These Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings are a classic entree or appetizer made in your crockpot! They’re fall-apart tender, mouthwateringly juicy, and smothered in a spicy, buttery buffalo sauce. Just 5 minutes of prep needed!
Chicken wings are one of my all time favorite recipes to make at home. And, turns out, one of my favorite ways to prepare them is in the crockpot!
I already have my crockpot honey BBQ wings (which are amazing, by the way) and my garlic parmesan wings, but you can’t miss the chicken wing classic: buffalo!
These crockpot buffalo chicken wings take no time to prep and are the perfect recipe to whip up for dinner or for when you’re hosting a party!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Simple ingredients – You more than likely have all of these ingredients on hand already!
- Hands-off – Just 5 minutes of actual hands-on time before these chicken wings are going into the crockpot.
- Amazing texture and flavor – The low and slow cooking time gives the chicken plenty of time to soak up the flavors of the spices and get super tender.
Recipe Notes
This crockpot buffalo chicken wings recipe is as simple as promised! Just 5 quick minutes of prep for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make buffalo wings in the crockpot to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken Wings – Fresh or frozen chicken wings will work. If you’re using frozen, be sure to thaw them first in the fridge.
- Hot Sauce – I use Frank’s hot sauce, but use your favorite variety.
- Melted Butter – Mixes with the hot sauce to create our buffalo sauce.
- Spices – Our dry rub is made with a combination of chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
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!
- BBQ Chicken Wings – Swap the hot sauce out for your favorite variety of BBQ sauce. Store-bought or homemade will work!
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings – Skip the crockpot and bake the wings at 425ºF for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165ºF. Turn halfway through to make sure the wings are cooking all the way around.
- Honey Sriracha Wings – Create a sweet and spicy chicken wing variation with a combination of Sriracha and honey instead of the hot sauce. the hot sauce and use a blend of honey and Sriracha instead for a swee
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 wings.
- Place the chicken breast pieces into your crockpot. In a bowl, mix together your spices.
2. Sprinkle the spice blend over the top of the chicken, then mix to coat the chicken. Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.
3. Once the chicken is cooked, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Transfer the wings to a mixing bowl, then toss with a mixture of hot sauce and melted butter.
4. Lay the wings out on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Once they’re nice and crisped, remove from the oven, brush with additional sauce, then serve and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Cook on low – Generally, chicken is better cooked on low in the crockpot. The lower and slower cooking time prevents it from drying out and makes it extra juicy and tender. However, if you’re lower on time, cooking on high will work just fine, still with delicious results.
- Drier is better – The buffalo sauce will stick better to wings that are slightly drier on the outside. I recommend removing as much of the liquid as possible from the wings when transferring from the slow cooker to the bowl.
- Make extra spicy wings – The hot sauce gives these wings plenty of heat, but if you like some extra spice, try adding a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the sauce!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use fresh chicken wings – No thawing time needed!
- Mix your spices in advance – You can mix up all of your seasonings ahead of time and store them in the pantry. That way, they’re ready to go when you want to make your wings.
- Slow cook, then store – Follow the recipe as instructed through slow cooking, but wait to bake. Instead, let the wings cool and store them in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let them thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake and add the sauce!
What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Wings
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of buffalo sauce, it will pair well with many of your favorite classic side dishes.
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.
Appetizer Pairings
- BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza – This BBQ chicken flatbread pizza is the perfect appetizer to pair with wings for a party. It’s made with naan flatbread layered with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, cheese, chicken, and onion.
- Mini Pigs in a Blanket – There is no appetizer more classic and delicious than pigs in a blanket. And these mini ones are the perfect finger-food for sharing. A simple, two-ingredient snack that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders – These sliders are the perfect way to offset the spice of your buffalo wings. They’re loaded with a creamy, cheesy, Ranch chicken filling piled onto sweet, butter-glazed Hawaiian rolls.
Side Dish Ideas
Check out my 51+ sides for chicken wings for ideas! Here are some of my favorites:
- Green Bean Casserole – This creamy green bean casserole is the perfect pairing for spicy chicken wings. You can use frozen, fresh, or canned green beans and whip this up with just 5 minutes of prep.
- Million Dollar Dip – Enjoy your buffalo wings with a side of this rich and creamy dip made with cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar, green onions, bacon, almonds, and garlic. Serve with sliced baguette, crackers, or fresh veggies.
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad – Devour a mouthwatering comfort food meal with a healthy helping of buffalo chicken wings and a big pile of creamy potato salad. This recipe is made with pantry staples and comes together with just 10 minutes of prep.
Chicken Wing Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Recipe FAQ’s
How do you get buffalo sauce to stick to wings?
The drier the better! Drier wings allow the sauce to stick more easily; it will just slide off the wings if they’re too moist. For the best results, try to remove as much of the liquid from the wings as possible when transferring them from the crockpot to a bowl.
Do you need to put liquid in the slow cooker when cooking chicken?
Nope! This recipe does not require a liquid for perfectly cooked chicken wings. Just throw the chicken and the seasonings into the slow cooker and you’re set.
How do you crisp up slow cooker wings?
You bake them after slow cooking! The slow cooker gets them nice and tender, then a quick 15 minutes in the oven at high heat allows the exterior to get nice and crispy.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite crockpot chicken recipes below.
- Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
- Marry Me Chicken – Crockpot Recipe
- Crockpot Honey BBQ Wings
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken
- Crock Pot Southwest Chicken
Crockpot Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 pounds chicken wings, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup hot sauce, I used Franks
- ½ cup melted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Mix.
- Place the chicken wings in the crockpot and sprinkle with the seasoning mix, stirring to get the winds coated evenly on all sides.
- Place the lid on, and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 6-7 hours.
- Once done, preheat the oven to 425˚F, remove the wings from the crockpot and place in a large bowl.Tip: The drier the wings are the better the sauce will stick, so try to remove as much of the liquid as possible when transferring them into the bowl.
- Whisk together the hot sauce and melted butter until combined, then pour them over the wings and toss them to coat.
- Lay the wings on a baking sheet and cook in the oven on the top rack for 15-18 minutes. Then, brush with additional sauce from the bowl you mixed the wings in and serve hot.
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