Cauliflower Buffalo Chicken Soup

Cold weather soup series

When I was planning this meal, it was Super Bowl Sunday and snowing like crazy outside. Usually for Super Bowl Sunday, I would cook up some buffalo wings, make some pizza sticks (Recipe here) allfortryingnewthings.com/homemade-pizza-sticks-super-easy/and cut up some cheese and crackers. However, this time I wanted to cook something hot, filling and a little healthier. So I made this version with a steamed cauliflower puree. The puree adds the thick creaminess to the soup. We still got the buffalo chicken that is always a hit at Super Bowl feasts, just in a different form.

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I am adding an alternative that adds an even thicker base to the soup, not as healthy of an option, but definitely worth it if you want it super thick.

Lets’s get started. I didn’t get a picture of the ingredients you will need, but they are all listed in the recipe below.

Get your chicken cooking first. Slice 4-5 chicken breasts in half and coat with half of the of hot sauce (I prefer Frank’s) and 1/2 cup water. There are a few different methods you can use. I used my insta pot on the chicken setting. You can cook it in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. While that is coooking, work on the cauliflower.

Start with a whole head of cauliflower. Chop off stems and the rest into equal size pieces. Steam cauliflower. I used my Insta Pot and it only takes about three minutes, but use any method you prefer. If you steam it on the stovetop, put a medium size sauce pan on the burner filled halfway with water. Once that has come to a boil, turn to medium heat, cover with a veggie steaming basket, add cauliflower and cover. Let steam for 5-7 minutes. If you don’t have a steaming basket, you can boil the cauliflower as well. Boil for 5-7 minutes. You want them to be soft enough to puree.

While the cauliflower is cooking, cut up carrots, celery, and onions into small pieces.

Place celery, carrots and onions into a large pot along with 6 cups chicken broth and salt and pepper. Turn on low to medium heat and slowly start to cook while everything else is finishing up.

While the broth is starting to cook the veggies, remove steamed cauliflower from the steamer and put it along with two cups of water into a blender and puree until smooth.

Once the veggies in broth are cooked to your liking, stir in the pureed cauliflower and let simmer. In the meantime, take cooked chicken, pour entire mixture into a bowl, add more hot sauce if you like it spicier. Shred chicken using your hand held mixer on low. This shreds it nicely.

Once all the chicken is shredded add it to the rest of the pot of soup, stir together and cook for a few minutes while all the flavors come together. Now this is the soup I served and thought it was great. However, if you want it thicker and creamier, you can make a roux and add it to the soup.

Take equal parts butter and flour, depending on how much you want to thicken the soup. My suggestion is to start with 4 Tbsp. of butter, melt that in a small pan, slowly whisk in same amount of flour. Whisk until all the lumps are out and it turns into a smooth paste. Then slowly add in 1/2 cup of milk. Whisk until nice and smooth. Slowly add to soup and stir well. Cook over low heat for 5 more minutes

Once the soup is done, dish into bowls and serve with fresh celery and blue cheese crumbles and more hot sauce of you like.

Chances are you will have leftovers. If you don’t devour it all in one day, on day two, my suggestion is to heat it up on the stove top and while it is heating, add a cup of instant brown rice and a can of black beans. It turns into a whole new meal.