Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches - Family Favorite Recipe Made In 20 Minutes (2024)

Recipe Ingredients

These buffalo chicken sandwiches come together with just a few ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to round up (you can find the exact amounts in the recipe card below):

• Olive Oil: You can also use avocado oil or another vegetable oil. You just need a bit in the pan.
• Onion: I usually use a white or yellow onion.
• Carrots & Celery: I usually opt for half and half, but if you don’t like celery, you can use all carrots. Or, if the amount of carbs in carrots is a concern, then reduce the carrots and use more of the celery.
• Salt & Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is the way to go!
• Ground Chicken: Depending on your preference, you can use lean ground chicken or ground chicken breast. Both work equally well, but the ground chicken usually has a bit of dark meat whereas the ground chicken breast is all white meat so it is lower in fat and calories. In a saucy recipe like this, you don’t have to worry about it getting too dry.
• Tomato Sauce: Use a plain version if you can!
• Hot Sauce: I love the classic Frank’s Red Hot, but feel free to use your favorite.
• Worcestershire Sauce: This adds a little depth of flavor, so if it doesn’t fit in with your dietary needs or allergies, you can omit it. In the United States, Lea & Perrins is gluten free, if that is a concern for you. There are also options to make paleo-friendly homemade Worcestershire sauce.
• Rolls: Grab your favorite dinner rolls for making the sandwiches!
• Dip/Dressing: I like to use ranch dressing and blue cheese dressing (links below) when I make this for dinner.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Here’s a brief overview of how to make an easy buffalo chicken sandwich. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all of the details.

• Sauté the vegetables. Heat some oil in a skillet over medium heat, then sauté onions, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper until they start to soften.
• Cook the chicken. Add the ground chicken and cook it until it’s done, breaking up the meat as it cooks.

• Make the sauce. Stir in the tomato sauce, hot sauce, and Worcestershire, and simmer for several minutes, until everything is heated through.

• Assemble and serve. Finally, spoon the buffalo chicken mixture onto your dinner rolls, add the toppings of your choice, and enjoy!

Tips for Success

These tips and tricks will help you get the best possible results with your buffalo chicken sandwiches!

• Adjust the spice. If you are worried about all that spice for kids (or adults) who may not be able to handle the heat, you can adjust it as needed. Unlike wings which are covered in straight up hot sauce, here the buffalo chicken mix also contains tomato sauce, so it’s not as intense. And, you can always use more or less of the hot sauce.
• Use shredded chicken. If you’ve got leftover chicken in the fridge, or a rotisserie chicken, feel free to shred it up and use it in this recipe instead of the ground chicken.
• Make the chicken mixture ahead of time. Cooking the buffalo chicken mixture a day or two ahead and storing it in the fridge makes for a super easy dinner later in the week!

Topping Ideas

Not sure what to top your sandwich with? Here are a few ideas!

• Ranch Dressing: Use your favorite bottled dressing or a recipe that you love. For a healthier option, I prefer to make Greek yogurt ranch dressing.
• Blue Cheese Dressing: Just as with the ranch, you can buy or make your own, or try this Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing.
• Cheese: In addition to or instead of the dressing, you can add some crumbled blue cheese on top. Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack are also tasty options.

Serving Suggestions

The following options will give you some inspiration for how to serve your buffalo chicken, and what to serve with it:

• Sandwiches: Serve your chicken like a sloppy joe on your favorite rolls, such as a basic burger bun or brioche rolls. You can also use gluten free buns.
• Wraps: Roll everything up in a tortilla, or make it keto-friendly by enjoying it in lettuce wraps.
• Stuffed Potatoes: Whether you use the oven, microwave, air fryer, slow cooker, or Instant Pot, make yourself some baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes and spoon some of the mixture inside.
• Loaded Fries: The sweet and spicy combo of buffalo chicken loaded sweet potato fries is amazing, but you can also pile it on some frozen French fries that you popped in the oven.
• Salads: Yes, you can totally just add your chicken to a big bowl of salad greens, maybe with some chopped cucumbers, carrots, celery, or red onion. This is a great way to use up leftovers for lunch the next day.
• Rice Bowls: Move over burrito bowls, topping your white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice with buffalo chicken is a fun new twist.
• Easy Sides for Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches: Try these bacon green beans, these potato zucchini tots, this cheesy quinoa, or this healthy broccoli salad. If you are short on time, you can make air fryer tater tots in a flash!

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

If you have buffalo chicken leftovers, go ahead and save them for an easy lunch or dinner later on!

• To Store: The buffalo chicken mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat: Place a pan on the stovetop over medium heat and warm the chicken and veggies to the desired temperature. (Or just use the microwave.) Then, toast a new bun and enjoy!

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

Yes! Make sure that the buffalo chicken mixture has cooled completely, then store it in an airtight container and pop it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating!