I ran across this recipe when I was perusing a cookbook that I had borrowed from the library. (Cookbooks are my favorite books to borrow from the library!) The book was by Joy Bauer, a nutritionist frequently featured on my favorite morning program, The TODAY Show. This chili is not for the faint of heart. It is extremely spicy and even after I tweaked the recipe the second time, it was still a little hot. I wouldn’t recommend this for families with young kids but if you like spicy food, this one is for you!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

• 6 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
• 6 stalks celery, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. ground chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or tomato juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Liberally coat a large pot or Dutch oven with oil spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.

Add the carrots and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes; add water, a tablespoon at a time, as necessary to prevent scorching.

Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add the ground chicken, saute, and break the chicken into small pieces until cooked through.

Sprinkle in the chili powder and flour, and stir quickly to distribute them evenly. Immediately add the vegetable juice and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Season with salt and serve with sour cream and blue cheese crumbles.

Notes: I used ground turkey instead of ground chicken. I also only used 1 tablespoon chili powder and 1/4 cup hot sauce. It was still a touch hot so I may even recommend less hot sauce.