• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact
  • Comfort Food
  • Southern
  • Tex-Mex
  • Dessert
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Comfort Food
  • Southern Recipes
  • Tex-Mex & Mexican Food
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index
  • About Kelly
  • Contact
×
Home · Recipes · Slow Cooker · Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

Published: Apr 13, 2023 by Kelly Anthony · 2 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Want the delicious flavor of wings for a fraction of the effort? Of course you do! This Crockpot Buffalo Chicken is the recipe for the job! It comes out perfectly cooked and positively drenched in the most delicious buffalo wing sauce you've ever tasted. Goodbye, dry crockpot chicken!

A close up of Crockpot Buffalo Chicken shredded up in a bowl with a chopped herb garnish.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken is one of the easiest dinners you'll ever make. The prep is lightning fast and the outcome is phenomenal. We can just about guarantee your whole family will love this meal, and on top of that, the leftovers stay delicious for days in the fridge. Is the slow cooker your favorite go-to? We have a lot of slow-cooker recipes for you to add to your lineup!

A close up of Crockpot Buffalo Chicken shredded up in a bowl with a chopped herb garnish.

Obviously, we all know that buffalo chicken is perfect for game days, but let me tell you, this recipe can be used in so many different ways. Shred it up and mix it into your favorite salad, make a buffalo chicken sandwich and top it with blue cheese, toss it with some pasta, or even enjoy it with celery sticks and ranch dressing to cure your snacktime cravings with a low-carb, high protein fix. Are you on the look out for more recipes to serve up during game days? Check out our game day recipes!

ABOUT THE BUFFALO SAUCE

For this Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe, you want to use Franks Hot Sauce. This is a magical hot sauce product. Why? Well, for one thing, Frank's only uses cayenne peppers that are grown on farms in New Mexico, specifically for Frank's. Once ripe, harvested, washed, sorted, and chopped the peppers go through an aging process that is crucial to that signature Frank's flavor. The manufacturers are still using the original recipe that was developed in 1920. Why fix it if it isn't broken, right? It's just an oldie and a goodie and we are hardcore Frank's fans around here.

This buffalo sauce mimics the flavors of our perfect baked buffalo wings but comes together much easier and without any stovetop work whatsoever. Bonus! 

It consists of Franks Hot Sauce, onion powder, Kosher salt, garlic powder, and unsalted butter. 

You might find some recipes out there calling for ranch seasoning, but we've found these simple spices you likely already have in your cabinet are more than enough to get the job done when it comes to flavor! No need to add more to your grocery list.

Plus, we often use ranch or blue cheese dressing as a condiment on top of this chicken once it comes out of the slow cooker. 

Butter may seem like a strange ingredient when it comes to Crockpot Buffalo Chicken, but it both adds flavor and mellows out the tanginess and spice of the vinegar from the hot sauce.

HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT BUFFALO CHICKEN

To kick off your Crockpot Buffalo Chicken, add thawed chicken breasts to your slow cooker, followed by the hot sauce and seasoning. Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat and then top it with butter cubes. This is very similar to what we use for our Buffalo Chicken Dip!

An overhead view of the raw chicken breasts in the crockpot. It's coated with hot sauce and seasoning, and has butter cubes sprinkled over it.

Note, it is never recommended that you use frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot. 100% of the time, this would result in uneven cooking, with an exterior of dry, rubbery chicken. But, you also risk the chicken's interior not properly cooking.

Another (big) reason not to add frozen chicken breasts to any crockpot recipe, is that the meat will stay in a low-temperature danger zone for too long, resulting in unwanted bacteria, which leads to illness.

Cook on high for about 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours. If you're able, turn the chicken halfway through the cooking time.

Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, and is fully cooked through, transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. To shred my chicken, I like to cut the chicken into 2-inch strips, against the grain. Then, use 2 forks to easily pull the chicken apart. Transfer the shredded chicken back to the crockpot, stir to coat, and it is ready to serve!

If you love the simplicity of a crockpot meal, be sure to try our crockpot chicken fajitas next!

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken once it's been shredded up, added back to the crockpot, and mixed with the sauce.

HOW TO STORE CROCKPOT BUFFALO CHICKEN

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you'd like for your Crockpot Buffalo Chicken to last beyond 3 days. Freeze it!

