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Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken is so simple to prepare and super delicious. Great in sandwiches, on pizza, in dips and many other recipes!
A few weeks ago, over on our Facebook page, I asked our followers to tell us what kind of recipes they would like to see here on A Family Feast. Jack and I were planning out some of our recipes for the coming weeks – and we wanted to make sure that we were sharing recipes that you (our wonderful readers) would be interested in seeing – and cooking for yourself at home.
Today’s recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken meets a few of the requests on the list. A few of you asked for more chicken recipes (check!), and some followers were looking for game day party foods with both football and basketball season in full swing (check!).
A few other folks loved their comfort food (check!), as well as slow cooker recipes (check!). And still others asked us for quick and easy recipes too. (This Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken is definitely easy to make!)
We have one more requirement for any recipe here on A Family Feast: It has to be delicious! (Definitely a check mark there!)
How do you make Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken?
This Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken takes just a few minutes of prep – then your slow cooker will do all of the work!
Place two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken in a slow cooker along with sliced onions. Melt some butter and combine it with Frank’s RedHot Sauce and cumin – then pour that mixture over the chicken and onions.
Cover your slow cooker, set it on high, and cook for four hours on until the chicken is fork tender and shred-able.
Remove the chicken to a bowl, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Use two forks to shred the chicken – then spoon some of the cooking liquid over the chicken to moisten.
What kind of chicken should I use?
We recommend using half boneless, skinless, chicken breast, and half boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. While you can use either (as long as you have about two pounds of chicken total) – we like the mix of the light and dark meat together. Breast meat can be somewhat dry and flavorless on its own, so adding the thigh meat adds both flavor and moisture to the finished pulled chicken dish.
How do I serve this shredded Buffalo chicken?
This slow cooker pulled Buffalo chicken is great on its own made into a sandwich (just add some bleu cheese dressing and a drizzle of more hot sauce on top) or use in these other delicious recipes including our Buffalo Chicken Dip, our Buffalo Chicken Nachos, or even on our Buffalo Chicken Pizza!
Can I freeze this Pulled Buffalo Chicken?
You bet! Cook up a big batch of this Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken and enjoy some now. Then freeze the rest for later use in another recipe.
We love hearing from our readers! What kinds of recipes would you like to see here on A Family Feast?
Interested in more chicken recipes?
Click here for our 100+ Best Chicken Recipes.
This post originally appeared on A Family Feast in October 2013. We’ve updated the post with new photos.
You may like these other delicious recipes:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Nachos
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- Mexican Pulled Chicken
- Pulled Chicken Chilaquiles
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Slow Cooker Pulled Buffalo Chicken
Note: If you like your Buffalo chicken on the mild side, just add a little bottled BBQ sauce to the finished pulled chicken to lower the heat. You may of course, add more Franks’ RedHot sauce if you like it hotter!
Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray
1 medium onion, sliced thick
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Franks original hot sauce, divided
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
In a large slow cooker, spray the bottom and sides of the insert. Add sliced onion and top with chicken in single layer.
In a microwave safe bowl or saucepan, melt butter. Add 1 cup of hot sauce and cumin and stir to combine. Pour over chicken.
Cover and set on high for four hours.
When done, remove chicken and shred with two forks and place in bowl. Stir liquid from pot and add ¼ cup to shredded chicken. Add two tablespoons (or more if you like it hotter) of Frank’s hot sauce and mix well.
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Great great taste!
Thanks Emily!
I’ve used this recipe for several years! It’s great for hosting big crowds, awesome as leftovers (nachos, lettuce wraps, with a pretzel bun, I’ve used it in chicken noodle soup and it gave it a nice little kick!)
This recipe is always a hit!
Great idea Brianna! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Had it simmering in my crockpot, all afternoon – delicious aroma. Fanily just loved it! Many thanks.
You’re very welcome Karen – so glad your family loves this recipe as much as we do!
I’m making this for the second time in a month….the menfolk scarfed it up (I confess to eating some myself…)the first time I put everything in the slow cooker on Saturday morning and voila….put the shredded finished product on pizza, on nachos and tomorrow…a new thing…I’ll make buffalo chicken mac & cheese in a couple of batches to freeze. I eat the chicken by itself in a salad or with a side of veggies. I’m working full time now and recipes like this that I can stretch are gold to me. I use mostly boneless skinless breasts and make more than the recipe calls for while adjusting the amount of sauce and seasonings and it comes out wonderfully. Thanks, guys! 🙂
So glad the recipe is a hit Kristin! 🙂 Love the idea of adding it to mac & cheese…
Hi was wondering if I could use chicken tenderloin instead of breast and thigh?
Hi Lawanda – Yes – of course! We think that the thigh meat has the most flavor which is why we included it, but you can use all chicken breast or tenderloin if you prefer. Enjoy!
This may seem like a dumb question , I’m from Australia have only heard the term buffalo wings once and that was from Jessica Simpson on her show years ago. but since being on the internet I see it quite a lot on American food sites, why do you call chicken buffalo.. ?
Hi Lindi – No such thing as a dumb question! Here’s a great history behind the origin of buffalo chicken wings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_wing Hope this helps! 🙂
Thank you Martha , I love food facts and history of food …. They sound’ disgusting ‘ where can I get my hands on them love love chicken wings and it helps they are in my budget and I have a slow cooker so might just have to get a recipe do you have one or direct me to a site that I could Pin onto my Pinterest board… Once again Martha thank you, you are the only one that has answered my question. Sorry it took me so long to acknowledge you, sometimes life just gets in the way… Best wishes from a grateful Aussie…
Hi Lindi – I’m a food history buff too! 🙂 We have a classic buffalo wings recipe on our site here: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/classic-buffalo-wings/ and while we don’t have a slow-cooker buffalo wings recipe of our own, this one (from one of my favorite blogs to follow) looks incredible: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2014/02/simple-crock-pot-buffalo-chicken-wings-recipe.html Hope that helps! Have a great weekend!
You had me at buffalo, but lost me at 1 stick of butter. Can you suggest a gluten and dairy free replacement to the butter?
Hi Michaela! The butter helps give it that classic buffalo flavor along with the hot sauce of course, so it might be hard to completely replace it with something else. BUT – one of our family members is on a gluten and dairy free diet and so we’re familiar with Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks. We haven’t tried making this recipe using that in place of the real butter – but it might work! If you are able to find it (I think we bought it at Whole Foods) and try it in this recipe – please let us know how it comes out! Thanks for stopping by today! Martha
You had me at Buffalo…. I might pull this one together for dinner tonight!
Hope you enjoy it Cara!