By: Jill Mills Updated: Jun 17, 2025

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Made with just 4 ingredients, this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken is tender, juicy, and creamy with just the right amount of heat. Perfect for sliders, sandwiches, salads, quesadillas and more!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken with a spoon

I make this slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe at least twice a month. It’s not only quick and easy, it’s incredibly versatile. I love to make a batch on the weekend and use it throughout the week in different recipes, from buffalo chicken sliders to buffalo chicken salad. It’s so good!

Why This Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Is A Favorite

This has become one of my go-to recipes whenever I need something quick and easy. Here are a few reasons why,.

Only 4 ingredients. Chicken, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning! That’s really all you need to create tender, creamy, spicy (but not TOO spicy) buffalo chicken.
Ready in 3 hours. This is one of those slow cooker recipes that can be cooked on high or low. I can dump everything in the slow cooker before work or, if I forget until the afternoon, that’s fine too!
Endless ways to use it. My family has definitely enjoyed this slow cooker buffalo chicken straight from the slow cooker with a fork before! But it’s perfect for using in a variety of dishes, from pizza to salad and everything in-between. These buffalo chicken sliders are one of our favorite ways to enjoy it!

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make slow cooker buffalo chicken

Recipe Ingredients

This easy slow cooker recipe is made with just 4 ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Chicken breasts – Boneless skinless chicken thighs are another option.
Buffalo sauce – Pick one that you know you like. You can also help control the heat of the dish here as they come in varieties that range from mild to extremely hot.
Cream cheese – The full-fat option is the best, but it can be made with reduced fat if needed.
Ranch seasoning – if you want to use homemade ranch seasoning, you will need 6 tablespoons to make the equivalent of the 2 packets.

How To Make Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

It’s really as easy as 1-2-3!

Chicken breasts, cream cheese, and buffalo sauce in the slow cooker

Using an electric mixer to shred buffalo chicken in the crockpot

Combine. Combine all 4 ingredients in the slow cooker.
Cook. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
Shred. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, stirring it into the sauce.

The Best Way To Shred The Chicken

The buffalo chicken ends up super tender and easily falls apart, so shredding it with two works is quick and easy. However, another option is to use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. It will shred the chicken in seconds.

A bite of slow cooker buffalo chicken on a fork over a bowl

Tips & Variations

Here are a few ways to customize this slow cooker buffalo chicken.

Make it creamier. If you would like the dish to be even creamier than it is, you can add another 4 oz. of cream cheese or 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
Can I use the Instapot? You can use your Instapot on the slow cooker setting, but I would not recommend using it to pressure cook this dish. Though it will cut the cooking time substantially, it will also make the sauce extremely watery. The cream cheese will be clumpier and grainier, not smoothly incorporated into the sauce.
Adjust the heat level. You can control the heat in this dish in the selection of your buffalo sauce. If you want it mild, then be sure to get a mild buffalo sauce. Just as well, if you want a lot of heat, then you can get a spicier version. However, if you want to go with a mild version to serve to the majority and then heat just a single serving, you can do that by adding a spicy hot sauce to the single serving or even red pepper flakes.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

Fridge. Store leftover slow cooker buffalo chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for 3-4 days.
Freezer. To freeze, place the cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe Ziploc. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat. To reheat, you can microwave, stirring every 30-45 seconds until thoroughly heated throughout. Another option is to place the pan on low heat with some broth and stir constantly until heated.

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