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50 Buffalo Chicken Ideas That Always Win (Even When Your Team Doesn't)

BuffaLOADS of great ideas.

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classic buffalo chicken dip with chopped chicken, cream cheese, cheddar, blue cheese, hot sauce, and chives baked into a crisp puff pastry shell until bubbling and golden
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If there's one flavor profile that's practically synonymous with the Super Bowl, it's gotta be Buffalo chicken. We're here to tell you: If you LOVE it as much as we do, you don’t have to wait until game day to enjoy it. We’ve got 50 Buffalo chicken recipes here for you from alternative apps to light lunches and hearty weeknight dinners. Heat lovers, these are for you! For everyone else, grab a bottle of blue cheese or ranch dressing to help cool things off—it's about to get hot in here. 😉

It’s not the Super Bowl without Buffalo chicken somethingwings, dips, pizza… you name it, we’ve tried it. We’ve got the classics here, like our Buffalo chicken dip (including a Crockpot version), our Buffalo wings, and our pulled Buffalo chicken sliders, as well as some more creative takes on the flavor combo. Check out our Buffalo chicken biscuit bombs, our Buffalo chicken gilled cheese, our Buffalo chicken blooming quesadilla ring, or our Buffalo chicken meatballs to see what we mean.

Though Buffalo chicken of any kind does make for a great appetizer, it also can be easily incorporated into other meals. Our Buffalo chicken wrap, our Buffalo chicken salad, and our Buffalo chicken nugget burrito make for great lunches, while our Buffalo chicken & rice casserole, Buffalo chicken stuffed peppers, and Buffalo chicken Parm make for hearty dinners the whole family can enjoy. Feel free to get inventive and try adding it to all your favorite stand-by meals too.

Though much of this list does revolve around chicken, we’re here to tell you: Buffalo sauce can be used for SO much more. You can put it on vegetables, like in our Buffalo cauliflower or our fried Buffalo artichoke hearts; on seafood, like in our Buffalo shrimp lettuce wraps; or incorporate it into other classic apps, like in our Buffalo ranch popcorn.

We hope this list inspires you to get creative with Buffalo sauce outside of game day. If you're here because Super Bowl Sunday is coming up, check out our top game day snacks, drinks, and desserts too.

1

Buffalo Wings

baked chicken wings with buffalo sauce
PHOTO: DOAA ELKADY; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

To save time (and avoid missing the game!), skip the fried wings this game day and make these baked Buffalo wings instead. They're so much easier while still giving you a deliciously crispy, saucy, and caramelized result.

Get the Buffalo Wings recipe.

2

Buffalo Chicken Dip

buffalo chicken dip in a skillet with celery and carrots beside and a tortilla chip dipping in
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We're always looking for more ways to enjoy Buffalo sauce, but when serving a party, this Buffalo chicken dip just might be our favorite version of the classic party appetizer. The best part? It only requires 10 minutes of prep time!

Get the Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe.

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3

Buffalo Blitz Bites

classic buffalo chicken dip with chopped chicken, cream cheese, cheddar, blue cheese, hot sauce, and chives baked into a crisp puff pastry shell until bubbling and golden
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Classic Buffalo chicken dip mix—chopped chicken, cream cheese, cheddar, blue cheese, hot sauce, and chives—is baked into a crisp puff pastry shell until bubbling and golden.

Get the Buffalo Blitz Bites recipe.

4

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

fried cauliflower wings tossed in buffalo sauce on a platter with ranch dressing
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

While we love the classic buffalo wings, when we're craving something a bit lighter—or need to please plant-based guests—these wings are the app we turn to. This recipe transforms this staple veggie into crispy, golden bites that were made to be drenched in your favorite sauce.

Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings recipe.

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5

Extra-Crispy Buffalo Chicken Nugget Burrito

extra crispy buffalo chicken nugget burrito
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

With chicken nuggets and a crispy shell, this burrito gives Buffalo chicken wraps a run for their money. If you love Buffalo chicken but need an easy chicken dinner or packable lunch fast, using chicken nuggets speeds up the process, soaking up all of the delicious sauce in every bite. Yum!

Get the Extra-Crispy Buffalo Chicken Nugget Burrito recipe.

6

4-Way Dip

dip in 4 sections surrounded by pull apart biscuits on a tray
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

The hardest decision on game day is which dip to make. This dip gets rid of that. Combining our four favorite dips of buffalo chicken, spinach artichoke, jalapeño popper, and pizza this dip has something for everyone.

Get the 4-Way Dip recipe.

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7

Buffalo Chicken Biscuit Bombs

biscuits with buffalo chicken inside
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: SAM SENEVIRATNE

If you're craving something that’s equal parts spicy, cheesy, and downright delicious, these buffalo chicken biscuit bombs are about to become your new favorite snack. Picture this: tender, shredded chicken tossed in tangy buffalo sauce, all wrapped in buttery biscuit dough and baked to golden perfection.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Biscuit Bombs recipe.

