Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

This Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is made with shredded chicken breasts on toasted buns and topped with a homemade blue cheese sauce!

This Shredded Buffalo Chicken is made in a slow cooker and tossed in a spicy and tangy buffalo sauce. The chicken is perfect served on sandwiches, but is incredibly versatile and can be added from everything from wraps to pizza to salads.

I'm usually able to exercise some kind of self-control when it comes to food but that's not the case when it comes to buffalo chicken. If you want to share a basket of buffalo wings chances are there will be very little sharing involved because I'll probably eat the whole thing myself. #sorrynotsorry

There is something magical about the flavor of buffalo sauce. It's spicy, tangy, and downright addicting. You can douse anything from shrimp to pasta to cauliflower in the stuff and chances are it will be lip-smackingly good.

Chicken is one of the most commonly tossed in buffalo sauce and for good reason. The chicken in this recipe is slow cooked along with a blend of savory spices, shredded, and then tossed in a simple buffalo sauce.

I love to top this shredded buffalo chicken with some homemade blue cheese sauce. The creamy sauce pairs perfectly with the tangy and spicy chicken. You can also top it with ranch dressing or any of your favorite sauces.

Jump to:

• Which Chicken Is Best For Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches?
• Ingredients For Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
• How To Make Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
• How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken In The Crockpot?
• How To Make Buffalo Sauce
• How To Make Blue Cheese Sauce
• What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
• How To Use Shredded Buffalo Chicken
• How Long Does Buffalo Chicken Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Which Chicken Is Best For Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches?

You can use either bone-in or boneless, skinless chicken breasts to make this Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.

I prefer to use bone-in (also known as split) chicken breasts when using the slow cooker because they are meatier, more flavorful, and cheaper than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

They are also more likely to stay moist and juicy and less likely to overcook and dry out than the boneless variety.

Split chicken breasts simply refer to a cut of chicken breast that includes part of the rib bones and the skin.

When making bone-in or split chicken breasts in the slow cooker, it's important to remove the skin first and then to remove all of the bones after the chicken is fully cooked and before serving.

Ingredients For Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Here's what you'll need to make them.

• 2 ½ - 3 lbs. Split Chicken Breasts (also known as bone-in chicken breasts)
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
• ½ tsp. Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• ¾ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• ½ tsp. Honey
• Gluten Free Buns or Bread (regular buns or bread if not gluten free) (optional)

How To Make Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

The process of making crockpot buffalo chicken is super easy.

All that's needed is to remove the skin from a couple of split chicken breasts and place them in a slow cooker with a blend of savory spices. The chicken is shredded 30 minutes before serving, returned to the slow cooker, and tossed in a simple buffalo sauce.

The shredded buffalo chicken may then be used any way you like.

1. To start, remove the skin from 2 ½ - 3 lbs. of split (also known as bone-in) chicken breasts.
2. Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.
3. Sprinkle 1 tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning along with ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper over the chicken.
4. Place the lid securely on the crockpot and cook for 3-5 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low.
5. 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken from the crockpot and place on a cutting board. Shred the cooked chicken with two forks, making sure to remove all of the bones.
6. Discard the bones and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Toss the chicken in any of the juices that remain in the slow cooker.
7. Prepare the buffalo sauce as directed right before adding the shredded chicken.
8. Toss the shredded chicken and buffalo sauce until combined. Place the lid securely on the slow cooker and cook for another 30 minutes.

How Long Does It Take To Cook Chicken In The Crockpot?

Generally it takes 3-4 hours to cook chicken on High in the slow cooker and 5-7 hours on Low. Cooking times may vary depending on the slow cooker and the type of chicken used.

It's important that the chicken is fully cooked through before serving. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can be checked using a food thermometer if needed.

Just as it's important not to undercook the chicken, it's also important not to overcook it. Overcooked chicken can be dry, stringy, and rubbery. To prevent overcooking the chicken, it can help to set the slow cooker to Low.

Using the Low setting can help the chicken to cook more evenly and prevent it from drying out. This is especially true if using boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Of course, you can cook the chicken on High if needed.

How To Make Buffalo Sauce

The first time I made buffalo sauce at home I thought it was going to be this super complicated process but it turns out that buffalo sauce is basically made up of 3 ingredients: Butter, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, and Honey (or some kind of sweetener). That's it!

