Creamy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken (also adaptable for the slow cooker or stovetop) delivers the familiar flavors of Buffalo wings without the mess. With just three main ingredients, you can have tender, shredded chicken in a creamy, garlicky, slightly spicy sauce in under an hour when using an Instant Pot. This crowd-pleasing, versatile dish freezes well and is perfect for game day, parties, or easy weeknight meals.
It’s straightforward to prepare and very adaptable. Below you’ll find instructions for the Instant Pot, slow cooker, and stovetop so you can use whatever equipment you have on hand.
We love anything Buffalo-flavored at my house. The classic Buffalo sauce—Frank’s RedHot combined with butter and garlic—appears on everything from wings to sandwiches and dips. This recipe captures that bold, tangy heat in an easier, creamier format that works for many meals.
The result is shredded, tender chicken coated in a creamy Buffalo sauce. After the chicken is cooked until it shreds easily, cream cheese is stirred in until silky and smooth. Serve it on sandwiches, in tacos, on pizza, over baked potatoes, in salads, or as a dip with tortilla chips.
This recipe makes a generous batch, which is great because leftovers reheat well and the dish freezes beautifully in individual portions for easy future meals. You can choose homemade Garlic Buffalo Sauce for the best depth of flavor, but commercial buffalo wing sauce will work in a pinch.
Use this creamy Buffalo chicken in sandwiches, sliders, tacos, on pizza, mixed into pasta, spooned over baked potatoes, or as a warm dip. If you’d like, make soft pretzel rolls or toasted English muffin bread to serve alongside it for an extra-special bite.
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
When using the Instant Pot, you can shred the chicken directly in the insert to save dishes, or remove the meat and shred it in a bowl or stand mixer if you prefer. If you remove the chicken, set the pot to “Sauté” to finish melting the cream cheese into the sauce.
Homemade Garlic Buffalo Sauce gives the richest flavor, but store-bought Buffalo wing sauce is a convenient substitute.
Equipment and serving ideas
Instant Pot: Using an Instant Pot will give you tender shredded chicken in about 45 minutes from start to finish when following the pressure cooking method. If you do a lot of one-pot meals, an Instant Pot is a great timesaver.
Slow cooker: The slow cooker is ideal for set-and-forget cooking if you have more time and want to let flavors deepen slowly.
Stovetop: A large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid works well if you prefer the stovetop method.
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Creamy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken for Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups Homemade Garlic Buffalo Sauce or commercial Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1 package of cream cheese 8 ounce, softened to room temperature, cut into 1-inch thick strips
Optional:
- 1/4 cup Garlic Buffalo Sauce for drizzling in at the end
Instructions
To Prepare in the Instant Pot:
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Pour the water into the Instant Pot stainless steel insert. Arrange three chicken breasts in the pot and drizzle about one-third of the Buffalo sauce over them. Repeat layering the chicken and sauce until all the chicken is in the pot, ending with any remaining sauce. Secure the lid, select Manual (High) pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then open the lid and switch the pot to the “Sauté” setting. Shred the chicken in the pot with two forks (or transfer to a bowl to shred). Stir the shredded chicken, then lay the cream cheese strips on top and cover with a lid. Let the cream cheese warm for about 8 minutes or until softened and hot, then stir until smooth. If you prefer a bolder Buffalo flavor, stir in an extra 1/4 cup of sauce. Serve immediately or portion and freeze for up to a month.
To Make in a Slow Cooker:
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Omit the water. Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker and pour the Buffalo sauce over them, tossing to coat. Cook on HIGH for 2–3 hours or on LOW for 4–5 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with two forks. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker, stir in the cream cheese strips, then leave the lid slightly ajar for 8–10 minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Stir until smooth, adding an extra 1/4 cup of sauce if you want more heat. Serve immediately or freeze in portions for up to a month.
To Prepare on the Stove Top:
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Combine the water, chicken breasts, and Buffalo sauce in a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer about 50 minutes, checking occasionally and adding 1/4 cup water if the liquid becomes low. When the chicken shreds easily, remove from heat, place the cream cheese pieces over the shredded chicken, and replace the lid. Let rest for 8 minutes so the cream cheese melts, then stir until smooth. Add an extra 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce if desired. Serve right away or freeze in portions for up to a month.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition based on the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
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