Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

Fast and easy, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken is made from just 5 ingredients it's easy to throw together for a weeknight meal. The shredded buffalo chicken is great for meal prep, dips, and sandwiches.

Why You'll Love Shredded Buffalo Chicken

With zero carbs and a good amount of protein, it's a healthy dinner that can be made paleo, Whole30, gluten free and migraine diet friendly.

• The whole meal is complete in less than 30 minutes.
• It requires minimal ingredients and effort - everything cooks in one pot!
• If you needed shredded buffalo chicken for another recipe, like my buffalo chicken egg rolls or a buffalo chicken dip, this one is fast!
• This can easily be made in a slow cooker if you don't own an instant pot.

Ingredients

This recipe serves 3-4 people as written, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast - I prefer to use air-chilled chicken for this recipe if you can find it. Or if you have boneless, skinless chicken thighs, those would work too.
• Franks Red Hot Sauce - Buffalo sauce is just a mixture of a hot pepper sauce (most famously Frank's), vinegar, garlic, and butter.
• Vegetable or Chicken Broth - I recommend homemade broth or Trader Joe's Hearty Vegetable.
• Garlic Powder - This can also be substituted with 2 garlic cloves, minced.
• Butter, Ghee, or Pressed Oil - All 3 will work here to create a simple buffalo sauce. Ghee can be used for Whole30 and paleo diets and pressed oils like Earth Balance make this a dairy free meal.
• Green Onion - Used for garnish and to add a boost of flavor.

Step by Step Process

1. Add all of the ingredients except the green onion to the Instant Pot, cover, and turn vent to closed. Hit "Pressure Cook" for 8 minutes. If you have huge, thick chicken breasts, cook for 9-10 minutes.
2. Allow a natural release for 10-15 minutes, not opening the vent and leaving the lid on. Then turn the vent to allow any excess pressure to release and open the lid. Watch your fingers during this process, the steam will be very hot.
3. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks or with a kitchen mixer on low.
4. Meanwhile, reduce the sauce by turning the instant pot to "sauté" and letting it boil for about 5 minutes. If you'd like a thicker sauce, whisk in 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch till smooth. But don't worry that it's thin, the sauce will coat the chicken well once you combine the two.
5. Mix the chicken with the sauce, stirring well to fully coat. Top with green onion, if desired.

Recipe Tips

Here are some quick tips for using a slow cooker instead of an instant pot, making the sauce thicker, and freezing/reheating instructions.

• If you'd like to make this buffalo chicken in a slow cooker, use the same directions, but cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours. You may not need to reduce the sauce this way.
• For a thicker buffalo sauce - whisk in 2 teaspoons cornstarch till smooth before bringing the sauce to a boil.
• This recipe will freeze up to 6 months in a freezer bag. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight or place the bag in warm water for 30 minutes.

Meal Ideas for Pulled Buffalo Chicken

You can use this pulled buffalo chicken in a lot of different ways. Here are some ideas!

• Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
• Tacos - Place the shredded chicken in a tortilla and top with ranch dressing and green onions. Or replace them for the chicken tinga in my taquito recipe.
• Salad - Top romaine lettuce with cucumbers and buffalo chicken, along with my ranch dressing.
• Quesadillas - Place chicken and white American cheese between two tortillas and toast them in a non-stick skillet till cheese has melted.
• Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches - Use Martin's Potato Rolls (Target), and top with extra Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

Easy Chicken Recipes

For more recipes like this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken, see these posts. If you don't have an instant pot, you'll love the crispy buffalo chicken thighs. And for a vegetarian option, check out my baked buffalo cauliflower bites.

If you make any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And please leave a review below!