Buffalo Chicken Chili

We love buffalo chicken... But I don’t love how bad it is for you. Rachel Ray has had some great recipes using the flavor of buffalo wings and making it a little less guilty. I’ve already made Buffalo Chicken Soup, and so why not try Rachel's Buffalo Chicken Chili.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds all-white meat ground chicken breast

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, finely chopped

5 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon smoked paprika (you can substitute with chipotles or chipotle chili powder)

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chicken stock

1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce (if you have a big can of tomatoes, don't go to the store to get the sauce, it's fine. Just use what you have)

1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 7-ounce bag yellow corn chips

1 7-ounce bag blue corn chips

3/4 pound blue cheese, crumbled, recommended type Maytag Blue

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (a couple of handfuls)

Place a large pot over medium-high heat; add 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon, and the butter. Once the butter has melted and the pot is hot, add the ground chicken. Brown it, using the back of a wooden spoon to break it up in to small pieces, about 5-6 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf and some salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together.While the chili is simmering, spread the yellow and blue corn chips out on a cookie sheet. Top with the crumbled blue cheese and transfer to the oven to melt the cheese, about 4-5 minutes. If using the broiler, 2-3 minutes should do the trick. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Top each serving of buffalo chicken chili with a few blue cheese-topped corn chips.