It’s Super Bowl time again. Am I a fan of the game? Not really. Am I a fan of the commercials? Sure. But, really…I’m a fan of the food. I always appreciate a good spread. With so many delicious game-day snacks to choose from, I was hard pressed to pick just one for this post. So, I cheated and picked Buffalo Chicken Chili….it combines my three favorites in one. Chili + Wings + Queso. This is a low and slow, one-pot wonder, so just keep adding the goods. Here we go!

The Chili Component

Start this soup like you would most soups: a good sauté of chopped onions, minced garlic and butter. Once the butter is melted and the onions are a bit translucent and starting to brown, add the water, beans and vegetables. This recipe falls into the white chili camp (white beans, not red, and lots of cheese). Here, we’re using pinto beans, but you could also use cannellini or even hominy. Because I dig vegetables, and am always trying to sneak them in, I like to add black beans, corn, zucchini, and bell pepper. But, you can just leave out (or add) anything to suit your tastes.

The Wing Component

Next add your chicken. For ease, I use boneless and skinless thighs. Thigh meat gives the soup needed umph since you aren’t braising any bones. Add lemon juice to help break down your chicken. Next, add your herbs and spices. Since we’re talking ‘wings’, I like to mimic ranch: parsley, thyme, garlic powder and paprika. If you’re in a hurry or lacking a fully stocked spice cabinet, you can go the cheater route and use a dried ranch dressing packet. Finally add the buffalo —Frank’s Red Hot and Worcestershire sauce.

The Queso Component

My love for queso is hard to deny. I’m a sucker for the simplicity of Ro-Tel + Velveeta. Yes, we could make our own cheese sauce but nothing melts quite like the processed stuff. For the chili, the next step is to add your canned diced tomatoes. Let cook for at least 2-3 hours adding water if necessary until chicken easily shreds with tongs. When you are ready to serve turn off heat and add your cubed Velveeta while stirring. (NOTE: The Velveeta will burn if you let it simmer on too high heat unattended, and that makes for a heck of a clean up. Don’t add until end and with heat OFF.)

Ladle into bowls, and serve with a side of tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1 onion

1 bell pepper

4 cloves of garlic

1 zucchini

1 16-ounce can of corns

1 16-ounce can of white beans

1 16-ounce can of black beans

1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 pounds of chicken thigh (boneless/skinless)