This delicious crockpot buffalo chicken recipe uses five simple ingredients and is easy to put together. Make it over the weekend and have buffalo chicken ready for salads, subs, and wraps all week! If you love buffalo chicken wings then you’ll love this healthier version!
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If someone asked me to pick one recipe that I often make, it’d be this crock pot buffalo chicken. It’s one of those shredded chicken recipes I make when I have plenty of boneless chicken breasts but am unsure what to do with them. This Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken, Crock pot shredded chicken, and Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken are also in the running when I have a lot of chicken to cook.
I wouldn’t say shredded buffalo chicken is the most refined recipe on the blog. However, if you’re looking for an easy recipe for various dinners that the entire family will love, this slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe is it.
It’s also the perfect game day recipe when you need to feed a crowd! Trust me; everyone will stand in line waiting for some pulled buffalo chicken!
Jump to:
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe.
- It only uses five ingredients. You need boneless skinless chicken breast, ranch seasoning, hot sauce, chicken stock, and butter for this buffalo chicken crockpot recipe.
- It cooks in the crockpot. This is a hands-off recipe so that you can focus on other things for 4-5 hours.
- You can use it in various recipes. The recipe ideas are endless with shredded buffalo chicken in the fridge or freeze. Use this pulled chicken in any recipe that calls for Buffalo chicken. If you can dream it, then you can make it!
- It can be made ahead of time and is freezer-friendly. Make this on the weekend to use in recipes during the week, or freeze it into recipe-ready portions to use later on.
Ingredients
- Organic boneless skinless chicken breasts. For best results, use high-quality chicken breasts.
- Frank’s hot sauce. This is the hot sauce of Buffalo, NY, so if you can find it, then I highly recommend using it. If not, then use your favorite hot sauce.
- Ranch Seasoning. I recommend making this homemade ranch seasoning mix; it brings the buffalo chicken recipe to the next level. If you use a store-bought packet, I recommend purchasing a higher quality brand like Simply Organic.
- Chicken broth. Some liquid keeps the chicken juicy.
- Salted Butter. Buffalo wings are made with a special Buffalo sauce that includes hot sauce and butter, so adding a couple of tablespoons of butter will give the crockpot buffalo chicken an authentic buffalo wing flavor.
Our favorite place to purchase organic chicken is online at Butcher Box. They offer high-quality chicken, beef, pork, and seafood at affordable prices, and everything gets delivered straight to your door. Check out my Butcher Box Review for more information. Or get your first box here.
Supplies
- Crockpot
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- Souper cubes
- Ello glass containers
Our Favorite Crockpot
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How to Make Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
Don’t blink because this recipe comes together quickly!
- Into the crockpot, add the chicken breasts, and sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top. If you make homemade seasoning then use 3 tablespoons of seasoning.
- Pour the hot sauce and chicken broth over the chicken breasts. Using a fork, turn the chicken over a few times, mixing the liquid and seasonings.
- Tightly place the lid on, and then set the slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it into a large glass mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or two forks, shred the chicken.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of butter and ½ – 1 cup of liquid from the slow cooker.
- Stir until butter melts and the chicken is coated with the sauce.
- Use in your favorite buffalo chicken recipes.
Cooking notes
- Don’t overcook the chicken. This chicken recipe cannot cook all day in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours for juicy, flavorful shredded chicken.
- Make homemade ranch seasoning mix. I love the convenience of a ranch seasoning packet; my favorite brand to use is Simply Organic. However, I know even the healthiest store-bought ranch seasonings can have extra sodium and “not so healthy” ingredients, so I prefer homemade ranch seasoning. If you don’t have all of the ingredients to make the seasoning homemade, use 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and a 2 teaspoons of onion powder instead; it’s not the same flavor as ranch but will still be tasty.
- Shred the chicken using a hand mixer or forks. For a finer shred, use a hand mixer and for a thicker shred, use two forks to pull apart the chicken.
- Add extra heat after the chicken is cooked and shredded. To spice up the chicken, add the liquid from the crockpot or pour in some extra hot sauce after the chicken is shredded. You can even sprinkle a little cayenne pepper in with the buffalo sauce.
- Add cream cheese and cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese for a creamier chicken recipe. To tame the heat and create a delicious layer of creamy cheesiness, stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese and 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the chicken after shredded. Remove the leftover liquid, place the chicken, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar back into the slow cooker, and cook for another ½ hour or until heated.
Serving suggestions
Grab some crusty rolls and make shredded buffalo chicken subs. These subs taste fantastic with onions, tomatoes, and blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.
If you want to prepare a low-carb high protein lunch or dinner, fill a lettuce wrap, bell peppers, or top a salad with buffalo chicken and all the tasty toppings.
Stir 1 ½ cups of chicken into stovetop macaroni and cheese, or make this baked buffalo chicken mac and cheese.
Use it in this healthy buffalo chicken dip and serve it with celery, carrots, other veggies, and chips for a real party pleaser.
Crockpot buffalo chicken is delicious in:
- A baked potato
- Baked spaghetti squash
- Zoodles
- Stuffed portabello mushrooms
- Lasagna rolls
- Honestly, if you can dream it, you can make it!
Storage tips
- After the shredded buffalo chicken is cooked and cooled, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I prefer to use glass food storage containers.
- You can also freeze shredded buffalo chicken. You can freeze into recipe-ready portions using labeled freezer storage bags or freeze into blocks using Souper Cubes.
