can of low sodium diced tomatoes. Some chopped cilantro as well as two teaspoons of red pepper flakes (cuts sodium) instead of hot sauce. I also doubled the beans (as I was not using meat) and spices. I like it hot. Someone asked if white beans have a different name and it is White Kidney or Cannellli. Thanks for all of your great recipes.

  54. This was SO good!!! I love hot, but my husband does not, so only added 1 tablespoon of hot sauce…but it was still unbelievable! I've never made anything bad from your recipes – they are always delicious!!

  55. Made this today and it tastes great! I don't care for celery so instead added a small can of corn, and also a small can of jalapenos for a little kick. Worked out really well.

  56. I made few dishes already amd today i just made this all i can say its delicious,!!! It is so full of flavors goodness i will male it again and again and i usually dont use ground chicken but iloved this,,,,

  57. Avatar photo
    myhmmmcollection

    Many chefs say we eat with our eyes first which I believe is true because my mouth is watering and my nose is thinking it smells this cooking. This is a must try for this weekend.

  58. I just cooked my ground chicken and veggies in the skillet. Now everything is slow cooking on low in the crockpot (I adore my crockpot)! I used sriracha in stead of hot sauce because that's what I had in the cabinet. I only used 3 tbsp. I love this website so much. I literally ate myself to skinny by making 2-3 recipes a week for my meal preps. Down 50lbs since October 2013! Thank you Gina for continuing to provide us with healthy, delicious, and easy-to-make recipes!

    1. Hi I was wondering how long you cooked it in the crockpot? You browned the meat first i’m guessing?

  59. We made one day and ate it the next evening and it was DELICIOUS! It is is our regular rotation of recipes now. Many of them yours… Enough so I'm feeling guilty and am going to Amazon now to pre order your book! Thanks so much for sharing your recipes. They're always wonderful!

  60. I made this tonight (minus the Hot sauce) It is great. My husband asked me to save the recipe for future meals. I would give this a 10 out of 10 for flavor and texture.

  61. Made this for dinner tonight…yummy! Whole Foods just opened yesterday in Palm Desert, Ca. so I was able to find, your refried beans and beanitos. Without hot sauce it was plenty spicy for us. It got so thick I actually had to thin out with more chicken stock. Using refried beans to thicken was brilliant. Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow night. Thanks, Gina….

  62. Made this for lunch today — absolutely delicious! (I chopped the veggies in the food processor and overdid it a bit, but I'm hoping the less noticeable carrot/celery will fool my celery-averse child.)

  63. Avatar photo
    michelle martinez

    I only have chicken breast in the fridge. Would love to try this tonight. Do you think that work, too??

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      Hot sauce has a lot of sodium unfortunately, the only suggestion I could make is adding ground cayenne in place of the hot sauce. Or replace the broth with water.

  64. Hi!
    This looks delicious! Do the recipes in your new cookbook show Points Plus as well as "ol points" for them?

  65. I looooooove your buffalo chicken wraps and buffalo chicken dip, I can't wait to try this one! Thanks Gina!
    -Lauren

    1. Update – made it this weekend and it was great! The only thing I changed was I used chicken breast and let it simmer with the broth as Gina suggested – delicious! I love, love chili but it's so nice to have something a little different!