Creamy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken {or Slow Cooker}

Creamy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken {or Slow Cooker} tastes like chicken wings without all the mess and fuss. Just 3 ingredients and you’re less than an hour away from tender shredded chicken in a creamy, garlicky, slightly spicy sauce.

It’s so easy! Your next party or game day celebration just got tastier!

The recipe for Creamy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken makes quite a bit, but it freezes like a dream. Because not everyone’s kitchen is stocked the same way, I’ve included instructions for preparation in an Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or even on the stove top!

My kids love anything “Buffalo”. We spend a great deal of time in the actual city of Buffalo. As in 6 or more days per week.

We are painfully aware that what the rest of the world calls “Buffalo Wings” are actually just called “wings” or -if you want to get fancy- “Hot wings” in The Queen City. This becomes somewhat confusing in that any other food that has the classic wing sauce combination of Frank’s Red Hot, butter, and maybe some garlic is referred to as Buffalo this or that.

It is a crazy and crazy-delicious dichotomy. Does that have anything to do with today’s Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken?

Only by way of explanation, because I know I’ve brought this up before with Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sub Sandwiches, Boneless Buffalo Wings, Buffalo Chicken Baked Potatoes, Buffalo Garlic Knots, and the ultimate  Garlic Buffalo Sauce Recipe.

Guys. Creamy Buffalo Chicken!

This recipe has the triple advantage of being a crowd pleaser, remarkably simple to make, and deliciously versatile. Aside from vegetarians, I haven’t found a person who dislikes Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken.

Shredded, tender chicken in a creamy, garlicky, spicy Buffalo sauce. It is as easy to make as adding water, chicken breast, and Buffalo sauce to a pan and letting it rip until the chicken falls apart when prodded with a fork.

Then you add in cream cheese and let the heat of the chicken melt it. Stir, and VOILA! You have Creamy Buffalo Chicken!

The recipe yields a lot -it is true. No worries, though, since you’ll find a multitude of places and ways to use it.

And beyond the fact that you’ll have Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken to use for sandwiches, in tacos, on pizzas, salads, and as a tortilla chip dip, you’ll make this again. You also have the triple advantage of choosing between preparing it in a Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, or on the Stove Top. Hello, Game Day Snacks!

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

If you’re cooking your Buffalo Chicken in the Instant Pot, you can either shred the chicken directly in the Instant Pot to help save on dishes at the end, or use tongs to transfer the chicken to a bowl or stand mixer for easier shredding. If you do this, you’ll still want to have the pot set to “Saute”.

I highly recommend making Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken for Instant Pot or Slow Cooker with our homemade Garlic Buffalo Sauce. Commercial Buffalo sauce can be substituted but will lack some of the robustness of the homemade version.

Use these to make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken {or Slow Cooker}

Instant Pot. If you have an Instant Pot, you’re all set to have Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken in about 45 minutes from start to finish. If Creamy Buffalo Chicken is the thing that finally convinces you to get an Instant Pot, you’re going to find a million ways to use it!

While it isn’t strictly necessary to own a lid other than the one that comes with the Instant Pot, I am so happy I purchased this little glass one. Why?

Because the big “main” lid that comes with your Instant Pot cannot be used on the “Saute” setting as it builds pressure. If you have a pot lid at home that fits on the insert, you don’t really need this, but it does fit absolutely perfectly and it’s glass, so you can watch the progress of the ingredients.

Slow Cooker. Here’s a big, beautiful one that’ll fit so many recipes from here on Foodie with Family!

A big pan for making Creamy Buffalo Chicken (and a multitude of other things) on the stove top because it is also oven friendly! And last but certainly not least, a sturdy wooden spoon for stirring.

You can whip up The Most Perfect Soft Pretzel Rolls to go with your instant pot Buffalo chicken or serve it on toasted English Muffin Bread. And don’t forget a delicious icy cold Berry Kombucha Margarita or Watermelon Margarita a.k.a. Sandia En Fuego to go with it!

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Creamy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken for Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

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Rebecca Lindamood

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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:

• Pour water into the Instant Pot stainless steel insert. Lay down three chicken breasts, drizzle about 1/3 of the Buffalo Wing Sauce over the chicken. Repeat the layers until the chicken is all in the Instant Pot, ending with whatever Buffalo sauce remains. Fix the lid in place, press the Manual pressure button, and let it cook on High pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, lift the lid, and put the machine on “Saute” setting for 30 minutes. You will not likely need all 30 minutes, but that is the default and it is fine. Shred the chicken in the pot using 2 forks, stir well, and lay the cream cheese strips on top of the chicken. Place a lid on top of the pot. Let it simmer for about 8 minutes, or until the cheese is hot all the way through and soft. Remove the lid, and stir until smooth. If a stronger Buffalo Sauce flavour is desired, stir in an additional 1/4 cup. Serve immediately or divide into individual sized portions and freeze for up to a month.

To Make in a Slow Cooker:

• Omit the water. Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the crock of a slow cooker and pour in the Buffalo Sauce. Toss to coat. Put the lid in place and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or until the chicken shreds easily with two forks. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker crock. Stir the cream cheese strips into the chicken, put the lid askance on top, and let it rest for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is hot through and melted and stirs evenly into the sauce. If a stronger Buffalo Sauce flavour is desired, stir in an additional 1/4 cup. Serve immediately or divide into individual sized portions and freeze for up to a month.

To Prepare on the Stove Top:

• Add the water, chicken breasts, and Buffalo Sauce to an Everyday skillet or another high-sided 12-inch skillet with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, put the lid in place, drop the heat to low, and let it simmer for about 50 minutes, checking from time to time to be sure there is enough liquid (adding 1/4 cup a time if needed) or until the chicken shreds easily with two forks. Remove the pan from the heat, lay the cream cheese pieces on top of the shredded chicken, and replace the lid. Let the pan sit, undisturbed for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, the cream cheese should be melted and stir easily into the sauce, stir until smooth. If a stronger Buffalo Sauce flavour is desired, stir in an additional 1/4 cup. Serve immediately or divide into individual sized portions and freeze for up to a month.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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