Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

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Making Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken is a no-brainer for your next party or quick dinner. Not only does the crockpot do all the hard work, this healthier version of buffalo chicken wings is always a huge hit.

171 CAL 1g CARBS 2g FAT 32g PROTEIN
2 Comments

This easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken recipe is great for game-days, parties, and an easy weeknight dinner. There are so many ways to serve it, like in these Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas or Buffalo Chicken Bowls, and it is so much better for you than buffalo wings! 

Let’s talk about buffalo sauce for a minute. It’s one of those hidden gems I always have in my fridge for when something just tastes bland and needs a little something, something.

Add it to a turkey sandwich and it magically tastes better. A few glugs make a quick weeknight hash delish. I have even been known to sneak it on my egg whites in the morning, rolled up in a tortilla with some cheese and veggies.

However, this slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe is for when you really want that buffalo flavor. Slow-cooked chicken tossed with just the right amount of buffalo sauce.

Use it in tacos, lettuce wraps, sandwiches, chicken salad, the list goes on and on. And if you really want it to taste like a buffalo wing, add in the butter at the end for a smoother, richer taste.

Crockpot buffalo chicken shredded with buffalo sauce and green onions in a black slow cooker.

What Makes Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Healthy?

Most restaurant versions of buffalo chicken is bone in, skin on and deep fried chicken wings or breaded, deep fried buffalo chicken tenders.

Although delicious, these are definitely not a healthy option. Comparatively, this slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe cuts calories, carbs, and fat by starting with boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Side Dishes for Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

I love serving buffalo chicken alongside a salad topped with my skinny ranch dressing, which uses buttermilk and nonfat plain Greek yogurt to cut calories and fat.

If you want to thicken up the ranch a little to spread on sandwiches and wraps, just substitute extra yogurt, light sour cream, or light mayo for some of the buttermilk.

Along those same lines, this celery ranch slaw recipe relies mostly on nonfat plain Greek yogurt and buttermilk as a base, with just a dollop of light mayo to give it a sweet, rich flavor.

With its mix of cabbage, carrots, and celery, this slaw makes a great side for buffalo chicken or a tangy topping for tacos, sandwiches, or wraps.

What goes better with a buffalo chicken sandwich than fries? These baked skinny fries are all glory and no guilt since the recipe substitutes half the potatoes for turnips, which have a similar texture and flavor as white potatoes once they are cooked.

Just toss your thinly cut fries in salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and bake them at 400 ℉ for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping the fries once during the cooking time and pulling them out of the oven once they’re crispy and cooked through.

Buffalo chicken that was cooked in a slow cooker and shredded in a bowl with a wooden spoon, celery, and green onions.

Ways to Use Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken

There are so many different ways to serve this chicken. 

  • Lettuce wraps: You can add sliced green onions, diced celery, diced carrots, a few crumbles of blue cheese, or even some diced avocado. Trust me, you won’t even miss the carbs.
  • Buffalo chicken tacos: Top tacos with corn, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, or other typical taco fixings. Or dress your tacos with slaw, which can be made with a store-bought or homemade ranch or blue cheese vinaigrette to lighten it up a little while still giving the tacos a traditional buffalo chicken flavor.
  • Quesadillas: Add your favorite low fat shredded cheese, diced carrots, diced celery, and cook in whole wheat or low carb tortillas.
  • Grain bowls: Begin with a base of rice, quinoa, or another favorite grain and add any combination of veggies for a quick one-dish meal. It's great in a crockpot chicken burrito bowl.
  • Salads: You already know buffalo chicken goes great with carrots and celery. Other tasty additions include corn and cucumbers. And black beans will give a hearty shredded buffalo chicken salad an even bigger protein punch.
  • Stuffed sweet potatoes: The starchy sweetness of the potato pairs perfectly with the spiciness of the chicken’s buffalo sauce. Top your potato with plain yogurt and sliced green onions to give it even more layers of flavor.
  • Sandwiches: Serve shredded buffalo chicken as the star of a sandwich bar with a variety of buns and wraps and toppings including spinach, thinly sliced celery and carrots, cucumbers, slaw, and more. That way, guests at football parties or picnics can personalize their plates.

Recipe Ideas and Tips

There are so many ways to change up this recipe to create the buffalo chicken of your dreams. Here are some favorites;

  • More ranch flavor: If you love ranch dressing, add a packet of ranch seasoning to the sauce instead of the herbs. This will give you even more ranch flavor.
  • Make it creamy: If you love all things creamy, finish this dish by stirring in 1/4-1/2 cup of low fat cream cheese or sour cream. Magic.
  • Sweet and spicy: For sweet and spicy folks, you can finish the dish with a couple of tablespoons of honey to add sweetness and counteract the spice in the sauce.
  • Less spicy: For less heat, replace half of the buffalo sauce with barbecue sauce for a slightly different flavor. 
  • Different types of chicken: This works with chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and lean pork tenderloin. 

But you don’t need to reserve this recipe for Super Bowl celebrations and other special occasions. You can rest assured that this buffalo chicken is healthy enough for any given Sunday.

The Recipe
Slow cooker buffalo chicken shredded in a bowl with diced celery and buffalo sauce.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

171 CAL 1g CARBS 2g FAT 32g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 4 Hours, 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 4 Hours, 20 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 lb boneless and skinless chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (wing sauce)
  • 1 tsp dried chives
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (or dehydrated garlic flakes)
  • 1 tsp onion powder (or dehydrated onion flakes)

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Instructions

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1

Place the chicken breast in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker.
2

In a small bowl, combine the buffalo sauce, chives, dill, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder. You could also use store bought ranch seasoning.

Buffalo sauce mixed with herbs, garlic, and onion for chicken.
3

Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook on low for 4 hours. This time may vary based on your slow cooker but try not to overcook the chicken so it stays tender.

Chicken cooked in the slow cooker covered in buffalo sauce and herbs,
4

Shred the chicken using two forks and let it soak in the sauce for 10 minutes. For a more authentic buffalo chicken wing flavor, stir in two tablespoons of butter. If you need to balance the heat of the sauce, consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey.

Shredded buffalo chicken in a black slow cooker.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 6 oz.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 171
Calories from Fat 12
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g
2%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 74mg
24%
Sodium 106mg
5%
Total Carbohydrate 1g
0%
Dietary Fiber 0g
1%
Sugars 0g
Protein 32g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

Notes

Optional: Add 2 tbsp. melted butter for a more authentic wing experience
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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
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Nicole
May 10, 2022 - 06:56
What buffalo sauce do you use? I've been trying to find a way to make lower sodium buffalo shredded chicken. Yours is listed as about 100mg sodium per serving, so I'd love to try it if I can find whichever sauce you're using to keep it that low. Thank you!
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Jeanne Harris
February 25, 2020 - 11:51
I love all things Buffalo, the spicier the beat. My question is about the serving size - it's listed as 282 grams which works out to be 10 ounces. Shouldn't the serving size be less?

Thanks!
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