- To reheat the frozen chicken, place the chicken into a microwave-safe container and heat on high for 2-3 minutes until hot. I recommend thawing the chicken overnight in the fridge to reduce the reheating time.
FAQs
There are two secrets to cooking juicy, flavorful chicken in the crockpot.
First, you need to have enough liquid in the slow cooker to cover ¾ of the chicken. The top of the chicken breasts can be exposed, but most of it should be in the liquid.
Second, chicken breasts shouldn’t cook longer than 5-6 hours, and you should always set the crockpot temperature to a low setting. Many crockpot chicken recipes call for cooking on high, but that’s too hot and will result in dry chicken.
These tips will result in juicy shredded chicken every time!
Hands down, the only Buffalo sauce is Frank’s red hot sauce, and that’s the hot sauce used in authentic buffalo wing sauce. So, if you have Frank’s, then use it; it’s available in most grocery stores.
If you can’t find Frank’s by some chance, then use your favorite hot sauce.
You can use boneless chicken thighs in this crockpot buffalo chicken recipe, but the result will be a little greasier because the thighs are higher in fat.
I prefer using boneless skinless chicken breast in this recipe because it’s leaner and works better in other recipes that call for shredded buffalo chicken.
Other Healthy Buffalo Chicken Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Mason Jar Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
- Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese
- Buffalo Chicken Wrap
See more healthy buffalo chicken recipes.
Crockpot Buffalo Shredded Chicken
Equipment
- 5 1/2 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 – 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 -4 medium chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons homemade ranch seasoning mix or 1 (1.5 ounce) ranch seasoning/dressing packet
- 1 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- Into the crockpot, add the chicken breasts, and sprinkle the ranch seasoning over the top. If you make homemade seasoning then use 3 tablespoons of seasoning.
- Pour the hot sauce and chicken broth over the chicken breasts.
- Using a fork, turn the chicken over a few times, mixing the liquid and seasonings.
- Tightly place the lid on, and then set the slow cooker to cook on low for 5-6 hours. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it into a large glass mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer or two forks, shred the chicken.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of butter and ½ – 1 cup of liquid from the slow cooker. Stir until butter melts and the chicken is coated with the sauce.
- Use in your favorite buffalo chicken recipes.
Video
Notes
- After the shredded buffalo chicken is cooked and cooled, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. I prefer to use glass food storage containers.
- You can also freeze shredded buffalo chicken. You can freeze into recipe-ready portions using labeled freezer storage bags or freeze into blocks using Souper Cubes.
- To reheat the frozen chicken, place the chicken into a microwave-safe container and heat on high for 2-3 minutes until hot. I recommend thawing the chicken overnight in the fridge to reduce the reheating time.
Nutrition
Have you tried this Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe? If so, I’d love for you to rate it and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it!
Zach Kramer says
This recipe was very helpful as a base. Unfortunately it left the chicken a bit overcooked. At the 5 hour mark the chicken reached 195F. I then read from other recipes that the max should be around 4hr on low if not less. However the higher temp could be a fault of my slow cooker. The ratios were still helpful.
I used Cholula instead of Franks. This hot sauce became the main flavor, I would recommend reducing its ratio to 50-60% and using more seasoning, then saucing to taste after cooking.
Jacqueline says
Used this recipe to make the Buffalo Chicken Subs – the chicken turned out great and then pairing it with the ciabatta bun with the yogurt blue cheese and thin-slices provolone cheese was just perfect for my Buffalo/blue cheese craving!!! Will re-make again!
Tammy Overhoff says
Yum that’s my kind of sub! So glad you loved it!
Marissa says
Such a life saver! Easy to throw into a variety of meals during the week.
Tammy Overhoff says
Yes! This is one of our favorite go to recipes too!
Ashling says
Hi, do you know how I would go about using my instantpot for this recipe since I do not have a crackpot.
Melissa says
This recipe is fantastic! I keep kosher, so mixing chicken and dairy is off-limits. But I found a non-dairy ranch dressing mix and I used a buffalo sauce made by Franks that has butter flavoring in it instead of using actual butter. I served it in a low-carb spinach tortilla with non-dairy cheese and a side of coleslaw. for a very filling lunch that was under 400 calories. Next time I will make a larger batch and freeze in individual portions.
Tammy Kresge says
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe. This is our family favorite and I make it all the time. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and rating the recipe.
Andrea Walter says
AMAZING! I make it pretty regularly and does not disappoint!
Just a side note: The picture of the ingredients show the Simply Organic Ranch Dip. The recipe calls for the dressing version. I made the mistake and bought the dip packet and it has much more sodium than the dressing packet.
For chicken quantity: I use 3 large chicken breasts and do not alter the other amounts, use 5 if you want to freeze or need to feed a large crowd.
Rhonda says
I recently tried this recipe for game night. It was very easy to make, however it was so salty it was inedible. I have thrown this recipe out and will not be making again. I cannot give this recipe any stars.
Tammy Kresge says
So sorry you had this experience.
Wendy says
I have made this recipes numerous time and my family absolutely loves it. It is very versatile and freezes well. Thank you for this recipe!
Kat kaplan says
Me and my 3 year old love buffalo chicken but on the milder side. I recently found the most amazing product. “Texas Pete Extra Mild Buffalo Wing Sauce”. It’s got the amazing flavor of traditional buffalo sauce with little to no heat. My husband loves it as well but adds some extra hot sauce to his as he lives for the heat! Making this tonight! Thanks.