Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
Fast and simple, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken is made from just 5 main ingredients it's easy to throw together for a weeknight meal. The shredded buffalo chicken is great for meal prep, dips, and sandwiches.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (recipe below or can use Primal Kitchen)
Homemade Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot recommended)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons butter, ghee, or pressed oil spread
- 1 green onion (optional)
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot
- 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. 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.
- Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks or with a kitchen mixer on low. 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.
- Mix the chicken with the sauce, stirring well to fully coat. Top with green onion, if desired. Taste and adjust any seasonings.
Slow Cooker
- To make this recipe in a slow cooker, combine the ingredients and cook on high for about 3 hours or low for 5-8 hours. I prefer to reserve about 1/4 of the buffalo sauce for mixing in after shredding the chicken if cooking this way.
Notes
- 2 minced garlic cloves can be substituted for the garlic powder.
- Frank's Red Hot is higher in sodium. Dave's Cool Cayenne Sauce is an alternative but does contain onion powder. Trader Joe's Chili Pepper Sauce is another option.
- I recommend using Primal Kitchen's buffalo sauce for a dairy free version or one that's very easy!
- This pairs well with my homemade ranch dressing recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 1118mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
