After a winter chock-full of carbs, I’m ready to start incorporating some low-carb dishes back into our spring meal planning. With all of the chilly, rainy days this spring is bringing, this Pressure Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup is showing up on our menu often. It’s all the best flavors of classic buffalo wings, minus the orange-stained fingers and loud sports bar.
How to serve Pressure Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup
I like to serve this soup with a variety of toppings and have people can dress their bowl to their own personal taste. Fresh chopped green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, bleu cheese crumbles, and avocado are our favorites, but this soup is also perfectly delicious on it’s own.
Which pressure-cooker do I use?
I named this recipe using the term “pressure cooker” rather than “Instant Pot” very intentionally because I want it to be flexible for the other models outside of the Instant Pot brand. I personally use an Instant Pot Ultra 8qt, but this soup can easily be made in other electric pressure cookers as well. Prior to upgrading to the Instant Pot I used a Cuisinart 6qt electric pressure cooker for many years.
The reason I mention this is because each brand varies, and with that so can cooking times. With my prior Cuisinart machine, I found that vegetables cooked at a much quicker pace, so I would have likely lowered the second pressure cooking session of this recipe (where vegetables and cheese are added) by a few minutes for that particular machine. Though I don’t think this recipe would be ruined by an extra two or three minutes of cooking time in a different model electric pressure cooker, you’ll want to gage this by your own particular model and preferences.
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A note for special diets
This Pressure Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup is gluten-free, grain-free, low-carb and can easily accommodate a low-lactose diet (cheddar is naturally low-lactose + this lactose-free cream cheese). This soup is friendly for some SIBO diets and is also very friendly for Keto diets at only 6g net carbs per serving.
Pressure Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 6 portions
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
- 4 cups ( oz) chicken broth, divided
- 1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened (I like this lactose free one but you can use regular too)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 medium head cauliflower (approx 6 cups), chopped
- 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
- 1 cup green onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- optional toppings: extra green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, bleu cheese, avocado
Instructions
- Add chicken breasts and 2 cups of the divided chicken broth to your pressure cooker. If the chicken breasts are particularly large, I like to slice them in half first. Seal and cook for 15 minutes on high.
- I usually prefer to quick release, but you can easily allow this to naturally release without over-cooking it. The meat should be nice and fall-apart tender either way.
- Shred chicken with two forks.
- Add the cream cheese to the pot first. I like to give this a bit of a stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the cream cheese a bit so it incorporated more easily.
- Add remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth.
- Give the ingredients a stir to combine, then seal again and cook for 5 minutes on high.
- Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with optional topping such as additional green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, bleu cheese, or avocado.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Courses Soups & Stews, Mains
Cuisine American
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/6 recipe
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 371 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 21 g | 32% | |
Saturated Fat 12 g | 60% | |
Cholesterol 150 mg | 50% | |
Sodium 1656 mg | 69% | |
Total Carbohydrates 9 g | 3% | |
Dietary Fiber 3 g | 12% | |
Protein 35 g | 70% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
April 15, 2019 at 8:30 pmLoving my pressure cooker these days, and how quickly you can whip together a soup! I love buffalo chicken – this looks like a super speedy, delicious weekday lunch in the works!
Elaine Benoit
April 16, 2019 at 6:40 amBuffalo chicken soup!? Yehaw!!! I have never heard of this but I’m so glad I found your recipe! This looks so incredibly delicious! And yet another reason to love my instant pot!
Whip & Wander
April 17, 2019 at 3:31 pmI hope you give it a try, Elaine! It’s such a tasty dish!
Heather
April 16, 2019 at 6:45 amI love buffalo chicken anything never would have though to make a soup out of it. I got a pressure cooker but haven’t done much with it yet. So I’ll have to give it a try with this recipe!
Whip & Wander
April 17, 2019 at 3:30 pmSounds like a great way to start using your machine. It makes dinner so easy!
Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life
April 16, 2019 at 8:10 pmI love using my pressure cooker for shredded chicken. It’s so versatile! I’ll have to try it with this buffalo chicken soup! Looks delicious.
Kelly Anthony
April 17, 2019 at 6:22 amI’ve never seen a buffalo chicken soup but it is such a great idea. I love anything with a buffalo flavor so I’m excited to try this recipe out.
Aleta
April 17, 2019 at 8:00 amWhoa this soup looks amazing! It’s perfect to add to our low carb menu, I love the flavour combo and of course anything in a pressure cooker has me dancing the happy dance!
Whip & Wander
April 17, 2019 at 3:29 pmThe pressure cooker makes everything so easy!
Erin @ Platings and Pairings
April 17, 2019 at 8:20 amI love buffalo chicken anything! But I especially love that you can make this soup in the pressure cooker! Cannot wait to give this one a try!
Emily
April 17, 2019 at 1:34 pmLove this recipe! I have it pinned to my instant pot board and am adding it to my rotation!
Whip & Wander
April 17, 2019 at 3:28 pmI hope you love it! It’s a great recipe for easy weekday meal planning.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
April 17, 2019 at 1:34 pmNow this sounds like a soup I certainly need to try! Sounds flavourful and delicious.
ilona
April 17, 2019 at 2:00 pmBuffalo chicken sounds amazing. I always look for new soup recipes. Yummy!
MARISA
April 17, 2019 at 2:34 pmThis soup looks super tasty especially with all of the toppings! I’m curious what made you switch to the IP from the Cuisinart pressure cooker?
Whip & Wander
April 17, 2019 at 3:25 pmThanks, the toppings really help brighten it up!
I initially decided to switch from the Cuisinart electric pressure cooker to an Instant Pot because replacement parts for the Cuisinart were so difficult to get. After using the machine for several years it was in need of a new sealing ring. The ones on Amazon had poor reviews about fit and the Cuisinart website isn’t set up to be shopping friendly. I ordered a replacement ring through their customer service line and it was an ordeal that took over a month of my time communicating back and forth with them and left me having paid for a product I never ended up receiving and I was never reimbursed for.
I could have gone through the process all over again and hopefully would have eventually received a replacement ring (maybe?) that might have salvaged my machine, but the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth about their customer service and how difficult products might be to get if I needed them in the future.
I looked into the Instant Pots and their replacement rings and other accessories are all readily available on their website (and the rings were cheaper!), several of the machines had more features than my old machine, and I really liked that the inner bowl was made of stainless steel rather than non-stick because it’s supposed to be healthier to cook with. The model I chose (which is linked in my post) has the ability to adjust temperature beyond just the standard low/high and at 8qt is just slightly bigger than my old machine, which is nice because it still fits on my shelf. I also got a killer deal on my IP machine by buying on black friday so I felt better about the investment.
Pearl Rodrigues
April 17, 2019 at 3:58 pmWow .. I’ve never tried my hands on a Buffalo chicken soup but after seeing how delicious this looks, I think it’s going to be made for this weekends dinner meal. Pinning it right away
Stine Mari
April 17, 2019 at 10:12 pmThat shredded chicken looks so good, especially along with buffalo sauce. And the soup looks so comforting yet very nutritious, I will have to add this to my Spring rotation. The rainy days will come!
Karyl Henry
April 18, 2019 at 4:50 amI’m a die hard chicken wing girl, but I do love the idea of transforming it into a soup! This looks warm and comforting, and probably more filling than the wings. I’ll have to give this one a try for sure
Jacqueline Debono
April 18, 2019 at 8:35 amWow your buffalo chicken soup looks and sounds amazing. Love all the toppings! Need to try this recipe asap!
Shashi at SavorySpin
April 18, 2019 at 8:45 amI need to borrow my mom’s pressure cooker and make this – it sounds so comforting and inviting.
SHANIKA
April 18, 2019 at 8:57 amBuffalo Chicken Soup sounds and looks delish!
Geoffrey with Spoonabilities
April 18, 2019 at 9:57 amThe idea of buffalo chicken in a soup is a wonderful idea. LOVE it… and the avocado on top doesn’t hurt either.
Sarah
April 18, 2019 at 9:58 amBuffalo chicken soup!!! This is definitely going on the dinner menu!!
Danielle Wolter
April 18, 2019 at 11:13 amomg i need to have this in my life. i’ll bet its just perfectly spicy and hearty and delicious. I can’t wait to try it. Another win for the pressure cooker!
Michelle
April 20, 2019 at 1:38 amThis soup looks and sounds delicious! And I love that you have shared the instructions for other pressure cookers. I have been thinking of getting one but haven’t been too sure which one to get. You’ve definitely helped me make my decision, thank you x
Kacie Morgan
April 20, 2019 at 3:11 amIt’s amazing what you can rustle up in the pressure cooker. This soup looks delicious and I bet the chicken is so tender.
Amanda Mason
April 20, 2019 at 1:45 pmYou recipe looks amazing! I’m a soup lover and I eat it year round. I’m loving every single ingredient in your list!! So thick and creamy! I can’t wait to make me a batch. Perfect for lunches!
kallee
April 20, 2019 at 6:14 pmGreat flavors for a soup. And fixing it in a pressure cooker makes it so easy.
Sam Harbison
April 21, 2019 at 6:27 amThis looks amazing! I need to start eating lunch more often and also use my Instant Pot more, so this recipe came at the exact right time! I am buffalo chicken OBSESSED.
Amanda
April 21, 2019 at 8:59 amBuffalo sauce is one of my favorite flavors, and I just love it in this soup! The avocado garnish is also a good call. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
April 21, 2019 at 6:04 pmMy husband would LOVE this because it’s buffalo chicken and I’d love it because I love any excuse to whip out the ol’ pressure cooker rather than doing it the long way in a pot on the stove.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
April 21, 2019 at 8:08 pmI have been wanting to buy a pressure cooker for so long, and now seeing this? This looks amazing!! I’m moving in 2 months, so I am definitely considering buying one when I get to my new house 🙂
Daniela
April 21, 2019 at 10:43 pmWow now thats some good looking soup! You really nailed the pics and awesome explanation for how to make… you make it sound so easy! Love it :).
Mimi
April 22, 2019 at 4:00 amThis chicken soup is perfect for the rainy days and is incredibly comforting! Can’t wait to make it and enjoy a couple of days in a row!
April
April 22, 2019 at 4:01 amI am looking forward to more low-carb recipes like this because it is exactly what I need at the moment! The soup is incredible and the colors are booming!
Jacquelyn Hastert
April 22, 2019 at 6:45 amTime to dust off our pressure cooker! I love anything with buffalo chicken in it. Soup never gets old in our house.
Deseree
April 22, 2019 at 6:47 amYou know you have a good healthy dinner when you have so many colors added to it. Love a good low-carb dinner idea like this. Thank you for sharing!
Maman de sara
April 22, 2019 at 2:09 pmI love the add of cream cheese to this buffalo chicken soup.
Gloria
April 22, 2019 at 6:01 pmI have a regular stovetop pressure cooker. I have not jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon. I know I can adapt this delicious soup recipe. This sounds perfect for these still cool spring days. Love all the flavours here.
Nicole Hood
April 22, 2019 at 11:29 pmI have never had a soup like this but now I want to!
Geetanjali Tung
April 24, 2019 at 5:31 amBufalo chicken soup looks such an awesome recipe! Love all those toppings 🙂 Will try this for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Sean@Diversivore
April 24, 2019 at 11:32 amThis sounds wonderfully rich and hearty, and yet you’ve incorporated a whole bunch of cauliflower and celery, which is awesome. The avocado to garnish seems like a really nice touch too, and something that would go surprisingly well with buffalo chicken.
Daniela
April 25, 2019 at 2:33 pmYum! This buffalo chicken soup sounds delicious! And I love that it can accommodate different dietary requirements like low carb and gluten free. That makes it perfect for entertaining as well because you can make sure that all of your guests will be able to enjoy it.
Julie Menghini
April 25, 2019 at 2:43 pmThis soup looks fresh and delicious. I am loving my instant pot and the way it infuses flavors and how quickly I can get a delicious meal on the table too. I can only imagine the creamy flavor that you added with the cream cheese! We eat soup year around and I can’t wait to try this one!
Sarah
April 26, 2019 at 7:51 amI need to cut down on carbs too! (Gasp, bathing suit season is just around the corner!) This soup looks delicious, and I love all those topping ideas. YUM
Debra
April 28, 2019 at 11:24 amGood insight for the pressure cooker vs. intapot in the timing. I LOVE my instapot for meal prep and always looking for more inspo on that. This sounds tasty and I”m all about the toppings!!! Putting this in the rotation.
Marisa F. Stewart
April 29, 2019 at 3:55 amI don’t care what time of year it is, I am always in the mood for soup. Although I don’t have a pressure cooker, I used to have one of those old ones but not anymore, this recipe sounds so good I’m going to modify it to make regularly. We are crazy about Buffalo Chicken so I know that this soup would be gobbled up in no time.
Whip & Wander
May 1, 2019 at 12:27 pmI think this would translate to a traditional soup pot method with no problem! I hope you love it, Marisa!
Annemarie
April 29, 2019 at 8:37 amYum! This buffalo chicken soup looks like a great way to keep my carbs down and still enjoy all the flavors I love in buffalo chicken wings along with lots of veggies. This would be perfect for a crowd since I can set up all the toppings and everyone can make the soup their own.
Whip & Wander
May 1, 2019 at 12:27 pmYes, it’s a really fun alternative to chili in that way. I love extra bleu cheese and avocado on mine, the fella also adds cheddar and green onions to his.
Dana
April 29, 2019 at 12:46 pmWoah. So. I grew up right outside of Buffalo (on the Canadian side). Naturally, that makes me a lover of all things Buffalo style—add to that a chicken wing snob 😉 I’ve never ever seen Buffalo chicken soup before and this sound so so so good. What a unique idea. This takes cheddar beer soup and kicks its ass.
Whip & Wander
May 1, 2019 at 12:26 pmI bet you are an excellent connoisseur of all things Buffalo then! I hope you give this soup a try, it’s one of my favorite ways to indulge in buffalo sauce.