The Fan-Favorite Chicken Wing Flavor That Makes An Excellent Soup Base

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If you want to make your next soup taste like you melted down an order of chicken wings, this secret ingredient is a must-try. It's a little spicy and a little tangy, touching on all the flavor notes of your favorite party snack. While you get the key flavor of chicken wings, you won't have to deal with fingers covered in sauce when you're done eating. We're talking about none other than the iconic buffalo sauce for the perfect soup base.

Buffalo sauce isn't related to the animal in any way, but rather where it was invented, in Buffalo, New York. This spicy sauce is made from ingredients like cayenne, vinegar, butter, and spices, and homemade versions simply combine hot sauce and butter. One of the most popular store-bought choices is Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce, made with vinegar, cayenne pepper, and spices (strikingly similar to Aldi's hot sauce, if you're looking for an alternative). Since its invention in 1920, Frank's Red Hot has been doctoring up chicken wings, dressing up burgers, and adding a spicy kick to hot dogs — and now, it can add a kick to your soup.

You don't have to do too much to transform your usual chicken soup recipe into an epic buffalo chicken soup. All you have to do is add about ¼ cup of Frank's RedHot Buffalo Hot Sauce to the broth for the flavor to shine. You may consider tailoring the veggies and other ingredients in the soup to create a cohesive, buffalo chicken wings flavor experience.

Classic buffalo chicken wing recipes call for a few standard sides like blue cheese or ranch dressing, celery and carrot sticks, and green onion for garnish. The most true-to-flavor buffalo chicken soup takes all of those ingredients and adds them to the recipe. However, you can skip the addition of blue cheese if you're not a fan and still get the same great buffalo wing taste.

For a heartier base, as opposed to the standard stock or broth, cream cheese can be added in. It creates a creamy, silky texture and bridges the gap between the savory chicken, sauteed vegetables, and of course, the spicy buffalo sauce. Garnish with green onions and crumbled blue cheese for a nod to a plate of buffalo chicken wings. Take it a step further and serve your buffalo chicken soup in a bread bowl for an even more satisfying and complete meal.