Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Name: Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 185 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast; 3 Tablespoons organic ranch dip mix; ½ cup clean buffalo sauce (plus more if needed)

By Brittany Mullins

Published Apr 19, 2024, Updated Apr 29, 2024

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This slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe is super easy to make with only three ingredients! It’s perfect for sandwiches, wraps, tacos, salads and so much more.

I’m so excited to be sharing this super easy slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe with you today!

It’s been a go-to recipe of mine for years (I love meal prepping it for different recipes throughout the week), so I figured it was time to share it on the blog!

You only need 3 simple ingredients and it takes less than 5 minutes of prep time, making it ideal for busy days or when you just don’t feel like spending a ton of time in the kitchen. Just toss the ingredients into your slow cooker, set it, and forget it as dinner practically makes itself!

Shredded buffalo chicken in a slow cooker.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Minimal ingredients – You only need 3 simple ingredients to make this recipe!
No prep work – Just add all your ingredients to your slow cooker, set it, and forget it until mealtime — it’s the perfect recipe for busy schedules.
Perfect for meal prep – This chicken can be used in various meals throughout the week, from wraps and sandwiches to salads and grain bowls.

Ingredients measured out to make Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken: clean buffalo sauce, organic ranch dip mix and chicken.

Ingredients Needed

boneless skinless chicken breast – I prefer chicken breasts, but boneless chicken thighs can also be used.
ranch dip mix – brings a herby, creamy flavor that melds perfectly with the buffalo sauce. Simply Organic Ranch Dip Mix is my favorite, but feel free to use whatever brand you prefer.
buffalo sauce – look for a clean buffalo sauce without artificial flavors or colors, seed oils or corn syrup. I share more about my favorite brands below!

How to Make Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

This recipe couldn’t be any easier. Just dump your ingredients, wait and enjoy!

Step 1 – Combine your chicken breasts, ranch mix and buffalo sauce in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours until the chicken is tender and easily shreds.

Photos of three chicken breasts in a slow cooker with ranch seasoning and buffalo sauce, before and after being cooked.

Step 2 – Shred the chicken, return it to the cooker, and add extra sauce if needed. Store for later or enjoy right away!

Two forks shredding chicken, and then adding to a slow cooker with buffalo sauce.

Brittany’s Tip!

When it comes to shredding your chicken I recommend doing it while the chicken is still warm because it’s much easier than shredding cold meat. You can shred your chicken with two forks, a hand or stand mixer or my personal favorite this handy dandy meat chopper! It’s a game changer!

Ways to Serve Shredded Buffalo Chicken

The best thing about this recipe is how many different ways there are to serve it. From sandwiches and wraps to tacos and nachos the options are endless. Here’s some ideas to get you started:

As a wrap or sandwich – Pile this shredded chicken high on a bun or in a tortilla with coleslaw, ranch or your favorite toppings.
On a salad – Serve this chicken over a bed of greens with your favorite veggies and a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing.
On nachos – Amp up your nacho game by topping tortilla chips with this shredded buffalo chicken, lettuce, carrots and a drizzle of ranch. You could also add this chicken to my sweet potato nachos or cauliflower nachos and serve it up for game day!
In a taco – Switch up taco night and make buffalo chicken tacos instead. I’d recommend serving this chicken with hard shell tacos and topping it with shredded cheese. So good!
In a quesadilla – Fill a tortilla with chicken and shredded cheese then toast it in a skillet until the cheese melts.
As a stuffed sweet potato – Make a buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potato!
In a grain bowl – Make a buffalo chicken grain bowl by serving this chicken over rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice along with carrots, lettuce, tomatoes and a ranch or blue cheese dressing. Yum!!

Slow cooked shredded buffalo chicken in a bowl.

How to Store Leftovers

This slow cooker buffalo chicken is perfect for meal prep! After cooking and shredding the chicken, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It’s perfect for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week.

This shredded chicken is also freezer-friendly! Just make sure it’s completely cooled then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.

Brittany’s Tip!

Portion out your chicken rather than putting a whole bunch in one freezer container, that way you can just take out the container or ziplock, let it thaw and add the meat to your recipe.

To reheat: You can easily reheat this chicken in a skillet over the stove or in the microwave. If you go the stovetop route, you might want to add a little more buffalo sauce to add moisture as it heats up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Best Kind of Buffalo Sauce to Use?

I recommend using a clean buffalo sauce that doesn’t have artificial flavors or colors, seed oils, corn syrup or other added sugars. My two favorite brands are the Primal Kitchen Medium Heat Buffalo Sauce and Noble Made Medium Buffalo Sauce. Frank’s Hot Sauce is also a good option.

Is There a Substitute For The Ranch Mix?

The ranch mix adds a ton of flavor so I wouldn’t recommend skipping it. I like to buy store-bought packets to save time. That said, you can totally make a homemade ranch seasoning mix as well. Here’s a recipe you could try! And because I know not everyone will have dried buttermilk powder on hand here is a homemade ranch seasoning mix without the buttermilk.

Can I Make This Recipe in the Instant Pot?

I haven’t tried this recipe in my Instant Pot, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t turn out! I would follow the recipe for my Instant Pot shredded chicken as far as cook time goes.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

Be sure to check out all of my chicken recipes as well as the full collection of slow cooker recipes on EBF!

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