I did not understand how something so flavorful could come from those three things. Technically, you can use any type of hot sauce you like but Frank's will give you that quintessential 'buffalo' flavor.

1. To make the buffalo sauce, place a sauce pan on the stove top and heat to medium-low.
2. Add 2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter to the sauce pan.
3. Once melted, add ¾ cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce and ½ tsp. honey to the sauce pan. Stir until completely combined.
4. Cook the mixture just until heated through, stirring often.
5. It's best to make the buffalo sauce just before adding it to the shredded chicken.

You can adjust the sauce to your liking. If you'd like to make the sauce less spicy simply add more honey.

If you'd like to make it spicier feel free to add a few dashes of Tabasco or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

How To Make Blue Cheese Sauce

When it comes to buffalo chicken, I love to serve it with blue cheese sauce. This is true with everything from buffalo wings to buffalo chicken pizza.

This is an optional step and is not required when preparing this shredded buffalo chicken, but it's easy to make and perfect served as a topping on a toasted bun.

The blue cheese sauce can be prepared right before serving, or made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Feel free to make this blue cheese sauce 1-2 days before serving if desired.

1. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of full fat sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, and ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper.
2. Stir all of these ingredients until completely combined using a small whisk or a fork.
3. Mince 2 Tbsp. of fresh chives.
4. Add the minced chives (can sub 2 tsp. dried chives) along with 1 cup of blue cheese crumbles (equals 4 oz. of blue cheese) (feel free to use a wedge of blue cheese and crumble it yourself) to the dressing.
5. Fold the blue cheese crumbles and chives into the dressing and stir until combined.
6. Garnish with extra minced chives (optional).

For more detailed instructions on how to prepare blue cheese sauce, check out this recipe for Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.

If you love blue cheese, check out these Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers!

What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

The great thing about this dish is that it's super versatile - There's really no 'one way' to eat it.

1. If serving as a sandwich, simply place a generous amount of the shredded buffalo chicken onto a toasted bun or bread.
2. Drizzle the buffalo chicken with some of the blue cheese sauce.
3. Feel free to add some sliced tomato and lettuce or greens of choice to the sandwich if desired.

Alternately, you could top this crockpot buffalo chicken sandwich with some blue cheese crumbles in place of the sauce.

If you prefer ranch instead of blue cheese, this homemade ranch dressing is a great option!

Celery sticks or celery salad are perfect served with anything 'buffalo' flavored.

I love sandwiches like this one served with a heaping pile of coleslaw. This blue cheese coleslaw, light crunchy coleslaw, or kohlrabi slaw make a great pairing.

How To Use Shredded Buffalo Chicken

If not serving the shredded buffalo chicken on a sandwich, it can be used in so many different ways.

Here are some ideas to utilize shredded buffalo chicken:

• In a wrap or lettuce wrap
• On a pizza or flatbread
• As a topping for nachos
• On a salad
• Atop baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
• As a filling for tacos or taquitos
• In a quesadilla
• Inside of a grilled cheese sandwich or panini sandwich
• Added to pasta
• Baked into a buffalo chicken dip

The shredded chicken is perfect as a meal or as an appetizer for a game day menu. It's one of those great 'blank canvas' recipes.

How Long Does Buffalo Chicken Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover shredded buffalo chicken may be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make sure to allow the chicken to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Any leftover blue cheese sauce can be stored for 1-2 days in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can It Be Frozen?

Yes! Shredded chicken is great to have on hand as a freezer meal. You can whip it out any time you want to add it to your favorite recipes.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the shredded chicken as directed. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked through before shredding. Add the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker but DO NOT add the buffalo sauce.
2. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature, place in a heavy-duty freezer bag or freezer-safe container labeled with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.

How To Thaw

1. Place the frozen chicken in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. The chicken can be warmed up on the stove top. It's best to add the buffalo sauce at this time.
2. Place the chicken in a pot on the stove top, prepare the buffalo sauce, and add it to the pan. Cook on medium low until completely warmed.

Love slow cooker recipes? Don't miss these!

• Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
• Crockpot Ground Beef Chili
• Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup
• Barbacoa Tacos with Chipotle Slaw
• Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
• Chicken Kale Sweet Potato Soup

Looking For Sides To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches? Don't Miss These!

Old Fashioned Cucumber Salad

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato Fries