8

Buffalo Chicken Waffle Fry Nachos

waffle fries on a sheet pan topped with buffalo chicken, carrots, celery, and blue cheese
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

When game day rolls around, I’m craving something crispy, cheesy, and packed with familiar flavors, and this Buffalo chicken waffle fry recipe is the ultimate shareable comfort food.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Waffle Fry Nachos recipe.

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9

Buffalo Chicken Parm

crispy chicken pieces covered in mozzarella and buffalo sauce
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

What happens when you give chicken Parm the Buffalo treatment? Well, you get this: a crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside chicken cutlet smothered in spicy sauce and topped with bubbling cheese (plus a drizzle of ranch, if that’s how you like your wings).

Get the Buffalo Chicken Parm recipe.

10

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

buffalo chicken mixture in a grilled cheese
PHOTO: MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

There’s no shame in a hearty dip for dinner in my book, but if you need a good excuse to enjoy your favorite warm dip without any shame, then let me introduce Buffalo chicken’s new best friend: grilled cheese. This combination is not only ridiculously good, but oh so easy to make.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese recipe.

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11

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

buffalo chicken pizza
Parker feierbach

Got some leftover roasted chicken? This pizza is the PERFECT way to use it! If you don't, shredding rotisserie chicken is a great alternative. If neither of those options is available, it's easy to boil some chicken breasts and shred them for topping.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Pizza recipe.

12

Buffalo Chicken Blooming Quesadilla Ring

buffalo chicken blooming quesadilla ring
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Want to serve quesadillas to a crowd? You've got to make a quesadilla ring! Buffalo chicken is a must for the Super Bowl, and this ring makes for the best-ever pull-apart game-day app.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Blooming Quesadilla Ring recipe.

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13

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

buffalo chicken wrap
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This wrap is just as easy to customize as it is to make. Feel free to adjust the spices to add more or less heat, swap out the slaw for lettuce, the blue cheese sauce with ranch dressing, use cauliflower or tofu instead of meat, or try Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Wrap recipe.

14

Buffalo Ranch Popcorn

popcorn covered with ranch and buffalo sauce
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

By all accounts, this shouldn't be good: popcorn covered in Buffalo sauce and ranch seasoning. But then you taste it, and you understand. This party snack is a little salty, a little spicy, a little buttery, and a lot of good.

Get the Buffalo Ranch Popcorn recipe.

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15

Fried Buffalo Artichoke Hearts

fried buffalo artichoke hearts
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We bet you've heard of Buffalo wings made from cauliflower or tempeh, but what about artichokes? Bonus: Valentine's almost always falls near the Super Bowl, and these are the perfect compromise appetizer. Be still our beating hearts!

Get the Fried Buffalo Artichoke Hearts recipe.

16

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

air fryer buffalo cauliflower
PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

This cauliflower is the perfect answer when you have Buffalo wings on the brain, but want to eat more vegetables. All the Buffalo flavor you love coat these florets, which are then air-fried to perfection. It all comes together when you dip one into our perfectly creamy blue cheese dressing (but feel free to go with ranch dressing if you prefer!).

Get the Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower recipe.

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17

Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos

buffalo cauliflower tacos

Cauliflower florets get coated in a well-seasoned batter, roasted until crispy, then slathered in spicy Buffalo wing sauce. Finish it off with a creamy ranch coleslaw topping to complement the spice. Bonus: They’re vegetarian!

Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos recipe.

18

Ranch Wings & Buffalo Sauce

ranch wings and buffalo sauce
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS

If the best (undebatable) wing flavor and sauce combination is hot Buffalo wings and ranch dip, then it stands to reason that a ranch wing with hot Buffalo dip would be equally delicious—right? Damn right. This flipped version is destined to become a new classic.

Get the Ranch Wings & Buffalo Sauce recipe.

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19

Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs

buffalo cauliflower kebabs with peppers and celery
PHOTO: ANDREA MONZO; FOOD STYLIST: SPENCER RICHARDS

These Buffalo cauliflower kebabs put all your favorite flavor from classic Buffalo wings onto skewers–and they're vegetarian to boot! Glaze the kebabs with more Buffalo sauce, grill until the cauliflower is tender, then drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Get the Buffalo Cauliflower Kebabs recipe.

20

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken

buffalo popcorn chicken
PHOTO & FOOD STYLING: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY

Those that feel the bone just gets in the way with Buffalo wings will absolutely love this recipe. Fried popcorn chicken is coated in Buffalo sauce for a crunchy, spicy, irresistible bite everyone can enjoy.

Get the Buffalo Popcorn Chicken recipe.

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