Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Impress guests at potlucks and game day parties with these easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sliders. With just 10 minutes of hands-on time, your slow cooker transforms chicken breasts into shredded, creamy buffalo chicken. Combined with Hawaiian rolls and simple toppings it makes a great appetizer, snack, or a quick and easy dinner.

this Recipe

 

In our house, sliders are practically a mainstay. They’re SO easy to make with all sorts of different flavors and toppings that I can always come up with something delicious my family loves. These Crockpot buffalo chicken sliders are a new variation of our shredded chicken sliders. Instead of rotisserie chicken, we’ll be making the EASIEST Crock Pot buffalo chicken to fill each delicious sandwich.

Each sandwich has the iconic flavors of buffalo chicken wings but in an easy-to-grab, less-messy slider. Whip these up for a super family-friendly dinner, and it’ll be a hit! Or, serve them to guests at your next potluck or as a game day appetizer, and I promise they’ll disappear.

Why I LOVE this recipe!

• Easy to Serve – Assemble the sandwiches yourself, or let everyone make their own straight from the slow cooker!
• Familiar Flavors – Buffalo, ranch, and blue cheese are always a winning combination!
• Dump and Go! – 10 minutes is all the hands-on time you’ll need for this recipe.
• Crowd Pleaser! – Set these out for guests and you’ll wish you made a double batch.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Chicken – To make this, you can use chicken breasts, chicken tenders, or boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
  
• Ranch Seasoning – You’ll need one packet, or feel free to use 2 tablespoons of homemade ranch seasoning instead!
  
• Buffalo Wing Sauce – You can use any form of buffalo sauce your family likes, whether it’s traditional, hot, or mild. We like Frank’s hot sauce but you can use any brand as well.
  
• Butter
  
• Cream Cheese – I recommend full or light cream cheese, but not non-fat. The fat-free kind doesn’t melt well.
  
• Slider rolls – We love to make our buffalo chicken sliders on Hawaiian rolls, but any small slider bun or roll will work instead.
  
• Toppings – A combination of shredded lettuce, ranch dressing, green onions, and blue cheese crumbles create that perfect buffalo wing flavor in your sliders. Feel free to change it up for your family’s tastes.

Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.

Recipe Variations

If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!

• Shredded BBQ Chicken Sliders– Make easy pulled bbq chicken sliders by whipping up a batch of my 3 ingredient Crockpot BBQ chicken instead. Swap the blue cheese out for cheddar and you’ve got a sandwich everyone will love.
  
• Honey Garlic Chicken Sliders– Make a batch of my Crock pot honey garlic chicken and place it on split Hawaiian rolls. You can keep all the toppings the same, or change them up based on your preferences.
  
• Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken Sliders– My Crock pot pineapple chicken is delicious as a slider when sandwiched between Hawaiian rolls with a homemade teriyaki sauce, green onions, and a spicy siracha Asian coleslaw.

Recipe Step by Step

I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make slow cooker buffalo chicken sliders.

Recipe Tips

1. Adjust buffalo sauce to taste – One cup of buffalo sauce is perfect for my family’s tastes, but you may like yours more or less spicy. Adjust the amount you add depending on how spicy you like it, or opt for a hot version of buffalo sauce to turn up the heat. Remember that the cream cheese will help balance it!
   
2. Use more or less cream cheese – I LOVE making our buffalo chicken sliders with cream cheese. Mixing in half a block to the chicken makes it SO creamy and delicious, but it’s optional. You can make yours with none or add double to make it a really creamy mixture.
   
3. Warm the cream cheese in the Crockpot – Don’t worry about pulling the cream cheese out to soften ahead of time; I have an easier trick! Take it from the fridge, cut off however much you’re using, and place the cold cream cheese on top of the cooked and shredded buffalo chicken. Put the lid back on your slow cooker and wait for 5 minutes. The residual heat will soften it perfectly, and then you can stir it right in, no problem!
   
4. Serve them potluck style – Make a cute slider bar with your Crockpot and all the toppings so you can skip assembling each sandwich yourself. Everyone can come by and assemble their sandwiches with fresh, warm chicken and their perfect combination of toppings.

Freezer Meal Instructions

Making this buffalo chicken slider recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.

To freeze before cooking

1. Combine chicken breasts in a freezer safe container or bag with ranch seasoning, butter, and buffalo sauce.
2. Freeze.
3. When ready to cook, let it thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
4. Place it into the Crockpot and follow the recipe starting from step 2.

How to Freeze Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sliders After Cooking

1. Let the shredded buffalo chicken cool completely.
2. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag.
3. Place the Hawaiian Rolls in a separate bag.
4. Freeze both.
5. When ready to eat, thaw both in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
6. Reheat the chicken and serve with the thawed rolls and fresh toppings.

What to Serve with Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Since these hearty slider sandwiches have the delicious flavors of buffalo wings, they will pair well with many of your favorite American side dishes and other game-day appetizers.

Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.

Side Dish Ideas

• Herb-Roasted Potatoes – These can easily replace fries as your new potato go-to!
• House Salad – This simple green salad will transport you to your favorite family restaurant with its familiar flavors.
• Corn on the Cob – Whip up delicious sweet corn on the cob in just 3 minutes in the instant pot!
• Jiffy Corn Casserole – This is the BEST corn casserole you’ll ever make!
• Oven Roasted Green Beans – Choose one of the five flavor options your family will love and enjoy a healthy, tasty side!
• Carrot Sticks – Keep that traditional buffalo wing theme with fresh veggies like carrot and celery sticks. Serve them with blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping.
• Chips – Keep it simple and save time with a handful of your favorite chips on the side.

Appetizer Pairing Suggestions

• Pepperoni Pinwheels – These pizza inspired roll ups are PERFECT for making ahead as a delicious appetizer.
• Cold Spinach Feta Dip – This easy chip and veggie dip can be prepared in advance!
• Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls – This 3-ingredient savory appetizer is an instant keeper!
• Million Dollar Deviled Eggs – You’ll never want traditional deviled eggs again after you try this recipe!