Buffalo Chicken Taco

Name: Buffalo Chicken Taco
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 500 grams chicken thighs ((1 pound) ); 1 tablespoons oil; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1/3- 1/2 cup Frank’s Buffalo sauce; 1 tablespoon butter; 1/3 cup mayo; 1/4 cup sour cream; 2-3 tablespoons water; 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning; 8-10 small corn tortillas (/ flour ); 2 cups coleslaw mix; 1 stalk celery (chopped); 1/2 cup green onion

Drool-worthy Buffalo Chicken Tacos – toasted flour tortillas stuffed with spicy shredded buffalo chicken, piles of crunchy coleslaw, and a good drizzle of creamy ranch dressing. This made from scratch Buffalo chicken is incredibly juicy, and flavorful, and takes just 15 minutes to make.

Delicious buffalo chicken tacos topped with ranch dressing and green onions

What do I say about these Buffalo Chicken Tacos? Once you have made these, You would want to have taco nights every day. Anything with buffalo sauce instantly lifts the flavors and these tacos are no different.

Spicy, tangy juicy buffalo chicken, made from scratch (not pre-shredded chicken) is the real deal breaker here. Takes less than 20 minutes to make and the caramelized chicken with the sauce is insane.
Pair with coleslaw that lends the necessary crunch.
The hot spicy buffalo chicken is tammed down by an easy creamy ranch dressing made with ranch seasoning, mayo, and sour cream.
Versatile to make. Add your favorite veggies and toppings. There are tons of options out there.
Perfect for planning and doing the prep ahead.

What goes into Buffalo Chicken Tacos?

For Taco

Chicken thighs– For moist tender buffalo chicken. As we are searing the chicken first then again cooking with buffalo sauce, thighs stays moist. You can also use chicken breast but need to keep an eye and be careful about not overcooking it.
Seasoning for chicken– Holy trio of garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder to season the chicken before searing. There is of course a bit of salt.
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce– I have used Frank’s red hot buffalo wing sauce.
Butter– Seems like an unnecessary ingredient, but just a dollop of butter makes a huge difference. I would suggest not to skip.
Tortilla– My preference is flour tortilla, but you have lots of options here. Corn, multigrain or gluten-free anything will work.
Coleslaw mix– Get a bag of readymade coleslaw mix to save time or make your own.
Celery– I love celery served with anything buffalo sauce. Cut into thin strips or simply chop them and add to coleslaw mix.
Green Onion– chopped.

For Ranch dressing

Just don’t settle for bottled ranch, when you can have more creamier and rich ranch dressing with just 3 ingredients( 4 if I include water)

Ranch Seasoning– Hidden Valey’s ranch seasoning mix.
Mayo – My homemade mayo is the best but use any full-fat mayo.
Sour Cream – at room temperature
Water – to thin out the sauce.

Other Topping Ideas

Best thing about Tacos, you have plenty of options for the topping.

Use iceberg lettuce instead of coleslaw.
Creamy avocado goes well with hot buffalo chicken. You can also make a quick salsa with seasonal corn and avocado.
Sprinkle some crumbled blue cheese on top.

Shredded Buffalo Chicken For Taco

Just tossing pre-cooked shredded chicken with buffalo sauce isn’t enough to make an unforgettable taco. You would need a little more than that. Just 20 minutes to make the chicken and trust me it’s worth the effort. Here’s a quick walk-through.

Season chicken thigh with a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and bit of salt( just add a little, as later we will toss the chicken in buffalo sauce). If there is time rest it for 15 minutes or you can also rest it overnight), otherwise get straight into cooking.
Sear the thighs for 4-5 minutes on each side. Then cover and let it rest in the skillet to cool down.
Once cooled down, shred the thighs using fork.
Switch on the flame, add buffalo sauce to the shredded chicken, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is coated with sauce. Finish it off with butter.

Shred and add buffalo sauce to the chicken.

Juicy and tender shredded buffalo chicken

Don’t Forget The Ranch Dressing

Here is a quick ranch dressing that’s better than bottled ones and also super easy to make. I am not going to make it from scratch, but instead, use bottled ranch seasoning and mix it with Mayo, Sour cream, and water. It is creamy, rich, tangy and pairs just perfectly with buffalo chicken.

Can we use pre-shredded chicken?

When I am short on time, always go for the pre-shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken. Add shredded chicken and buffalo sauce to a pan. Cook until the sauce has a little dried up and coat the chicken well. Finish off with some butter.

Another way to make these amazing chicken tacos is to make Buffalo Chicken in Instant pot. Then cook them in a pan until all the liquid has evaporated.

Few Recipe Tips!

Cool down the chicken a bit (should be warm) before adding it to the tortillas, so that it doesn’t wilt the veggies.
While layering the tacos, start with coleslaw mix, then buffalo chicken, and top it with sauce. This way because there is no sauce element at the bottom, the taco’s will not get soggy.

To Prep Ahead

Shredded Buffalo chicken stays well for 3-4 days in the fridge, so prep ahead. Ranch dressing stays well for a couple of days too. Keep coleslaw separately in a ziplock bag. Warm the chicken in the microwave before assembling the tacos.