Home Viewed Football – Buffalo Ranch Chicken & Rice

So, instead of sitting at a sports bar to watch football this season, we are sitting in our living room watching the games. (Or at least Eric & Andrew are watching. I am within hearing and speaking distance, but not actually watching, per se.) And instead of enjoying spicy wings at a bar, we are making a Buffalo chicken dish in the Instant Pot at home to enjoy during the games.

There are many, many variations when it comes to wings. But there are a few key elements common to all of them. Chicken is the most obvious key ingredient. Ranch dressing, hot sauce, and blue cheese are the other necessary components. This recipe has all of that, plus the carrots & celery that usually accompany Buffalo wings. And we really enjoyed it!

And for those wondering how Gilbert is doing in the football pool at his place of work, he is holding his own at picking a losing team (almost) every week!

Buffalo Ranch Chicken & Rice

Buffalo Ranch Chicken & Rice (adapted from bhg.com) Prep Time: 15 minutes, Slow-Cook: 6 hours, 30 minutes on low or 3 hours on high + 30 minutes on low, Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 green onions
  • 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup (2 medium) very thinly sliced carrots
  • 1 cup (2 stalks) celery cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (about 1/3 cup) jalapeño pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1-ounce package ranch salad dressing mix
  • 1 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Thinly slice the green onions, separating the white and green parts.

Mise en place!

Set them aside. In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, broth, jalapeño pepper, salad dressing mix, the white parts of the green onions, and the hot sauce.

Combine the ingredients in the pot.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low-heat setting for 6 hours or on the high-heat setting for 3 hours.

Stir in the cream cheese and the green parts of the green onions. Cover and cook for 30 minutes longer on low.

Stir in the cream cheese the green parts of the scallions.

Serve the chicken mixture over hot cooked rice and sprinkle with some blue cheese to serve.

Serve over hot rice with some blue cheese.

It’s definitely a different football experience this year!  ~Linda

Buffalo Ranch Chicken & Rice (adapted from bhg.com) Prep Time: 15 minutes, Slow-Cook: 6 hours, 30 minutes on low or 3 hours on high + 30 minutes on low, Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 green onions
  • 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup (2 medium) very thinly sliced carrots
  • 1 cup (2 stalks) celery cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (about 1/3 cup) jalapeño pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1-ounce package ranch salad dressing mix
  • 1 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Thinly slice the green onions, separating the white and green parts. Set them aside. In a 3-quart slow cooker combine the chicken, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, broth, jalapeño pepper, salad dressing mix, the white parts of the green onions, and the hot sauce.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low-heat setting for 6 hours or on the high-heat setting for 3 hours.

Stir in the cream cheese and the green parts of the green onions. Cover and cook for 30 minutes longer on low.

Serve the chicken mixture over hot cooked rice and sprinkle with some blue cheese to serve.