These Crispy Buffalo Chicken Thighs make a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner. Bone-in chicken thighs are pan-seared till crispy and coated with a homemade buffalo sauce. Ready in less than 30 minutes with just 5 main ingredients!
A cast iron pan makes these chicken thighs nice and crispy without any flour coating, while a simple mixture of butter and Frank's Hot Sauce adds the buffalo flavor. You won't believe this recipe is also low carb, Whole30 and paleo!
This is a really great recipe for anyone who loves buffalo chicken wings, but wishes they were bigger! Bone-in chicken thighs tend to have more flavor than boneless chicken thighs, but you could use this recipe with both options.
My favorite way to serve these buffalo chicken thighs is with Healthy Coleslaw or Fingerling Potato Salad.
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Why Make This Recipe?
This is the best buffalo chicken thighs recipe because it's:
- Easy to make - These chicken thighs are ready in less than 30 minutes and uses 5 main ingredients.
- Family friendly - Buffalo sauce and chicken are a match made in heaven that most everyone loves.
- Healthy - No fake sauce here! I show you how to make a healthier buffalo sauce that can also be paleo and Whole30 friendly.
- Crispy - The cooking style makes these super crispy without being breaded and deep fried!
Ingredients
You don't need a long list of ingredients for these buffalo chicken thighs. They're so easy to make with a few pantry staples!
- Chicken Thighs (Skin on, bone in) - You could also use boneless chicken thighs, although they will cook much faster. I like having something to hold on to, similar to a chicken wing! The most important part is to get chicken thighs with the skin, which is what will give you a crispy texture.
- Frank's Red Hot - Frank's is the traditional base for a lot of buffalo chicken recipes, but use whatever you like best! Make sure it's just the hot sauce and not a pre-mixed buffalo sauce.
- Butter - An essential part to buffalo sauce, I like to use Kerrygold. For Whole30 and paleo use ghee.
- Smoked Paprika - This adds a nice touch of smoky flavor and compliments the buffalo sauce.
- Garlic - Amazing to add an extra punch to the delicious sauce.
Equipment You'll Need
These tools help give the chicken a nice crunch without coating in flour or cornstarch. To make these crispy buffalo chicken thighs you'll need a:
A lot of people are really intimidated by using cast iron pans, but you shouldn't be! There are so many tutorials online for how to season and the clean up is really easy. Essentially just rinse with water, scrub, and wipe out. You will only need to season them again when food sticks to the surface or it has a dull appearance.
A splatter screen will save you from any oil splatters as these cook. It also makes for easier clean up.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Thighs
This method will give you perfectly crispy buffalo chicken thighs without adding flour or breading.
Step 1: Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Begin by adding oil to the cast iron pan and heating over medium high. The oil should be hot and shimmering but not smoking. Pat chicken thighs dry. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. This will remove moisture and allow them to crisp up nicely (plus prevent crazy splatters).
Step 2: Sear the chicken thighs. Place skin down first (see first picture below) and check after about 4 minutes to make sure it's not too dark - it should take about 8 minutes total to get nice and golden brown.
Step 3: Bake to finish cooking. Leave the skin side down and transfer to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes. Then FLIP so the skin side is up (see second picture below.) and cook another 5 minutes or so till cooked through. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.
Step 4: Make buffalo sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium low heat, whisk in the hot sauce and smoked paprika till smooth.
Step 5: Coat the chicken thighs in buffalo sauce. In a large bowl, toss the crispy chicken thighs with the buffalo sauce right before serving, or spoon directly on top.
Recipe Tips
- Chicken thighs - Choose skin-on thighs, but they can be bone-in or boneless. Having the skin on will help give you that crispy texture without using flour or baking powder.
- Salt - Frank's hot sauce tends to be higher in sodium, so adjust the seasoning on your chicken according to your personal preference. I find I need less salt in the rest of the dish because you get enough in the buffalo sauce.
- Heat level - Buffalo sauce is naturally a little spicy, but you can adjust the heat level by the amount of sauce you coat the chicken with. Also adding a bit of honey can bring down the heat level as well.
Can I Use Boneless Chicken Thighs?
Yes, boneless chicken thighs will work for this recipe as well, although it can be tough to find skin-on boneless chicken thighs.
Prepare and sear them the same way, but the cooking time will be shorter! Just bake for 5 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (when using a meat thermometer) is reached.
Can I Make These Into Buffalo Chicken Wings?
This buffalo chicken thighs recipe would be amazing as chicken wings! I would use chicken wings or drumettes and season them with salt and pepper.