To freeze Crockpot Buffalo Chicken, first, allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, you can either transfer it to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or to a freezer-safe storage container. If you were using a storage container, be sure there is not too much headspace between the chicken and the lid. Otherwise, you will risk getting freezer burn on your chicken! Store shredded Buffalo Chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw the chicken, we recommend placing it in the refrigerator the night before you intend to use it.

WAYS TO ENJOY SHREDDED BUFFALO CHICKEN

As you have probably gathered by now, there are a ton of ways you can use this Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken. Let's take a look at a few of our favorites!

  • Buffalo Chicken Wrap | Bring on the crunch with this one! Add your shredded Buffalo Chicken to a tortilla with some cabbage and carrots. Serve with Ranch for dipping!
  • Buffalo Chicken Dip | Make a delicious party dip simply by mixing your shredded Crockpot Buffalo Chicken with some cream cheese, cheddar, and Monterey Jack. Heat it all back up in the crockpot and enjoy!
  • Buffalo Chicken Pizza | The shredded chicken and homemade buffalo sauce would make a delicious pizza with some mozzarella and red onion.  
  • Buffalo Chicken Baked Potatoes | Spice up your average spud but adding a generous scoop of your Buffalo Chicken mixture and topping it off with some blue cheese (or blue cheese dressing!) and chives.
  • Buffalo Chicken Salad | Dice up your Buffalo Chicken and use it to add some tasty protein to a green salad. We recommend lettuce, red onion, shredded carrots, and cucumber. And you of course have to top it off with some ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles.

A bowl of Crockpot Buffalo Chicken sitting on the counter with fresh herbs laying in the background.

6 MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

  • Slow Cooker Rump Roast
  • Crockpot Meatballs
  • Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Crockpot Chicken Legs
  • Crockpot Chicken and Rice
  • Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

  • Rump Roast Crock Pot Recipe

  • An overheat shot of crockpot BBQ meatballs.

    Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

  • Crock pot chicken noodle soup in a bowl with a spoon in it. There are crackers in the background as well as a checkered towel.

    Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

  • An overhead shot of cooked chicken legs garnished with parsley in a slow cooker.

    Crock Pot Chicken Legs

  • Crock-pot Chicken and Rice

    Crockpot Chicken and Rice

  • Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

    Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

A close up of Crockpot Buffalo Chicken shredded up in a bowl with a chopped herb garnish.
Print Recipe
4.64 from 11 votes

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

This Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe is basically everything you love about buffalo wings, sans the hassle. Crazy easy and crazy good!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Servings: 6
Calories: 143kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ⅓ cup Frank's Hot Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)

Instructions

  • Add the chicken to the crockpot, followed by Frank's hot sauce, onion powder, Kosher salt, and garlic powder. Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat, and top with the butter cubes.
  • Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours, turning the chicken halfway through the cook time.
  • Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the crockpot and transfer it to a cutting board or work surface. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the crockpot. Toss in the buffalo sauce to coat.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 1561mg | Vitamin A: 495IU | Calcium: 5mg

 

Sources: Food Network

« Sunny Side Up Eggs
Crispy Roasted Potatoes »
  • Share
  • Tweet

Looking for more recipes?

Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

Check Out the Recipe Index

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shari says

    September 21, 2023 at 3:03 pm

    Followed your recipe to a T & it was awesome! So easy peasy to make & the whole family loved it. I served it as finger food on Tortilla chips with a side of sliced carrots & celery. A drizzle of blue cheese dressing on top & you’re good to go for a quick weeknight meal. Thank you so much 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      October 30, 2023 at 1:24 pm

      Thank you, Shari 🙂 I'm so glad it was a win for your crew!

      Reply
4.64 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

Trending recipes

  • Stacked roast beef sliders with melted cheese on golden Hawaiian rolls served with fries.
    Roast Beef Sliders (Easy + Crowd Favorite)
  • Seasoned French fries on a baking sheet with a jar of homemade fry seasoning and a jar of ketchup for dipping.
    Fry Seasoning (The Best French Fry Spice Blend)
  • Close-up of perfectly cooked filet mignon with golden sear and tender texture.
    Air Fryer Filet Mignon (Perfect Every Time)
  • Closeup of crockpot beef tips and gravy
    Crockpot Beef Tips and Gravy
  • Homemade seasoning for steak on an uncooked cut of beef
    Steak Seasoning
  • Best Coney Sauce
    45 Classic American Dinners Everyone Loves

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly recipes

Contact

  • Work with me
  • Contact

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
We loved this recipe!!
Will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.