Description
This Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos recipe combines tender slow-cooked chicken tossed in a bold buffalo sauce, crisp baked taco shells, and a creamy jalapeño ranch dressing for a perfect spicy and flavorful meal. Ideal for easy weeknight dinners, these tacos are garnished with fresh cilantro, green onion, and avocado for added freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Buffalo Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup hot sauce (I like Franks Red Hot)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 12 hard shell tacos
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- Cilantro, for serving
- Green onion, for serving
- Avocado, for serving
- 2 chipotle peppers, chopped
Creamy Jalapeño Ranch
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: In the crockpot bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, chopped chipotle peppers, butter, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours for maximum tenderness.
- Shred and toss: Once cooked, shred the chicken with two forks and toss it well with the sauce in the crockpot. Remove the chicken from the sauce, reserving extra sauce for serving.
- Preheat and prepare taco shells: Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line the taco shells upright in a 9×13 inch baking dish and bake for 5 minutes to crisp them up.
- Stuff and bake tacos: Fill the warmed hard taco shells with the shredded chicken and top with shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and shells are crisp.
- Make the creamy jalapeño ranch: Meanwhile, combine sour cream or Greek yogurt, mayo, buttermilk, dried parsley, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, pickled jalapeños, kosher salt, and chopped chives in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
- Serve: Top the baked tacos with cilantro, green onions, avocado slices, extra buffalo sauce if desired, and drizzle with the creamy jalapeño ranch dressing. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For homemade hard shells: Warm 8-12 corn tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until pliable. Rub both sides with olive oil, layer cheese and chicken on one half, fold tortilla over and press gently. Bake on a sheet for 5-8 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes until cheese melts and tortillas are crisp.
- If using Instant Pot: Cook chicken on high pressure for 10 minutes and release steam before shredding. Continue recipe as directed.
- You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream in the ranch dressing for a lighter option.
- Adjust the amount of pickled jalapeños in the ranch to control spice level.
