These easy baked Buffalo chicken tacos are the ultimate weeknight dinner—spicy, cheesy, and totally satisfying. The shredded chicken cooks in your slow cooker or Instant Pot, then gets stuffed into tortillas with cheese and baked until crispy. They’re fast, flavorful, and the kind of dinner everyone will ask for again (and again).
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We love taco night in this house! I'm always looking for a different way to enjoy all my favorite traditional tacos, like these 15-minute ground chicken tacos or Korean steak tacos. Growing up, we always had the option of picking soft or hard taco shells. My mom would warm up a few of each shell and put all the ingredients in a glass taco bar serving platter. I now know this was an easy dinner for her to put together and something the whole family enjoyed.
If you're a buffalo sauce lover and are looking for more recipes, you HAVE to try my Easy Breaded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and buffalo chicken meatballs. They're both packed with bold flavor and make great alternatives for weeknight dinners or game day eats
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Key Ingredients
- Chicken breasts. I used chicken breasts for this recipe as they take a shorter amount of time to cook and shred. This recipe is super flexible. Use shredded thighs, tenders, leftover rotisserie chicken, or even crispy chicken strips.
- Spices. A mix of onion powder, garlic powder and paprika to enhance the flavor of the buffalo sauce.
- Buffalo sauce. My favorite is the Primal Medium Buffalo Sauce.
- Avocado. A ripe avocado to use as the base of the dipping sauce.
- Yogurt. I use Greek yogurt in most dressings and sauces for its creamier texture.
- Fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice. Fresh citrus and herbs complement the spicy buffalo sauce.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
No-Bake Option
Don’t want to bake the tacos? Just heat the tortillas and enjoy!
How to warm tortillas:
- Flame grill: This is my favorite and go-to way. Heat over an open flame for 15–30 seconds per side (until slightly charred).
- Oven: Wrap them in foil and bake at 350°F for 5–10 minutes.
- Microwave: Place them on a plate between two damp paper towels and zap for 30–60 seconds.
- Skillet: Lightly oil and warm for 30 seconds per side.
💡 Warm tortillas are a must—don’t skip this step!
How to Make Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Cook the Chicken
Choose your method:
Instant Pot:
Place the chicken, seasonings, and buffalo sauce in the Instant Pot. Secure the lid, set to high pressure, and cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 5–10 minutes.
Slow Cooker:
Place the chicken, seasonings, and buffalo sauce in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours.
Shred the Chicken
Shred the cooked chicken with two forks. Toss with extra buffalo sauce if needed.
Make the Sauce
Make the dipping sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray or brush both sides of the tortillas with olive oil, then fill with about ⅓ cup of shredded chicken and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold in half, place on the baking sheet, and bake for 10–15 minutes. Broil for 1–2 minutes until golden and crispy. Serve hot with sauce and your favorite taco toppings.
Sarah's Top Tips
- I love The New Primal medium buffalo sauce, but your favorite will work great.
- To make the buffalo chicken tacos less spicy, use a mild buffalo sauce.
- This buffalo chicken is versatile– serve it on brioche buns as a sandwich or on top of lettuce as a salad.
- The buffalo sauce acts as a marinade. Cooking the chicken in the buffalo sauce and spices allows the chicken to be full of flavor!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos for an easy weeknight meal or a fun crowd-pleaser on game days. Tacos can only be complete with a refreshing drink to wash them down– try my Simple Grapefruit Margarita or a 3-ingredient Tequila Sour to sip alongside.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: To store leftover buffalo chicken, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I do not recommend storing leftover baked tacos, as they will be soggy. Keep ingredients separate if you're making them ahead of time.
Freezer: To freeze leftover buffalo chicken, place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and store it for up to 3-4 months. Be sure to defrost it overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
Reheating: Reheat leftover chicken in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, then fill the tortillas and bake as directed in the recipe card or the air fryer.
More Taco Recipes
- Ground Chicken Tacos25 Minutes
- Cod Fish Tacos23 Minutes
- Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa30 Minutes
- Flank Steak Fajitas1 Hours 5 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below—I’d love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Recipe
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Easy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Chicken)
See the full post for extra tips and photos
Ingredients
Buffalo Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
Avocado Cilantro Sauce
- ½ large avocado
- ¼ cup unsweetened low-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup cilantro
- ½ lime, juiced
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Tacos
- 12 flour tortillas, (corn tortillas may crack unless warmed up before adding chicken)
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
Instructions
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
- Place the chicken, seasonings and buffalo sauce in the Instant Pot. Cover with lid, set to high pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Slow-release the pressure for 5-10 minutes, then remove the lid and shred chicken with two forks. (1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, salt and black pepper, ½ cup buffalo sauce)
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
- Place the chicken, seasonings and buffalo sauce in the slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on high heat for 3-4 hours, then remove the lid and shred chicken with two forks.
Avocado Cilantro Sauce
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. (½ large avocado, ¼ cup unsweetened low-fat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup cilantro, ½ lime, salt and black pepper)
Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread or spray both sides of the tortillas with olive oil. (12 flour tortillas)
- Add ⅓ cup of chicken to each tortilla topped with cheese. Fold the tortilla in half. (1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese)
- Bake for 10-15 minutes and then broil for 2 minutes until tacos are golden. Serve with avocado cilantro dipping sauce and lime wedges.
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Sarah's Tips
- I love The New Primal medium buffalo sauce, but any brand works.
- Use mild buffalo sauce if you prefer less heat.
- This buffalo chicken is versatile—try it in a sandwich or on top of a salad.
- Cooking the chicken in the sauce infuses it with bold flavor.
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