Air fry the wings (space them out enough so they don't touch) at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Then flip and cook another 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Toss with the homemade buffalo sauce. Don't have an air fryer? Use my sesame chicken wing recipe as a base.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving spicier dishes like these buffalo chicken thighs with a cool counterpart. Some of my favorites are:
- Healthy Coleslaw
- Quick Potato Salad
- Side Salad with Ranch Dressing
- Apple Fennel Salad
- Halloumi Couscous Salad
You can also serve these thighs with simple baked potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or air fried potatoes like these Air Fryer Hash Browns.
Or for a game day meal, serve these with my Caramelized Shallot Dip, carrot and celery sticks.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator - These buffalo chicken thighs are best fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Freezer - These can also be frozen for up to 3 months and defrosted in the refrigerator.
- Reheating - I recommend quickly searing the chicken thighs, skin side down in a non-stick pan, just to crisp up the edges. Microwaving will work as well, but the skin won't be as crispy.
Generally chicken thighs are much more forgiving when reheated compared to chicken breasts. They don't dry out as easily.
Recipe FAQ
Feel free to use a store-bought buffalo sauce like Primal Kitchen instead of making the one in this recipe, especially if you're wanting to cut down on dishes. You can find Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce at Costco.
Be sure to thoroughly dry the chicken thighs with paper towels - especially the skin. And make sure the oil is hot. Using a cast iron pan can help crisp up the skin evenly.
For a whole30 or paleo option, use Primal Kitchen's sauce or you can substitute ghee for butter, if tolerated.
Chicken Thigh Recipes
If you love this buffalo chicken thighs recipe you'll really love my Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken or Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls.
For more great recipes using chicken thighs, check out these posts.
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Buffalo Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2.5 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (4 large pieces) Use air-chilled for best results
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (Franks RedHot®)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet. Meanwhile pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and lightly season both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
- When the oil is hot but not smoking, place the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin side down. Cover with a splatter screen. (I usually turn the heat down to medium and keep rotating the pan so the chicken thighs get browned evenly.) Check after a few minutes to make sure they are not getting too dark, and if so, turn down the heat more. They should be a nice golden brown after about 8 minutes.
- Leave the chicken thighs skin side down and transfer to the oven on a middle rack. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, then flip the thighs and continue cooking another 4-5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, melt butter or ghee with minced garlic in a small saucepan, cooking over medium-low heat until garlic is softened - 1-2 minutes. Whisk in hot sauce and smoked paprika till smooth and set aside.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the oven and place on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Whisk the buffalo sauce one more time and spoon over each chicken thigh till coated. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- To make this Whole30/lactose-free or paleo, use ghee instead of butter.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free.
- Use Frank's Red Hot Sauce or a plain hot sauce that is not already a pre-mixed buffalo sauce.
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used, but decrease the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
- If you're concerned about the spice level, start with ½ tablespoon of hot sauce and work your way up to taste. Remember the sauce is much stronger by itself than coated on the chicken.
Nutrition
This post was first published in July 2020, and was updated April 2023 to include new recipe tips, and photography!
Andrie says
It was so easy to make it. My daughter usually does not like the chicken but she loved this one. The sauce was delish, I will use it in some other dishes for sure. Thank you for the recipe.
Kristi says
It’s SOOOO good!!!! It is in my monthly rotation. My husband and I look forward to when I am making this lol. It pairs easily with all different sides and veggies for a nice variety each time.
Pam says
Easy and delicious. A satisfying take on Buffalo chicken wings. I served this with a baked potato and a salad that included spring mix, pickled onions, blue cheese and cherry tomatoes. We ate every bite!
Alicia says
Thanks so much, Pam! That sounds amazing!
Chris says
Really delicious, inexpensive, quick, easy. Chicken was crunchy, tender, juicy and flavorful. Great recipe, I will definitely add this to the rotation.
Jess says
I paired this recipe with classic waffles and syrup for a take on chicken and waffles and it was AMAZING!
slickrock says
I love having this tasty sauce that has NO sugar or wheat! Thanks for the recipe and tips!.
Never replied before but system says I submitted a duplicate comment.
slickrock47 says
I love having this tasty sauce that has NO sugar or wheat! Thanks for the recipe and tips!.
Katie says
Just made this for my husband and I today, it was sooo delicious!! Especially the sauce. Yum. Alicia does it again!
Maria says
This recipe was incredible! The whole family enjoyed it!
Alicia says
Yay! So happy to hear that
Jenn Heatley says
I've read that chicken skin has high levels of tyramine. Do most migraine folks seem okay eating some skin in small quantities?
Alicia says
Yes - I have not seen anything about chicken skin from a relevant source.
Pam M says
So good and easy to make. Thank you
R says
This recipe is amazingggggggg. i constantly make it and use the airfryer. would be awesome on wings!