Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Recipe, Budget, Ingredients

$12.65 RECIPE / $1.58 SERVING

Once I figured out the formula for my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken recipe was one of the first things I wanted to try.

The slow cooker Buffalo chicken is tender, spicy, tangy, and rich all at once, and it can be used in a variety of ways! Sandwiches, dips, salads, pizza, and more are all available.

Don’t miss the complete list of ways to use this extremely easy and delicious shredded buffalo chicken down below! I’m sure you’ll want to make this over and over during football season and the holidays.

BUFFALO SAUCE: WHAT IS IT?

If you’re unfamiliar with Buffalo Sauce, it’s a tangy, spicy, and slightly thick sauce made by combining hot sauce (traditionally Frank’s Red Hot Sauce) with butter.

It’s used to coat fried chicken, among other things. We’ve taken it a step further with ranch seasoning mix, a delicious blend of buttermilk powder, herbs, and spices that we’ve added to this slow cooker buffalo chicken.

The ranch seasoning infuses the sauce with flavor and thickens it somewhat. It’s simply fantastic!

WHICH HEAT SAUCE SHOULD BE USED?

Buffalo sauce is typically made with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, but any vinegar-based cayenne-flavored hot sauce may suffice in this recipe. Frank’s rendition from ALDI was fantastic!

CAN THE RANCH MIX BE SUBSTITUTED?

If at all possible, avoid missing the ranch seasoning mix. It adds a lot of flavor to the sauce.

You may easily substitute one packet of store-bought ranch seasoning for the items given below if you don’t have the materials to build your own ranch seasoning mix.

If you prefer to use your own herbs and spices but don’t have buttermilk powder on hand, the dish will still be delicious, just a little less rich.

BUFFALO CHICKEN IN THE SLOW COOKER

Now for the exciting part: What will you do with this delectable buffalo chicken shredded? THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO DO THIS. Consider the following suggestions:

• Bun or tortilla, coleslaw, pickles, ranch dressing for a buffalo chicken sandwich or wrap
• Nachos: lettuce, shredded carrot, and ranch dressing drizzled on tortilla chips
• To make buffalo chicken dip, combine the following ingredients in a mixing bowl. To make an extremely creamy dip, melt cream cheese into shredded chicken.
• Fill a tortilla with the chicken and grated Monterey jack cheese and toast on a skillet to make a quesadilla. Toss the chicken with chopped celery, shredded carrots, and blue cheese dressing on a crisp iceberg lettuce salad.
• Pizza: top with a little mozzarella and a sprinkle of the ranch after baking, and top with a white sauce.
• Just typing all of that has made my mouth water! Seriously, this stuff is fantastic.

SLOW COOKER BUFFALO CHICKEN

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the ranch seasoning (buttermilk powder, parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper, sugar, salt, and pepper) with the hot sauce.
2. In a 3 quart or bigger slow cooker, place the chicken breasts in the bottom. Place the butter on top of the chicken, and cut it into bits. Over the chicken and butter, drizzle the spicy sauce mixture.
3. Cook for four hours on low heat, with the lid on the slow cooker. Shred the chicken with two forks after four hours (if it isn’t soft enough, simmer it a bit longer).
4. Serve the shredded chicken and sauce as a dip for crackers and chips, or over sandwiches, quesadillas, nachos, or salads.

NOTES

*If you don’t have time to make your own ranch seasoning, you can substitute a store-bought packet.

NUTRITION IN SLOW COOKER BUFFALO CHICKEN

• Serving: 0.5 cup
• Calories: 191 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 2 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Fat: 9 g
• Sodium: 1350 mg
• Fiber: 1 g

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING SLOW COOKER BUFFALO CHICKEN

1. Combine the ranch seasoning components (2 Tbsp. buttermilk powder, 1/2 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 tsp dried dill, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp lemon pepper, 1/8 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper) with one 12 oz. bottle vinegar-based hot sauce.
2. In the bottom of a slow cooker, place roughly 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Place 4 tbsp butter chunks on top of the chicken.
3. In a slow cooker, pour the hot sauce mixture over the chicken and butter.
4. Cook the chicken on low heat for four hours with the lid on the slow cooker.
5. The chicken should be soft and easily shreddable with two forks after four hours (if it isn’t, simmer for another 30 minutes).
6. The chicken should be completely shredded before eating.