5-Star Reader Comment
This is wonderful. The delicious aroma lingered around our house for a good hour after dinner was cleaned up, too – butter and Frank’s buffalo sauce, soo good!! It was hard to stop eating; we loved it.
Jackie B
Dinner, Dip or Sandwich – This Shredded Buffalo Chicken Does It All!
This buffalo chicken, Y’all, it’s just way too easy and delicious. A busy weeknight? It goes straight into sandwiches with a side salad. Saturday football with the boys? I turn it into a dip and set it out with chips and veggies. Need a little something for lunch? I pile it onto a baked potato, wrap it up in a tortilla or turn it into pizza. With just five ingredients and my slow cooker doing all the work, this recipe makes me look like a culinary rock star.
Oh, as a bonus, this chicken freezes beautifully. And I don’t know about you, but I love opening my freezer and finding one of my favorite meals at the ready!
Donya’s Tips for Slow Cooker Success
- Always use thawed chicken. Frozen chicken is not recommended in the crockpot. The chicken will spend too long in the “danger zone” at room temperature as it thaws and can grow bacteria.
- If you want a creamier texture, use half sour cream and half cream cheese.
- Chicken breasts shred leaner, while thighs stay a little juicier.
I love Buffalo Chicken for meal prep. Use it for Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip served with celery and carrot sticks or Buffalo Chicken Pizza.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken Breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts go straight into the slow cooker. Thighs work too if you like a juicier cut.
- Ranch Seasoning – A store-bought packet works, or make your own.
- Buffalo Hot Sauce – Use your favorite brand (mine is Frank’s).
- Butter – The secret to that rich, classic buffalo flavor.
- Sour Cream – Stirred in at the end for creaminess and tang.
How To Make Buffalo Hot Sauce Chicken In The Slow Cooker
- Sep 1 – Add pats of butter to the bottom of the slow cooker. Place chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle with ranch seasoning.
- Step 2 – Pour buffalo sauce over everything, cover, and cook until tender—low for 5–6 hours or high for 3–4.
- Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir in the sour cream until smooth and creamy.
Serving Ideas
Here’s where this recipe shines:
- Pile it high on toasted buns with lettuce, blue cheese crumbles, and homemade blue cheese dressing.
- Use it for sliders, perfect for parties.
- Keep it simple with baked potatoes, coleslaw, or a crisp salad.
- I love turning it into nachos with mozzarella cheese, pickled jalapenos, and a drizzle of sour cream.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 package ranch dressing
- 1 bottle buffalo hot sauce
- 1 heaping tablespoon sour cream
- 5 tablespoons butter cut into individual measurements
Instructions
- Put pats of butter in bottom of slow cooker and layer chicken on top.
- Sprinkle ranch dressing on top of chicken.
- Pour buffalo sauce over chicken. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4.
- With two forks, shred chicken, add sour cream and mix well with sauce.
Notes
- To freeze, after cooking, let the chicken cool, then place it in either a freezer-safe, airtight container or zip-top bag. When ready to use, thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken
Like my wildly popular Crock Pot Chicken Thighs, this recipe can be served with so many side dishes. My favorites are Blue Cheese Coleslaw and Cucumber and Onion Refrigerator Pickles. It’s also tasty with Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, Mexican Corn Dip, and Smoked Gouda Cheese Grits.
Commonly Asked Questions
Nope! That’s one of the reasons I love this recipe. The chicken goes straight into the slow cooker, no extra steps needed. Once it’s cooked, shredding it right in the pot makes it tender and full of flavor.
Yes, you sure can. I often make this with chicken breasts because they shred leaner, but thighs stay juicy and are more forgiving if you’re worried about the chicken drying out.
Everyone has their own criteria for what’s healthy, but this recipe is gluten- and keto-friendly.
It has a good kick, but the heat depends on the sauce you choose. If you want to dial it back, use less buffalo sauce and stir in extra sour cream or even a little ranch dressing to mellow it out.
Absolutely! After cooking, let it cool completely, then store in a freezer bag or container. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
What Is Buffalo Chicken?
First, buffalo sauce is a vinegar-based hot sauce made with butter for richness. It became famous in Buffalo, NY, from a 1964 recipe for buffalo wings—something the entire New York area is now known for. Now, buffalo chicken refers to buffalo sauce with any cut of chicken.
If you tried this 5-Ingredient Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
This post was originally posted in September 2014.
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How would you adapt this to stovetop or oven?
This post has a conversation chart for crock pot to oven/stove.
~Donya
https://www.asouthernsoul.com/easy-dinner-ideas-and-meal-planning-%e2%80%a2-free-crockpot-conversion-chart/
What brand buffalo sauce?!
Normally what’s on sale. 😉
Any idea how many lbs of chicken you use? I have 3 breasts that equal a little over 2 lbs and I’m wondering if that’ll be enough
That will work beautifully.
Enjoy~
Donya
I apologize if this has been asked previously, but what size bottle of hot/buffalo sauce?
12 ounce
This is wonderful. The delicious aroma lingered around our house for a good hour after dinner was cleaned up, too–butter and Frank’s buffalo sauce, soo good!! It was hard to stop eating; we loved it.
Hey there Jackie!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! That is one of my favorite things about this recipe too, I love any recipe that leaves a delicious aroma in my home. I really appreciate your support as well as this fantastic rating, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to reach out!
~Donya
This is the best recipe I have found for chicken in the slow cooker. And the tip for using your stand mixer to shred it is so good! It worked perfectly. All of your tips and suggestions are great, thank you for sharing.
Hey there Imsen!
Wow! I am smiling ear to ear after reading this comment, it warms my heart to hear your kind words. I am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe and found the tips useful, the stand mixer trick for shredding meat is a go-to, it works for Pulled Pork as well. If you liked this recipe, you should check out my Crock Pot Chicken Thighs recipe, it’s just as easy to make and it packs a flavorful punch. Thank you so much for your sweet words of support and this amazing rating, it means the world to me!
~Donya
Donya, This looks like a great recipe to make, easy and with cold slaw, yummy as always . One question, I see the chick in crock pot and looks like a lot of ranch dressing mix, I’ve seen two packs of these, a reg. size ( 1oz.) and very large one, more like 8oz. maybe, about how much did you use? Know it sounds , well not going there.
Stony
Hey there Stony!
Thank you so much for your rating, and your interest in this recipe! As for the ranch mix, the recipe calls for one 1 once package of ranch seasoning mix and one 15 or 16 once bottle of Buffalo sauce. I hope this helps, let me know how you like it! Thank you for your support!
~Donya
Very very tasty I make it all the time
Hey there Diane!
Thanks so much for your sweet comment! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe, it’s definitely a favorite in my house too. I really appreciate your support, thank you!
~Donya
This looks like a new favorite in my house!
This would be so good for game day!
What size bottle of hot sauce? This sounds yummy and much easier than the wings I usually make.
Hey Trish! I use the 12oz bottle. I hope this helps. I agree that this is easier than wings! I do love a crock pot shortcut.
Have a great day,
~Donya
Thanks for the quick reply Donya. There is a snowy weekend forecast for us and this is my dish to make for the weekend. Should keep us warm in several ways. Cheers, Trish