I wasn’t a fan of buffalo chicken until I found the right combination to make it. For me, it was the hot sauce. Now with this buffalo sauce mixture, I will eat it on wings, chicken burgers, or in these shredded chicken sandwiches! The hot sauce makes this recipe, and it must be the Cholula red hot sauce.
I usually do not like adding cream cheese to many crockpot recipes, but this one cuts down the spice and makes it so savory. Of course, if you prefer to leave it out, you can, but I still highly recommend it.
This is one of my favorite recipes for dinner on busy days when I know I will not feel like cooking later in the day. Instead, I can just put it in the crockpot and let it cook while I am working or running errands.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 pounds, boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ stick of butter
- ½ cup Cholula hot sauce (less if you like it less spicy)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 oz packet or 3 Tbsps of Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 1 box of cream cheese
- Sandwich Rolls, Buns, Wraps, Crackers, Chips, or Bagel Chips
- Optional toppings: cheddar cheese, blue cheese crumbles, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded carrots, finely diced celery – or anything else you like
Directions
Place chicken breasts in a single layer. Sprinkle chicken breast evenly with ranch dressing. Melt butter, mix in hot sauce and spices, and stir. Then pour over the chicken. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours – cooking times vary, be sure to adjust your cooking time for your crock pot, so your chicken is cooked through.
When the chicken is ready, shred it in the crock pot with the sauce using two forks or a hand mixer (my favorite way). Add the cream cheese, melt it for about 30 minutes, and stir until it is well-mixed. While you could serve it directly from the crockpot, we prefer to put it in a cast iron baking dish and broil for 2 to 5 minutes (be sure to watch it so it doesn’t burn) it to get a nice cheesy crust on it.
Serve on sandwich rolls topped with your favorite toppings – blue cheese crumbles, cheddar cheese, blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, lettuce, shredded carrots, celery, or tomatoes. This is also great for a dip! You can enjoy it with tortilla chips, crackers, or bagel chips. Enjoy!
Notes: We love toasting our buns with butter in a skillet. While that makes it a bit less healthy, it sure is delicious.
I often will make enough of this to have leftovers for lunch the next day, and I enjoy making a wrap with lettuce, shredded carrots, and tomatoes for an easy lunch. It also reheats well in the microwave the next day.
Let us know how you enjoyed this recipe!
