Shredded Buffalo Chicken

Shredded buffalo chicken is super-easy and incredibly versatile. And did we mention full of flavor? Simply toss three ingredients into a slow cooker for a few hours and you’ll have all of the sweet heat of buffalo chicken wings that you can use for dinner, lunch or a party appetizer.

Use it to make this popular buffalo chicken layered dip (you can skip the extra sauce), sandwiches or quesadillas. And if you decide to make extra, it freezes beautifully.

Ingredients for Shredded Buffalo Chicken

• Buffalo sauce: Use your favorite buffalo wing sauce, as hot or mild as you like.
• Ranch salad dressing mix: Just a couple tablespoons of dressing mix add all of the seasoning you need.
• Chicken breast: The sauce keeps the chicken breast halves moist.
• Serving options: You can serve this pulled chicken any way you like and there are lots of suggestions below. Try celery ribs and crumbled blue cheese for a hot wing experience or serve on sandwich buns. You can drizzle ranch salad dressing on top.

Directions

Step 1: Mix ingredients and start slow cooker

In a 3-quart slow cooker add the sauce, dressing mix and chicken. Cook on low until meat is tender, about three to four hours.

Step 2: Shred chicken and serve

Use two forks, shred the chicken and mix well with sauce. Serve as you please, crumbling blue cheese on top and drizzling with additional wing sauce and ranch dressing.

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Variations

• Spice it up: You can control how spicy this recipe is with the sauce you choose. Also, add more spice by slow cooking with a few serrano chiles halved down the middle (remove when serving) or top with sliced fresh jalapeno peppers after cooking.
• Use different types of chicken: This recipe calls for chicken breasts, but boneless and skinless thighs are perfect for slow-cooking as they won’t dry out. You can also start with a rotisserie chicken from the store and warm up all of the ingredients in a saucepan, cooking until warm (skip the slow cooker).
• Make buffalo chicken salad: Chop up celery and green onion and fold it right into the chicken after cooking with a few tablespoons of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for a creamy, spicy spin on chicken salad.

How to Store Shredded Buffalo Chicken

Shredded buffalo chicken can be stored covered in the refrigerator for three to four days until you are ready to serve it.

Can you freeze shredded buffalo chicken?

This slow-cooked chicken freezes well. Wrap up and freeze the slow cooker shredded buffalo chicken for three to four months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and gently warm it in a skillet, adding additional sauce if needed for moisture.

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tips

Can you make this recipe on the stove top?

If you’re in a hurry, add the three ingredients to a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally and adding more sauce if needed.

What are some ways to serve buffalo shredded chicken?

There are many ways to serve this flavorful pulled chicken. Scoop on to your favorite large tortilla and top with chopped celery and blue cheese for a delicious wrap.  Make spicy quesadillas with pepper jack cheese and sliced jalapenos. Serve on mini-slider buns or top a grain bowl. Make nachos or pile onto lettuce cups for a low-carb, high-protein snack.

Is there another way to shred chicken?

If you’d like to make shredding chicken a little easier and faster, try using the paddle attachment and your stand mixer to make short work of shredding several portions of chicken.