Bring a spicy kick to your taco night with these Easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos! Made with perfectly seasoned Buffalo Chicken, this easy taco recipe is always a crowd-pleaser!
Love Buffalo Chicken? You will also love Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Buffalo Chicken Casserole, and Buffalo Chicken Salad.
I do not know many people who do not love tacos or buffalo chicken. When you put the two together to form a Buffalo Chicken Taco, it may be enough to create world peace.
Okay, I am being dramatic, but seriously, these easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos DO create peace and happiness at the dinner table!
And when you start with leftover cooked chicken, it is as simple as making a quick buffalo sauce, chopping up some lettuce, and dinner is DONE!
Ingredients Needed
- Cooked Chicken--Use leftover shredded Instant Pot Chicken Breasts, Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken, Homemade Rotisserie Chicken, or Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts.
- Hot Sauce--Any cayenne-based hot sauce works, but Franks Red Hot is my favorite.
- Honey--This is optional, but helps to balance the heat of the hot sauce.
- Butter--Another optional ingredient, but butter is traditional in Buffalo Sauce and helps to round out the flavors.
- Spices--Adding a few spices makes homemade buffalo sauce a thousand times tastier!
- Tortillas--Corn or flour tortillas or hard corn taco shells are all great options for Buffalo Chicken.
- Toppings--Shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, shredded cheese, shredded carrots, ranch dressing, and blue cheese are all great options to top Buffalo Chicken Tacos.
To really speed up the process of making Buffalo Chicken Tacos, use my recipe for Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken. The chicken cooks right in the buffalo sauce and then the tacos can be assembled with the meat and toppings of your choice.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- In a large microwave-safe bowl melt butter, if using.
- Add in hot sauce, honey, and spices and whisk to combine.
- Dice or shred cooked chicken.
- Add the chicken to buffalo sauce and toss to coat the chicken evenly with sauce.
- Warm tortilla shells in a dry skillet or heat hard shells in the oven according to package directions.
- Top each shell with Buffalo Chicken.
- Top as desired with lettuce, cheese, carrots, tomatoes, blue cheese, or ranch dressing.
Pro Tip: Toss shredded lettuce and carrots with ranch dressing/blue cheese and then top the tacos with the dressed lettuce. Each bite of the taco has the creaminess from the ranch or blue cheese when the Buffalo Chicken Tacos are assembled this way!
More Delicious Taco Recipes
- Easy Lentil Tacos
- Black Bean Tacos
- Classic Beef Tacos
- Easy Fish Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Jalapeno Chicken Tacos
- Cauliflower Tacos
Change up taco night and makes these easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with pre-cooked chicken and a simple homemade buffalo sauce. It is an easy 15-minute dinner your family will love!
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ cup hot sauce such as Frank's Red Hot
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
- 12 taco shells or tortilla shells
To Serve Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- ½ head iceberg lettuce shredded
- ½ cup homemade ranch dressing or blue cheese
- ¼ cup shredded or thinly sliced carrots
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the hot sauce, honey, butter, and seasonings.
- Add the shredded chicken and toss to combine. If desired, heat the chicken in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes until chicken is warmed through.
- Using tongs, or a slotted spoon, fill the taco shells with the chicken.
- Top the tacos with shredded lettuce, carrots, cheese, and a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese as desired.
Notes
- Use Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken as the base of these chicken tacos if desired.
- Pro Tip: Toss shredded lettuce and carrots with ranch dressing/blue cheese and then top the tacos with the dressed lettuce. Each bite of the taco has the creaminess from the ranch or blue cheese when the Buffalo Chicken Tacos are assembled this way!
Taylor
Can I sub the 3 cups of chicken for a pound of ground chicken?
Kristen Chidsey
Absolutely Taylor! I would brown the chicken, breaking it into small-bite-sized pieces, and then season as directed.
Abby
This is really good! One way I kicked up the brightness on the flavor was instead of using lettuce I chopped up Clery leave and the inner softest most tender top of the celery stalks and I shaved carrots with my peeler and put those on it. So good!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I love that idea of a topping! I am so glad you enjoyed the tacos Abby!
Julie Evink
These were delicious! Loved the kick and so did my kids. Can't wait to add them to our weekly menu plan!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! They are a family favorite here too!
Krissy Allori
I've never tried buffalo chicken in tacos before but this was amazing.
Kristen Chidsey
So glad you enjoyed these!
Cindy
I never thought to add slaw to buffalo anything. What a great idea!
Kristen Chidsey
It really adds the perfect counter balance to the spice. Hope you give it a try Cindy!
Liz
I know I'd love tacos with buffalo chicken! And topping with ranch slaw sounds wonderful!
Kristen Chidsey
The ranch slaw is key!
Nikki
My family will love these! Two of our favorites tacos and anything buffalo! Great recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
<3 Thanks friend!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks! You will love this recipe for sure!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Valerie! Food waste upsets me so much!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Coleen! I hope you enjoy these!