This Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder is an easy, delicious, and flavorful soup packed with chicken, potatoes, bacon, and a touch of heat! It can be made in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker. This chowder is dairy free, gluten free, paleo friendly, and Whole30 friendly!

Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder

I am clearly on a creamy soup kick this fall! I can’t get enough cashew cream in hearty soups, and this Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder might just be my new favorite. It is loaded with flavor and hearty enough to be a meal on its own! It kind of reminds me of buffalo chicken dip + my Chicken Pot Pie Soup combined. I’ve included Instant Pot and slow cooker directions. I know a lot of you can’t have cashews, so I have also included some alternative ways to make this creamy!

What You Need To Make This Soup

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious chowder.

  • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts (I used 3) cut into 3 pieces each. I get my chicken from Butcher Box!
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 pieces of celery
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 potatoes (omit or use radishes instead for Keto)
  • Ghee
  • Frank’s Red Hot (or hot sauce of choice)
  • 4 cups chicken broth (use code MWL for 15% off Kettle & Fire brand!)
  • minced garlic
  • dried parsley
  • dried dill
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • salt
  • Sugar free bacon (for serving, optional)
  • Green onions (for serving, optional)

For the cashew cream:

Alternatives to cashew cream:

  • 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (Native Forest or Thai Kitchen brand are my favorites and the least “coconutty” tasting.
  • 1/2 cup original Nutpods (use code MARYSWHOLELIFE for 15% off your first order)
  • 1/2 tub of Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese (any flavor)

You can stir any of these in at the end to give it the creamy factor!

How to Make this Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder

Instant Pot Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil. Lay the bacon out and cook it for 12-15 minutes or until desired level of crispiness has been reached. Transfer it to a paper towel lined plate to drain the fat. Set it aside until ready to crumble and serve it.

Heat the ghee on sauté mode. Add in the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and stir for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, broth, hot sauce, and seasonings. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. While that is coming to pressure and cooking, make the cashew cream (if you’re using it). Blend the ingredients on high for 30 seconds to a minute until it’s very creamy and no chunks remain. If you don’t have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, I recommend soaking the cashews for 30 minutes in hot water prior to blending.

Manually release the steam when the timer goes off on the Instant Pot. Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the pot. It should be very tender. Stir in the cashew cream, hit the “saute” button, and bring the soup to a boil. Stir while it bubbles for a few minutes. It should thicken. Alternatively, you can stir in the Nutpods, cream cheese, or whatever else you’ve chosen to use to make it creamy!

Top with crumbled bacon bits and diced green onions. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Make the bacon as directed above. Throw the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chicken pieces, potatoes, hot sauce, and spices into the slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours. Make the cashew cream sauce. Shred chicken with a fork. Stir in your preferred cream. Top with bacon bits and green onions and enjoy!

If you don’t love spice, you can cut the Frank’s Red Hot back and only add 1/4 cup. I added 1/3 cup and it was pretty spicy. If you love heat, add 1/2 cup!

If you make this Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder, make sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!

Looking for some other healthier creamy soup recipes to warm you up this fall and winter? Check these out:

Healthier Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Whole30 Cheeseburger Soup

Cheesy Broccoli & Potato Soup (Dairy Free)

Happy Cooking!

xo,

Mary

*This post contains affiliate links. This means if you use one of my links to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Mary’s Whole Life!

Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder
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Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder

Yield: 6 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
This Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chowder is a delicious creamy soup packed with chicken, carrots, potatoes, bacon, green onions, and a bit of heat!
5 from 34 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 pieces celery, diced
  • ½ large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 3 pieces each
  • 2 russett potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1 inch cubes
  • â…“ cup Frank's Red Hot, use 1/4 cup for less heat
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 pack sugar free bacon, (for garnish, optional)
  • ¼ cup diced green onions, (for garnish, optional)

Cashew Cream

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay the bacon strips out evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until desired level of crispiness is reached. Transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Set aside until ready to crumble and serve.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Press saute and add the ghee. Once it is melted, add in the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Saute for 3-4 mins until they are starting to soften. Add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, broth, hot sauce, and herbs/spices. Give everything a good stir. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the cashew cream (if using). Combine the cashew cream ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. It shoulld be very thick and creamy and no chunks of cashews should remain. Manually release the pressure on the Instant Pot. Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the pot. Pour in the cashew cream, stir, and hit the "saute" button. Let the soup boil for a few minutes and stir while it thickens. Serve topped with crumbled bacon and green onions. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Make the bacon as directed above. Throw the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chicken pieces, potatoes, broth, hot sauce, and spices/herbs into the slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours. Make the cashew cream sauce. When the soup is done, shred chicken with a fork. Stir in your preferred cream. Turn the slow cooker to high heat and let it thicken for a few minutes while stirring. Top with bacon bits and green onions and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 606kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 128mg, Sodium: 1826mg, Potassium: 1220mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 5216IU, Vitamin C: 32mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 3mg
Course: Dinner, Soups/Stews
Cuisine: American
Calories: 606
Author: Mary Smith