Buffalo Wing Soup

Earlier this year, a fellow blogger introduced me to Crockpot Lady and her mission to cook something out of her Crock pot every day in 2008. I can't even tell you how many of her recipes I've starred in my Reader to make in the future. She even made cheesecake in her Crock pot. She amazes me.

Anyway, one of the recipes I starred and subsequently printed was her recipe for buffalo wing soup. My husband loves anything and everything buffalo wing-related (especially this dip) so I thought I'd try this soup for him. He's been working awfully hard lately and deserves a meal I knew he'd enjoy.

We both loved this soup. Like, we loved it so much that we inhaled the whole batch, pausing only to wipe our runny noses (because, you know, it's spicy). It was absolutely delicious. I think ranch dressing or cream cheese would have been a nice finish for this soup -- just to cut through the heat with something cool and creamy -- but I didn't have either of those things in the house, so I used sour cream...and that worked just fine. On her blog, Stephanie mentioned that this is quite a bit salty, so I replaced the garlic salt and celery salt with garlic powder and celery seed, and then added only a quarter of a teaspoon of salt -- and that was plenty. I didn't need to adjust the seasonings at all.

I will definitely, without a doubt, be making this soup again. My husband insists!

Buffalo Wing Soup

Source: A Year of Crockpotting

2 cups cooked and cubed chicken

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (I used red onion)

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups fat free or 2% milk (no higher fat content than 2% or it will curdle)

3/4 cup chicken broth

4 ounces Velveeta, cubed

1/2 cup hot wing sauce

1/2 tsp celery salt (I used celery seed)

1/2 tsp garlic salt (I used garlic powder)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Make a roux with the flour and butter: In the microwave, melt the butter on high for 45 seconds, then whisk in the flour. Set aside.

2. Chop up the onion and celery and add to Crock pot. Add the chicken, chicken broth, milk, Velveeta, and garlic powder, celery seed and salt. Stir in the flour and butter mixture. Add hot sauce.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. The soup is done when the celery and onion reach desired tenderness and the flavors have blended. (I cooked ours on low for about 6 hours, and it was perfect.)