Best-selling cookbook author and James Beard Award winner Carolyn Williams made Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup. (see recipe below) Meals That Heal: One Pot by Carolyn Williams is available wherever you buy books, and signed copies are available at Parnassus Books in Nashville.
Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup
Hands-on: 12 minutes • Total: 35 minutes • Serves 8
Gluten-free • Low-carb • Dairy-free option
Instant pot • Slow cooker option • Stovetop option
This crowd-pleaser is perfect for a football-watching party, but it’s also simple enough to make for a weeknight family dinner. Instead of using heavy cream, I use coconut milk to add dairy-free creaminess. You’d never know since the bold flavors in the buffalo sauce and ranch mix mask most of the coconut milk’s natural sweetness and flavor. You can also add a squeeze of lime juice to cut the coconut flavor a little more.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup (160 g) chopped onion
4 cups (428 g) cauliflower florets
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or bone broth
One 14.5-ounce (411 g) can no-salt-added fire-roasted tomatoes
⅓ cup (80 ml) buffalo sauce
2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup (240 ml) canned coconut milk or half-and-half
Extra buffalo sauce, chopped scallions (optional)
1. Add the oil to the pressure cooker and press the SAUTÉ button. Cook the onion and cauliflower in the hot oil until the onion is just starting to soften, 4 minutes. Press the KEEP WARM/CANCEL button.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, buffalo sauce, ranch mix, and garlic powder, gently stirring to combine. Nestle the chicken in the broth mixture. Secure the lid, making sure the pressure valve is secured. Press the SOUP button and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Manually release the pressure valve and open the pressure cooker. Carefully remove the chicken breasts and let cool slightly. Puree the soup in a blender, in batches, and return to the pressure cooker. Shred the chicken with two forks.
4. Press the SAUTÉ button. Add the shredded chicken and coconut milk to the soup. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and warm throughout, 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls to serve. Top with extra buffalo sauce and scallions, if desired.
NUTRITION FACTS (serving size: 1⅓ cups/420 g): CALORIES 254; FAT 13 g (sat 8 g); PROTEIN 21 g; CARB 13 g; FIBER 3 g; SUGARS 4 g (added sugars 0 g); SODIUM 653 mg
Dairy-free option: Use 2 tablespoons of dairy-free ranch dressing mix, if available. If not, make your own mix by combining 1 tablespoon of dried parsley; 1 teaspoon each of dried chives, dried dill, garlic powder, and onion powder; ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper in a small bowl and use in place of the 2 tablespoons of store-bought mix.
Slow cooker option: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion and cauliflower. Cook for 4 minutes, or until vegetables are just beginning to soften on the edges. (Note: The vegetables will not be done.) Transfer to a slow cooker, and add the broth, tomatoes, buffalo sauce, ranch mix, and garlic powder. Stir gently to combine. Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture. Cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for
4 hours. Remove the chicken breasts and let cool slightly; shred with two forks and set aside. Puree the soup in a blender in batches, then return the soup to the slow cooker. Add the shredded chicken and coconut milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and warm throughout, 5 minutes.
Stovetop Variation: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until done. Remove from the pot and set aside to cool. Add the onion and cauliflower the the Dutch oven and cook 4 minutes, or until onion is just starting to get tender, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, broth, hot sauce, dressing mix, and garlic powder, gently stirring to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until cauliflower is very tender. Once done, carefully puree the soup in batches using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot. Shred the cooked chicken using two forks. Add the shredded chicken and coconut milk to the soup. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until slightly thickened and warm th
