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This slow cooker buffalo chicken recipe is ah-maze-ing! Chicken drumsticks are marinated in a spicy, tangy sauce for 3 hours before they are cooked low and slow in a crockpot to yield incredibly tender, flavorful results.
Whether you’re hosting a party or just preparing a fun meal, this buffalo chicken drumstick recipe is for you. Two-bite chicken drumsticks are marinated in an iconically spicy, tangy mixture of buffalo sauce, white wine, garlic, and herbs before being loaded into the crockpot. They are then cooked low and slow (with very little effort on your part) to produce perfectly tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken loaded with game-day flavor. Dip ’em in blue cheese sauce, and you’ll be hooked.
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Recipe
- Flavor loaded. The heat from the buffalo sauce, the sweet acidity of the wine, and the savory garlic come together in a combo of eye-popping flavor that will have you licking your fingers.
- Minimal effort. All you have to do is marinate the chicken in a mixture of a few simple ingredients, throw everything into a crockpot, and cook for a few hours.
- Versatile pairing. There are many ways you can use this buffalo chicken! Enjoy it as a party app, shredded in pasta or tacos, or even on nachos.
What You’ll Need
- Chicken drumsticks – I like to remove the skins, but that’s up to you. You could also use chicken thighs or wings here if you’d like.
- Frank’s Red Hot – Or your favorite buffalo sauce. Any brand will do.
- Dry white wine – I usually go with a pinot grigio or chardonnay.
- Vegetable oil
- Garlic
- Parsley – You’ll need dried parsley to season the chicken and fresh parsley to garnish at the end.
- Green onions – The green onions are used to garnish the finished dish.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Here’s a basic overview of how to make this super simple buffalo chicken. You’ll find more thorough instructions in the recipe card below.
- Marinate the chicken. Place the drumsticks in a large resealable plastic bag, add the remaining ingredients, and toss to coat the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Cook. Transfer the chicken with the sauce to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
- Serve. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate, brush with sauce, garnish with fresh parsley and green onions, and serve with a side of bleu cheese dip.
Recipe Tips And Variations
Pay attention to these pro tips for the best slow cooker buffalo chicken you’ve ever tasted. Don’t be afraid to play with the recipe a bit to tailor it to your taste preferences.
- Don’t skimp on marinating. The buffalo marinade needs some time to sink into the chicken in order to impart significant flavor and also to tenderize the meat.
- Low and slow. While you can cook this chicken on high for a couple of hours, it really is best when you cook it on the lowest setting of your crockpot for a longer period of time. The meat will be more tender and flavorful.
- No sauce left behind. Don’t forget to brush the sauce left in the crockpot over the drumsticks when serving. It really drives the buffalo flavor home.
- Use a different cut of chicken. I used drumsticks but you could just as easily use wings or bone in chicken thighs if you’d like. Boneless thighs or breast tenders would also work but you may need to adjust the cooking time.
- Add ranch. Consider adding some ranch dip seasoning mix to your marinade for extra flavor.
- Make it richer. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter to the crockpot for extra richness.
How To Serve
I love enjoying these spicy chicken drumsticks as a party appetizer with ranch and/or blue cheese dip and some carrot sticks and celery to go alongside, but there are so many other things you can do with them as well. Remove the chicken from the bone, shred it, and stir it into my Buffalo Chicken Pasta or Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. Use it as the filling for tacos, burritos, or sandwiches. You could even use shredded buffalo chicken as a pizza or nacho topping (ideally with ranch or blue cheese dressing as the sauce).
Proper Storage
- To store. Allow the chicken to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat. Thaw the leftovers in the fridge (if frozen) before transferring them to a baking dish. Bake at 350°F, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the drumsticks are heated through. Alternatively, microwave a few drumsticks at a time in 30-second intervals until warm.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you need more new and exciting ways to put your crockpot to work, here are some of my favorite low and slow recipes.
- Crock Pot Rump Roast
- Slow Cooker Salmon with Creamy Lemon Sauce
- Mojo Pork
- Country Style Pork Ribs
- Sweet Korean BBQ Beef Tacos
- Slow Cooker Short Ribs
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Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 chicken drumsticks,, skin on or off*
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot,, or your favorite buffalo sauce
- ½ cup dry white wine,, like chardonnay or pinot grigio
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley,, or use your preferred dried herbs
- chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish
- green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Place drumsticks in a large resealable plastic bag or inside the inner bowl of your crock pot.
- Add the hot sauce, wine, vegetable oil, garlic, and dried parsley to the bag; seal the bag and turn to coat, or cover the inner bowl with a lid.
- Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Then, transfer the chicken and sauce to a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours or until chicken is tender. You can also cook it on High for 2 to 2½ hours. Chicken is cooked through when its internal temperature registers at 165˚F on a meat thermometer.
- Take the chicken out of the slow cooker, place it on a serving plate, and then brush it with the sauce from the slow cooker for added flavor.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and green onions.
- Serve with a side of bleu cheese dip.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This chicken was soooooo good. I just fell apart and the flavor was perfect. Thanks!
I’m very glad you loved the chicken and it was flavorful and tender! Thank YOU! 🙂