Ahh, chowder season. I’m in love, and not just because I love chowder.
I can barely control my feet as they do a little happy dance every time they snuggle into my wool socks.
(Speaking of chowder season, if you’re a pumpkin spice fan, have you had your first pumpkin spice coffee of the season yet? I’m holding out for my birthday (at the end of this month), but I can’t wait.)
Back to chowder though.
I made this soup for the first time last winter; then it made it’s way to our table again last weekend when we had guests coming over for a casual dinner. We started the meal with a fall-inspired salad…sliced pear, crumbled blue cheese, and pecans with homemade cranberry-apple vinaigrette on a bed of mixed field greens. This soup was our main dish, along with some crusty bread. Pumpkin custard and hot coffee rounded out the evening perfectly.
If you like Buffalo chicken, you’ll love the kick of spice in this chowder that’s balanced by the creamy broth and blue cheese garnish. I added carrot and celery, which I always munch on along with Buffalo wings so you get the full Buffalo experience, but in the form of a comforting bowl of soup instead of as finger food.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 large ribs celery (including leafy green tops), finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, scrubbed and shredded
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups reduced-fat milk
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼-1/2 cup hot sauce, like Frank’s RedHot (more or less to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
- 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast (or rotisserie chicken)
- 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (for garnish)
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced (for garnish)
- In a 3-quart pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat; add the onion and celery and sauté until the veggies are softened but not browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shredded carrot, garlic, and bay leaf, and sauté until the carrot starts to soften and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock, milk, Worcestershire, Dijon, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stirring frequently, bring the soup up to a boil over medium heat, then turn heat down and simmer 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and whisk in the cheese, and then stir in the chicken. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and hot sauce as desired.
- Serve with blue cheese and scallion sprinkled on top, with additional hot sauce if desired.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Being from Buffalo, I’m usually pretty skeptical of recipes that say they are “Buffalo” chicken; however, this chowder looks delicious. Plus, using Franks and blue cheese makes it very Buffalo! :-) I may have to give this a try – looks great!
Amy, Yup, I’m from Buffalo too so I don’t mind making the “Buffalo food” claim. :)
The Frank’s, blue cheese, plus the celery (can’t forget celery with Buffalo wings!) are really what made this soup “Buffalo” for me.
How did I not know you were from Buffalo?! How cool!
Amy, Definitely very cool! We should get a few of our fellow Buffalo-based bloggers together and start a supper club…wouldn’t that be fun? :)
Yes!
very clever adaptation of a chowder; I love all its elements, and it looks like they come together nicely in the bowl.
A lovely chowder. Really comforting and succulent looking.
Cheers,
Rosa
I’m pretty obsessed with all things Buffalo chicken, and as a native New Englander, chowder tops my list of things I love. This is a fantastic recipe! Your menu from last weekend sounds awesome :) Perfect start to fall!
Being a CA girl, I’ve never tried buffalo chicken but your chowder looks great!
This is so original! Peter loves Frank’s, and I bet he would love this. It’s definitely getting to be the chowder time of year — I hear our soup pot calling my name! ;)
oh my gosh this is a fantastic chowder Faith! awesome job!
I’m pretty sure my boys would love this since they like Frank’s Hot Sauce – very creative!
What a great idea for a zingy fall soup! My son and I are both addicted to Buffalo wing sauce – I have no doubt we would love this :). Looks so pretty too dotted with hot sauce; lovely photography.
I would love this chowder too. Looks very tempting!
My god, this sounds absolutely wonderful. YUMMY! Beautiful photos as always.
Love it! Though oddly, this part of Kenmore serves carrots with our wings. I’m not sure why this part of Buffalo has given up on the celery.
Katie, Love that you’re a Buffalonian too! Yup, most places I get wings around here actually serve them with both carrot and celery sticks…but the celery just feels like it belongs more. And it’s always the first to go! :)
What an innovative idea – I’d love to try this recipe.
Marvelous idea to use those flavors… perfect fall soup… who doesn’t love the flavors of buffalo wings.
Has anyone tried this yet? Do not like blue cheese..wonder if they make ranch crumbles?
Lynn, Love the idea of ranch crumbles! If you don’t like blue cheese you could use whatever cheese you like to top it (maybe some shredded cheddar, since that’s what’s in the soup?) or just leave it off the top. Hope you enjoy it!
Faith – this is so inventive and looks awesome!!
Delicious idea! I love this :D
i don’t like buffalo wings, but i love the flavor so this is at the top of my list of soups to try as the temperature starts to drop!