Description
This Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken recipe offers a hands-off approach to creating tender, flavorful buffalo chicken perfect for sandwiches. Combining classic buffalo wing sauce with butter and ranch or blue cheese dressing, it’s a comforting meal that’s easy to prepare and serves up a zesty, spicy flair with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs (Thighs offer more moisture)
Sauce
- 1 cup Buffalo Wing Sauce (Use milder alternative if desired)
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (Melted)
- 1/4 cup Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing (Ranch is milder, blue cheese is sharper)
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
To Serve
- 4-6 pieces Hamburger Buns or Slider Rolls
- 1 cup Celery and Carrot Sticks
- 1/2 cup Blue Cheese Crumbles (Optional)
Instructions
- Layer the Chicken: Place the chicken in a single layer at the bottom of your slow cooker, ensuring even cooking.
- Whisk the Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine buffalo wing sauce, melted butter, ranch or blue cheese dressing, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and fully blended.
- Coat the Chicken: Pour the buffalo sauce mixture generously over the chicken pieces, making sure each piece is thoroughly coated for maximum flavor.
- Cook it Low and Slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2.5-3.5 hours. The chicken should become tender and easily shreddable when done.
- Shred and Mix: Once cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker pot. Stir the shredded chicken well to coat it evenly in the remaining sauce. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Serve with Love: Serve the buffalo chicken on hamburger or slider buns. Accompany the sandwiches with celery and carrot sticks, and sprinkle with optional blue cheese crumbles if desired for added richness.
Notes
- You can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs for breasts for moister, more flavorful results.
- Adjust the buffalo wing sauce amount or choose a milder sauce to control the spice level.
- Using blue cheese or ranch dressing depends on your preference; blue cheese provides a tangier, sharper taste.
- Shredding the chicken in the slow cooker allows it to soak up extra sauce, making it more flavorful.
- This recipe freezes well if you want to prepare it in advance.
