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!
carolyn says
I wanted to compliment you on this easy and super satisfying recipe. It turned out delicious. I used it to make wraps and also mason jar salads for this week’s lunch. Today I made a quesadilla out of it with shredded cheddar and multigrain tortillas. Yum!
Summer says
Good call on the Mason jar salads! Yum!
Lyn Smith says
I live in Western Australia so could you please tell me what these two items are
• Simply Organic Ranch Seasoning/Dressing Mix
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle Frank’s Hot Sauce
or their equivelant.
thanks
Lyn
Kathy says
Have to try this recipe. I’m from the Buffalo area, Jamestown NY. Sounds wonderful and I love crock pot recipes.
Krazy2 says
I am from Buffalo, NY, and love buffalo chicken. this was easy although I only loosely followed the recipe, I used Franks (as a true Buffalonian would) , a splash of cider vinegar, a couple tablespoons of butter. Turned out enough shredded chicken for three large recipes. used it in a Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese casserole, then a lasagna style recipe, and thinking up something yummy for the third.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Melissa says
Made this tonight and was pleasantly surprised at how amazing this is!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!! I cut the amount of the hot sauce in half to take the spice down some and it worked out great still!! Thanks for an very easy and awesome meal!!
Julie says
This was awesome! Eating frozen planned leftovers on my salad for lunch!
PLG says
I made this chicken and followed the recipe exactly as stated. The first night, I made the sandwich with wheat buns and added pickles!! We even had some left, so two nights later I used leftovers and served a nacho dinner. I used the buffalo chicken and added black beans, corn, salsa, and FF cheddar cheese and microwaved for 30 seconds. Very good. Will definitely make this recipe again and soon!!
Fena says
I personally do not care for Ranch dressing, can you taste the ranch flavor in this recipe?
PLG says
No. You can not taste the ranch flavor.
jennib says
I cannot eat ranch…could it be substituted for blue cheese?
Kathy says
Oops! I read the numbers wrong. Each serving is only 4 WW points. Now I am really excited to make this!
Kathy says
How can this be 8 WW points when each serving is only 156 calories? The recipe sounds amazing and I can’t wait to try it.
Becky says
It’s 8 carbs, 4 WW+ points.
Jill says
I was wondering the same! I just plugged the exact recipe into my WW app and actually got 3 WW points.
Susie says
Hi ! I live in Sweden and wounder about the taste from the hotsauce, is it a tomato based with like Tabasco in it? And the Ranch dressing, what flavor and ingrediences is in that? Thanks for a Good websight 😀
Patricia says
http://www.simplyscratch.com/2014/05/homemade-ranch-dressing-mix.html
Ranch above. Franks below
http://www.food.com/recipe/copycat-franks-red-hot-sauce-494182
Marybeth says
Delish!
We made tonight using wings instead-
worked great.
And I am from Buffalo:)
(but now in Boston, MA)
Tammy Kresge says
That is great! Us Buffalonians are everywhere 🙂
Sophia says
Marybeth, did you adjust the time for the wings?
Erin says
Would this be good on buns as an alternative to traditional shredded chicken?
kelly says
Is the hot sauce HOT …my 1 & 5 yr old love Buffalo wings but aren’t a fan of hot food.
Terri says
Franks Red Hot is a little spicy, but not burn your tongue off like a typical hot sauce. I would consider it a milder tangy cayenne pepper sauce. I like hot/spicy foods so I add additional cayenne powder or other hot pepper powder to make it hot enough to suite my taste.
You can also use less to make it less spicy.
Vickey says
I’m a wimp when it comes to hot sauce.
Is there an ingredient that can be substituted for the hot sauce and still get the Buffalo Chicken taste?
Thanks,
Vickey
Jen says
I used to work at a pizza shop in Syracuse, NY. To make hot wings, we used straight Frank’s hot sauce. To make medium, we added in butter to the Frank’s. To make it mild, we cut it with even more butter. It’s not a healthy solution but that’s how we did it.
Lara says
Add a little butter and molasses and it cuts the spice level quite nicely
Barbarainnc says
I use Texas Pete Extra Mild Buffalo Wing Sauce. I live in NC and found it at Piggy Wiggly. You can also find it online. So good!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊
goo says
Gotta love goin’ to the pig! So southern
ruth says
is the butter necessary?
Kristen Ferry says
Could you use blue cheese dressing mix instead. I’m not a ranch fan!
Denise kovacs says
This recipe is awesome! I will admit I only did half a bottle of hot sauce but it was great. I frozen it into a muffin pan which is about 1/2 cup servings and I just defrost what I need. Great website and information. Thank you
Kamela says
Totally delicious!! I was shocked at how amazing this recipe turned out. I cut it in half and our family has enjoyed it for the last several days! Thanks and love your website!
Jill says
I know the recipe says 6 chicken breasts but approx how much in weight?
Tammy says
3lbs. I will update the recipe to reflect that. Thank you.
lori says
What is the sodium in this recipe? It sounds good…will try if I can find low sodium substitutes…
Amanda says
Lori I am going to try making this low sodium myself. I plan on using…
Ms Dash’s no sodium ranch packet
Trader Joe’s or Imagine chicken broth(both are under 130mg per serving) and Tabasco sauce since it’s a lot lower in sodium than Texas Pete.
Susan B says
I am not sure about using Tabasco in this recipe. It has a very unique taste, not so much like Buffalo Chicken. Very vinegary and and a bit hotter than other sauces. Don’t get me wrong, nothing against Tabasco. I am from Louisiana and my cousin got married on Avery Island to one of the McIlhenney’s. The folks that own Tabasco. Anyway, sorry to get off track. I would take a look at Louisiana Hot, Crystal or Franks. I think one of these would be a better choice than Tabasco, if the sodium content is not crazy!
Tami says
I make my own ranch dry mix so I control the sodium you can find the dry ranch mix recipe on allrecipes.com
Sissy Whalen says
You could use Gingerale instead of chicken broth ..I make my pulled pork with gingerale…
Sonia Figueroa says
In order to make 3 pounds do I just double everything?
Tammy Kresge says
With 3lbs of chicken breast (that’s about 4-5 chicken breasts?) I think you will be safe to keep all the ingredients the same. Maybe add just a little more hot sauce.