Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

This buffalo chicken sandwich will leave your hands messy and your stomach happy. Chicken is slow-cooked with ranch and buffalo sauce until tender and juicy, then topped with homemade coleslaw between two buns. 

 

There are few things in life as perfect as a good sandwich. It’s just the ultimate food. And believe me when I say that this buffalo chicken sandwich is a good sandwich. Not surprisingly, the star of the recipe is the chicken. It’s slow-cooked for a few hours with both ranch dressing mix and buffalo sauce. The result is unbelievably tender meat that’s rich and spicy. Unlike most chicken sandwiches that you’ll find at fast food restaurants, the chicken is shredded, which I think makes for a much better texture, and juicier meat. 

But the chicken isn’t the only thing to love about this recipe. The creamy coleslaw balances the spicy chicken perfectly, and I love to top it with blue cheese crumbles or ranch dressing. What’s not to love about putting all of that between two soft buns? 

Why You’ll Love This Spicy Chicken Sandwich

This is one of my favorite sandwiches ever … and that’s saying a lot! Here’s why I know you’ll love it too.

• So easy. The best part about this chicken recipe might be that it’s made in a slow cooker. That takes so much of the work out of it. You just add the ingredients, turn it on, and leave it alone for a few hours. Then all that’s left to do is assemble the sandwiches and enjoy them!
• Perfectly cooked. If you’re anything like me, then you hate standing over the stove or hovering next to the oven while a big piece of chicken cooks. Chicken is unsafe to eat when undercooked, but it’s so easy to overcook it and dry it out. Not with this recipe. Because it’s cooked in a slow cooker, the chicken is tender and juicy every single time. You don’t need to spend any time worrying about whether it’s undercooked or overcooked! 
• Balanced flavors. One of my favorite things about this sandwich is how well the flavors go together. Buffalo and ranch is a timeless combination, and the flavors are amplified in the slow cooker. The coleslaw is creamy, tangy, and refreshing, which balances out the spicy flavor of the chicken. And all of those ingredients go so well with some nice buns. It’s just a perfectly balanced sandwich. 

Ingredients Needed

Here are the ingredients that you’ll need to make this mouth-watering sandwich. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.

For the Chicken:

• Chicken breasts – Make sure to use boneless and skinless breasts.
• Ranch dressing mix
• Buffalo sauce – You can use whatever your favorite brand is.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter for this recipe.

For the Coleslaw:

• Coleslaw mix – If you don’t have a bag of coleslaw mix, you can just use shredded cabbage and carrots.
• Ranch dressing
• Mayonnaise

For Serving:

• Buns 
• Blue cheese crumbles – Blue cheese is optional.
• Ranch dressing – Ranch is also optional. 

How to Make This Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Making this juicy chicken sandwich couldn’t be easier. Here’s how to do it. 

• Add the ingredients. Put the chicken in a slow cooker. Sprinkle ranch dressing on top, then pour in some buffalo sauce. Add butter on top.

• Cook. Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on low. Cook for 3-4 hours. 
• Shred. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, and use a pair of forks to shred it.
• Finish seasoning. Put the chicken back in the crockpot and add the rest of the buffalo sauce. Stir to combine.

• Mix the coleslaw dressing. Put the ranch dressing and mayonnaise in a bowl, and stir to combine.
• Make the coleslaw. Toss the coleslaw mix with the dressing. 
• Assemble. Put chicken on each bun, top with coleslaw, and garnish with optional blue cheese and ranch. Then enjoy! 

Tips, Tricks, and Variations

Here are a few different ways that you can make this recipe your own, or simply make it the best!

• Make your own ranch. I’m a big believer in homemade items. I think the more homemade foods you use in a recipe, the better it will be. So when I make this chicken I love making my own ranch dressing mix instead of using the store-bought version. You’ll definitely notice the quality. One packet of ranch mix equals 2 tablespoons of homemade ranch mix.
• Adjust the heat. I love the spice level in these chicken sandwiches, but everybody has a different spice tolerance. If you want to make the juicy chicken extra spicy, use a spicier brand of buffalo sauce, or add a bunch of black pepper. You can also add pepperoncini peppers to this slow cooker. If this recipe sounds too spicy, you can dilute the buffalo sauce with water or vinegar. 
• Use an Instant Pot. You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot if you prefer. All you have to do is add ⅓ cup of water to the recipe, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Everything else is the same. 

What to Serve it With

I like to keep it simple with this recipe. In my opinion, sandwiches are best served with some classic sides, so that’s what I recommend. Here are some of my favorite recipes to serve with this chicken sandwich.

• Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
• Roasted Asparagus
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
• Tomato Mozzarella Salad
• Chicken Caesar Salad

How to Store Leftovers

You can store leftover spicy chicken sandwiches in an airtight container in the fridge. However, the sandwiches will get soggy pretty quickly, so I recommend eating them within a few hours of when they’re made. If you want to save leftovers, store the chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and the coleslaw in an airtight container for up to a week. Then, when you’re ready for a buffalo chicken sandwich, assemble the recipe.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

I don’t recommend freezing these sandwiches, because the bread will get very soggy. But the chicken and coleslaw can both be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Using a slow cooker for chicken almost feels like cheating. It’s so easy to get perfectly cooked chicken that’s juicy, tender, and packed with flavor every single time. Here are some more of my favorite slow cooker chicken recipes for you to try.

• Tikka Masala
• Verde Chicken Pozole
• Honey Sesame Chicken
• Fiesta Chicken 
• Chicken and Gravy

Continue to Content

Yield: 6

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Print

This slow cooker buffalo chicken sandwich is tangy, spicy, and incredibly tender. It's topped with a refreshing coleslaw, and so easy to make.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix (2 tablespoons if using homemade)
• 1 cup buffalo sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons prepared ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 6 buns
• Blue cheese crumbles (optional)
• Ranch dressing (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the chicken in the base of the slow cooker. Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix on top, then pour in 3/4 cup of the buffalo sauce. Add pieces of butter on top.
2. Put the lid on and cook on slow for 3-4 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with 2 forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker, and add the remaining 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce. Stir to combine.
4. Mix together the ranch dressing and mayonnaise until smooth. Toss with the coleslaw mix.
5. To serve, top each bun with the shredded buffalo chicken, the coleslaw, and optional blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Notes

• If using an Instant Pot, add 1/3 cup of water and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
• You can make your own ranch dressing mix using my ranch mix recipe.
• Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days, and coleslaw for 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 630Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 153mgSodium 2073mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 3gSugar 12gProtein 54g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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