This Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken recipe is tender, tangy, spicy, and makes for a healthy and delicious alternative to hot wings on game day or any weeknight. Serve on a kaiser bun for a simple sandwich, tucked inside a tortilla or lettuce wrap, or even over a bed of salad greens.
You can also use leftover chicken to make a buffalo chicken taquito, chicken quesadilla or a chicken burrito. And if you’re looking for more buffalo recipes, be sure to try all our Buffalo Chicken Recipes.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Recipe
Whether it’s game day or a weeknight dinner, this Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot recipe is sure to make its way into your regular menu rotation. Plus, unlike regular buffalo wings, the leftovers can be served throughout the week in so many different ways.
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I usually use this recipe to make crockpot buffalo chicken sandwiches, but you can also add them to wraps, pizzas, salads, nachos, and more! This recipe is super simple to customize, so feel free to crank it up a notch if you like a little more heat. You could also swap out the cheddar cheese for pepper jack or even add in bleu cheese crumbles. No matter what, it’s guaranteed to knock your socks off.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you could substitute chicken thighs if you prefer. You can use frozen chicken, but for food safety reasons, it’s a good idea to thaw in the fridge overnight first.
- Cream Cheese – use either full fat or light cream cheese for this recipe. It makes the sauce super creamy.
- Ranch Seasoning – you can find ranch seasoning packets in the salad dressing section at the grocery store.
- Chicken Broth – any type of chicken broth or chicken stock will work great. You could even use your own Homemade Chicken Stock.
- Hot Sauce – our favorite brand is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, but use whichever brand of hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce you prefer. If you like things extra hot, feel free to add more.
- Cheddar Cheese – you can use pre shredded cheese or else shred your own from a brick. Pepperjack would be a delicious substitute.
How to Make This Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Recipe
- Add ingredients to the crockpot. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a crockpot then add the cream cheese, ranch seasoning, chicken broth, hot sauce and salt.
- Cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 4 hours, or on LOW for 6-7 hours.
- Shred the chicken. Once the chicken is easily shreddable, remove it from the crock pot and shred using two forks.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese. Stir the cheese sauce in the slow cooker until smooth. Once you have shredded the chicken, add it back into the crockpot and top with the shredded cheese. Mix until combined.
- Serve. Serve in a tortilla, on a bun or on top of a salad. Enjoy!
How to Make Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
My family loves turning slow cooker buffalo chicken into sandwiches. Just serve a hefty portion of shredded chicken on a toasted bun with a slice of cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and some romaine lettuce.
Some of our other favorite fixings for Crockpot Buffalo Chicken sandwiches include blue cheese crumbles, tomato slices, sliced red onions, and ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Add the ingredients as directed for the slow cooker version, then seal the instant pot and press “Pressure Cook/Manual.” Choose 8 minutes, then once it has finished cooking, set to “Natural Release” for 5 minutes. Carefully Quick Release, then shred and enjoy!
You can, but it isn’t generally recommended. Since the meat cooks so low and slow, it likely will not reach the recommended 165 degrees within the safe window of time. If you want to use frozen chicken, it’s much safer to thaw it out in the fridge overnight, then transfer to the slow cooker the next day.
The cook time will always vary depending on how much is in the crockpot and what size crockpot you are using. That’s why you should always check the internal temperature of your chicken to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F.
Generally speaking, it should take roughly 5-6 hours cooked on low, or 3 hours cooked on high, to cook 2 ½-3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crockpot.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: store completely cooled slow cooker buffalo chicken in an airtight container (or freezer bags) for up to 2 months.
- To Reheat: if frozen, transfer chicken to the fridge overnight to thaw. To reheat in the microwave, warm on high for about 2-3 minutes, depending on how much you are heating at a time. You may also place in a baking dish, cover with foil and reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, or about 3 large chicken breasts
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a crockpot then add the cream cheese, ranch seasoning, chicken broth, hot sauce and salt.
- Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours, or on low for 6-7 hours.
- Once the chicken is easily shreddable, remove it from the crock pot and shred using two forks. Stir the cheese sauce in the slow cooker until smooth, then add the shredded chicken back in and top with the shredded cheese. Mix until combined.
- Serve in a tortilla, on a bun or on top of a salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storing Instructions: let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: store completely cooled slow cooker buffalo chicken in an airtight container (or freezer bags) for up to 2 months. Transfer chicken to the fridge overnight to thaw.
- To Reheat: To reheat in the microwave, warm on high for about 2-3 minutes. You may also place in a baking dish, cover with foil, and reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition
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More of the Best Crockpot Chicken Recipes
- Frank’s Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
- Mississippi Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Easy Crockpot Ranch Chicken
- Easy Crockpot Creamy Salsa Verde Chicken
- Cheesy Crockpot Chicken and Rice
- More Chicken Recipes
- More Easy Dinner Ideas
This Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe is sure to make its way into your regular menu rotation. It’s tender, tangy, spicy and can be served in so many delicious ways.
I got this recipe from a co-worker and can’t thank her, or you, enough. My kids devoured this and asked for more!! This will become a staple for weekday meals!
WOW! I didn’t have a ranch packet so I used onion salt, garlic, and Italian seasoning. 5 tbs butter. No broth. It was AMAZING!!! Pretzel buns make everything better. I hate reheated chicken but I suck it up in the name of food waste (sometimes) and this as a leftover lunch was just as good!! I recommend Tillamook smoked provolone as a cheese option! Thank you!! This is going to be a regular- so easy, I love it!! (I typically hate crock pot meals so thanks for making a good one!!!!!)