Easy Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken is an amazingly simple, tasty, and a ridiculously easy recipe. This healthy30 minute meal is perfect for a busy weeknight, game day appetizer, tailgating, lazy weekend or meal prep!
In one layer, lay your chicken breasts on the bottom of the instant pot (or crock pot), pouring the entire* bottle of Wing Sauce over the chicken. Place lid securely on Instant Pot, setting IP to Meat/Stew, High Pressure for 8-10* minutes, be sure the steam release valve is in the closed position.
For frozen chicken, repeat above, (be sure the chicken is separated and not in big block), set IP to Meat/Stew, High Pressure for 13-15* minutes.
Once time is up, perform a quick release. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place on cutting board, with two forks shred chicken, set aside. *Make sure the chicken is cooked, if not, saute it a bit longer when returning to sauce.
Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode, whisking powdered ranch dressing mix into the sauce. Then whisk in the cream cheese until melted and smoothly incorporated. Return shredded chicken, celery and onions to the sauce, stirring to coat the chicken, the chicken mixture will thicken as it sits.
This dish can easily be made ahead of time, refrigerated and re-warmed (on stovetop) when ready to serve.
SERVING SUGGESTIONSServe in a bowl (or keep warm in IP or Crockpot), with buns on the side for "make your own sliders or sandwiches" be sure to have extra blue cheese & ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles, celery and carrot sticks.
Sprinkle sandwiches with Blue cheese crumbles, sliced lettuce, extra chopped green onions and celery and even shredded carrots for a beautiful juicy, crunchy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.
KETO or low carb style with firm lettuce leaves such as Iceberg or Romaine, drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing and a few chunks of blue cheese
Serve as a Buffalo Chicken Dip with carrot sticks, celery sticks a bowl of ranch and blue cheese dressing. If planning to serve as a dip, I would suggest placing the entire 8 oz brick of cream cheese in the sauce, making it a bit saucier and scoopable.
CROCKPOT OR SLOW COOKER VARIATION Place the chicken breasts into slow cooker, and pour in wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours or on high 3-4 hours until chicken cooked through.
Remove chicken from sauce, shred with two forks and set aside. Increase heat to high and whisk in 4-8 oz cream cheese (softened) until smooth and melted.
Return shredded chicken to slow cooker along with chopped celery and green onions, stirring until incorporated and all chicken is covered. Enjoy!
Notes
*For significantly less heat, reduce the Buffalo sauce by up to half a bottle and substitute balance of liquid with water.Make Buffalo Chicken ahead, stored in fridge for up to a week in a sealed container. Reheat on stovetop over low heat.
INSTANT POT ADJUSTMENT FOR ALTITUDE
*Please note that I am at altitude which means it takes slightly longer to cook things in pressure cookers, if you are at sea level or close to it, you may want to reduce your time slightly. If the chicken is not quite done, shred as best you can and when returning to Instant Pot into sauce, stir until chicken cooked through. Or just return the breasts to the sauce, and saute in IP for 5 minutes covered (not sealed) with lid.