Sunday Soup #61: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili (aka, Soup)

The last two weeks have been SO busy! Kids activities, tons of overtime for my wife, and an uptick in my work travel have made for a hectic start to Summer... So, this weekend I was looking for something easy to prepare that promised to please a hungry family. Enter this slow cooker recipe... "But, wait," you might be saying, "the name says 'chili,' not soup!" You can call it "chili" if you want, but it is definitely a soup... S-O-U-P.

(*created with the meme creator at https://imgflip.com/memegenerator/129242436/Change-My-Mind)

But, was it any good?

This recipe came from: https://slowcookergourmet.net/slow-cooker-buffalo-chicken-chili/

*Pic 1 - https://slowcookergourmet.net/slow-cooker-buffalo-chicken-chili/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used canned corn instead of frozen (because I could buy a can that contained almost exactly one cup, rather than having to buy a whole bag of frozen corn and have some left over). That's it!

General Thoughts: Browning the the ground chicken was a snap, and then everything just went into the slow cooker. That. Was. It! Really... This one was extremely easy to prepare. The recipe gives you the option of cooking it on High for four hours or Low for eight hours, but neither method really affects how difficult it is to prepare. I chose to cook it for eight hours on Low, btw...

One thing that did make me skeptical was the size of the diced tomatoes. Maybe it was a matter of brand, but the diced fire-roasted tomatoes I chose were very large chunks. For someone like me, who equates cooked chunks of tomato with gag-worthy cuisine (I usually purée my tomatoes when I cook), it was fairly distressing. But, my fears were unfounded... Once the soup was cooked, I found that the tomatoes not only favorably contributed to the overall taste of the soup, but they were texturally unobtrusive.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

Since I brought it up already, the texture of the soup overall was good. It was consistently chunky and felt hearty and satisfying. The cream cheese also gave it a creaminess that was important. Becky did say that she felt the way the cream cheese was combined in the soup (i.e., heated in the soup as a block and then mixed in right before serving) led to a feeling of some grittiness/graininess, but that was minor.

The taste was terrific! Whether you want to call it a "chili" or a "soup," it was brothy and flavorful, filling and satisfying. It had just enough spice, and the creaminess of the cheese was cut by the vinegary tang of the wing sauce. It was also perfectly spiced and, when eaten with some sliced sourdough bread, really hit the spot.

Potential Improvements? Next time, I'll double the recipe... It says it makes "8 servings," but it wound up only feeding three of us, so you'll need more to feed a crowd. And, I'd like to try Becky's suggestion to cube the cream cheese to see if it would make it a little smoother. Other than that, it is great the way it is!

Polling the Fam: The taste of this soup alone was worth a solid 4 or 4.5, but when I consider how simple and inexpensive it was to prepare, it is easy to give this one top marks. Becky really liked it, as well, and said she'd definitely eat it again. And, Fox (aka, Picky McPickerson) said it might just be his favorite soup he's ever eaten. He loved it and said he'd be eager to have it again.

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #60: (Low-Carb) Creamy Garlic Chicken Soup

I've recently changed up my diet to be more low-carb, but I'll likely end up making my Sunday soup my one cheat meal per week, so have no fear that there is about to be a non-stop parade of diet soups. However, this week I thought I'd try a low-carb soup that sounded yummy. Let's see how it went...

This recipe came from: https://ketogasm.com/creamy-garlic-chicken-soup-recipe/

*Pic 1 - https://ketogasm.com/creamy-garlic-chicken-soup-recipe/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. That's it!

General Thoughts: This could have been the easiest to prepare soup that I've made in this project. I bought the pre-pulled chicken at Costco, so the only prep work was leaving the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge to soften. :-) After that, it only took 20 minutes from start to finish! So, if you are eating low-carb (keto, paleo, etc.), and you're looking for a good, quick soup option on a weeknight, this might be a good one for you.

 

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

There was no question, from my first bite, that the base of this soup was heavy, fatty dairy (i.e., butter, cream cheese, heavy cream). That was not necessarily a bad thing, and quite the opposite if your tastes run that way. People eating a keto diet, in particular, get the biggest part of their calories from fat, so this would be a good fit for them. Despite all of the fat, though, the soup was not quite as thick as I expected it to be. It also felt a little light on bulk (as chicken was really the only "solid" ingredient).

I felt the flavor was a bit bland and one-dimensional. The original recipe only called for the addition of "Stacey Hawkins Garlic Gusto Seasoning" (which was kind of pricey, ordered online) and some salt, which did not really create an interesting flavor profile. I understand that this soup is meant to be simple and healthy (for the right diet), but you can't do those things at the expense of flavor if you want me to crave it.

Potential Improvements? Next time, I'd definitely look to "kick it up a notch" with some cayenne pepper or other dried chiles. Also, garnishes are a must! I set out shredded cheese, bacon bits, and croutons (I used chile pork rinds, which were a great addition), which all helped give the soup some additional bulk, structure, and flavor. A good bread (sourdough recommended) would also be a good accompaniment for those who are okay with carbs.

Polling the Fam: Meh... This soup wasn't bad, and it certainly has appeal to those eating a low-carb diet, but I was uninspired. I might be persuaded to give it another star if I upped the spice level or found a way to make it more interesting to my palate. Becky thought it was good but very rich, saying that bread was important to her enjoyment of it. Jayson also liked it, and said it had good a good volume of chicken, but it was "heavy," so a single bowl with garnishes was enough for him. Hunter said it was only okay and he wasn't a "super fan," opining that it tasted too much like butter. And, finally, Fox's only input was, "The meat was well cooked." So, there's that... LOL

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars)