Buffalo Chicken Corn Chowder with Blue Cheese Biscuits

I've been on a buffalo chicken kick lately. Almost every day for lunch I've been making spinach salads with some buffalo chicken or tempeh, blue cheese, tomatoes and carrots. I found this recipe and thought a buffalo chowder sounded unique and delicious.

The homemade blue cheese biscuits that you can serve alongside or right in the soup are extremely easy to make and they are so good! You could even snack on them with a little butter if you wanted to. They can be made ahead of time and reheated right before serving.

The spiciness from the buffalo sauce is not overwhelming in this chowder. Someone who has a low tolerance for heat would be able to enjoy this chowder. The chunks of chicken and potatoes also add a nice texture and the added cheddar cheese adds a great thickness and richness.

Everyone in my house loved this soup and loved the biscuits even more. I'm sure there will be requests to make this recipe again soon!

Buffalo Chicken Corn Chowder with Blue Cheese Biscuits:

(recipe slightly adapted from: http://www.halfbakedharvest.com)

Blue Cheese Biscuits:

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cubed

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2/3 cup all purpose flour

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan combine the milk, butter, salt, cayenne and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir until the butter melts. Reduce the heat the medium low and vigorously stir in the flour. Continue to stir until a dough starts to form. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes, until the dough has cooled down.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the whisked eggs in a small bowl. Add 1/3 of the eggs to the dough and beat until combined. Add the remaining eggs and beat until combined. Beat in the blue cheese. The dough will be sticky.
4. Drop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining egg.
5. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 350° and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Serve immediately or reheat at 350° for 5 minutes when ready to serve.

Buffalo Chicken Corn Chowder:

1 cup hot sauce

2 tablespoons butter

4 slices turkey bacon, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 cup half and half

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

salt and pepper, to taste

blue cheese for topping, optional

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a bowl and stir in the hot sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat a medium sized pot over medium high heat. Add in the turkey bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from the pot and set aside. Add a little olive oil to the pan and add the chicken and sear on all sides. Stir in 2 tablespoon of the buffalo sauce and cook for another few minutes, until the sauce is absorbed. Remove the chicken and set aside.
3. Add a little more olive oil to the pot and add in the onion. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add in the potatoes and saute for another 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Saute another minute and stir in the corn kernels. Saute for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken broth, buffalo sauce and half and half. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer half of the chowder to a food processor and puree until combined. Transfer back to the pot with the rest of the chowder. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and rapidly stir to thicken the chowder. If the chowder is not as thick as you would like, add in another tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water.
6. Lastly, stir in the cheddar cheese and simmer for about 5 minutes, until melted and thickened.
7. Top the chowder with the turkey bacon, some blue cheese and the biscuits.