Craving something hearty, warm, and flavorful? This dairy free buffalo chicken chili is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. Great for dinner with the family or for eating on game day! It’s a creative twist on classic chili that’s still easy to make and packed with protein.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:
- Hot sauce – I love Frank’s RedHot Original cayenne pepper sauce in this recipe, as it gives that recognizable buffalo flavor. I recommend using this, unless you have issues with high sodium meals (as Frank’s has a pretty high amount of sodium in the quantity used in this recipe). In that case, you can look for a lower-sodium hot sauce.
- Beans – Great Northern beans are typically my go-to, but you can use any white bean for this recipe.
- Corn – Canned, frozen, fresh off the cob…it all works!
You can add optional topping ingredients as well (not pictured above). Some of my favorite toppings are green onions and dairy-free ranch dressing. You’ll want to look specifically for a dairy free version, as most ranch dressings contain dairy. My favorites are Hidden Valley Original Plant Powered Ranch Salad Dressing or Primal Kitchen Ranch Salad Dressing (affiliate links; I earn a commission on purchases). Or, you can try making homemade ranch dressing.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips. This recipe is very simple to make!
Start by heating the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, and celery.
Cook until the chicken is mostly cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Stir the chicken and break it up as it’s cooking.
Add the garlic and all the seasonings to the pot. Let that cook for another minute or two, until nice and fragrant.
Add the rest of the ingredients – beans, tomatoes, corn, broth, and Frank’s RedHot Original.
Bring to a boil, then let that simmer for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye out it; if it gets too thick for your liking, just add a little more broth. I like this chili on the thicker side!
When it’s done, serve it in bowls and enjoy! If you’d like, you can garnish with green onions and a drizzle of dairy-free ranch dressing.
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
It’s pretty mild – just some subtle heat. However, everyone has different opinions and preferences when it comes to spice. If you are sensitive to heat, start with using just ¼ cup of hot sauce in the recipe, and adjust to taste.
Sure. Ground chicken is easy and inexpensive. Ground turkey will also work though. You can also use shredded cooked chicken; I recommend adding this towards the end if already cooked through.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If storing a large batch, divide into smaller containers before refrigerating to ensure the chili cools quickly for food safety.
Yes. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Reheat in the microwave.
Sure! Feel free to add other vegetables like diced carrots, bell pepper, or zucchini.
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written without any toppings, this recipe is dairy free, egg free, and nut free. As long as a safe brand of broth is used, this recipe should also be wheat/gluten free and soy free – just be sure to check for those allergens.
Keep in mind that adding toppings, like a dairy free ranch, can introduce some of the above allergens. Be sure to check labels and choose toppings that meet your needs.
More Dairy Free Chili Recipes
If you’re looking for more dairy free chili ideas, be sure to give one of these a try:
- Dairy free white chicken chili
- Slow cooker Wendy’s copycat chili
- Butternut squash and quinoa chili
- Steak and mango chili
- Moroccan lamb chili (just skip the yogurt topping)
I hope you enjoy this dairy free buffalo chicken chili as much as my husband and I do – it’s a dinner favorite in the wintertime. If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Chili
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 15.5 oz can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (or any white bean; recommend low sodium)
- 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (liquid and solids)
- 1 cup corn (canned, frozen, or fresh; if using canned recommend low sodium)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (more if you prefer a thinner chili)
- ½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original sauce (or another dairy-free hot sauce)
Optional for garnish:
- Sliced green onions
- Dairy-free ranch dressing
Instructions
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In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken, onion, and celery. Cook, stirring every few minutes to break up the chicken, for about 6-8 minutes until chicken is mostly cooked through.
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Add the garlic, paprika, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook for another minute, until fragrant.
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Add the beans, tomatoes, corn, broth, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, until fragrant and thickened.
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Ladle the chili into bowls. Garnish if desired with green onions and a drizzle of dairy-free ranch.
Recipe Notes
- I prefer a thicker chili. If you like yours to be a bit thinner, you can add extra broth to achieve the right texture.
- This is a higher sodium recipe, as hot sauce generally has quite a bit of salt per teaspoon. However, you can purchase a low sodium hot sauce to significantly reduce the sodium content if that’s a concern. The nutrition analysis below assumes using Frank’s RedHot Original, and using a lower sodium chicken broth, beans, and corn.
Nutrition analysis (approximate per serving, does not include optional garnishes): 402 calories, 14 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 1620 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 0 g added sugar, 34 g protein, Vitamin D: 0%, Calcium: 8%, Iron: 28%, Potassium: 30%
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