Easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos – Griddle or Skillet Recipe

Share on Social!

These buffalo chicken tacos are made with shredded chicken, cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch dressing and they are fantastic! Easy to make and easy on your wallet, these griddle chicken tacos are the perfect party appetizers to make for game day (or just for dinner on Taco Tuesday!).

Buffalo chicken and the “Big Game” go together like peanut butter and jelly. In fact, I would guess that some sort of buffalo chicken appetizer is served at most football parties or tailgates… whether it’s buffalo chicken dip, buffalo chicken pinwheels, or buffalo chicken wings.

So today we’re adding a new recipe to your buffalo chicken repertoire, and it is a GOOD one! So good that even my kids were fighting over the last bite when we were finishing up our recipe testing – buffalo chicken tacos!

These ooey-gooey, perfectly cheesy and spicy, crispy griddle-fried buffalo chicken tacos are SO good… even if you’re making them for a Friday night dinner instead of a football party appetizer! And the best thing? They’re super easy to make, and you only need a few simple ingredients, so they’re budget-friendly also!

Though I would suggest that you make a few extras… You might find yourself hunched over the kitchen island, shoveling buffalo chicken tacos in your mouth before your party guests arrive… at least that’s how it was in our house!

Here’s how to make these awesome chicken tacos on the griddle:

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Tacos

• chicken – You can use shredded rotisserie chicken, or smoke and shred a whole chicken.
• cream cheese – We smoked our cream cheese to add extra flavor, but you can also just use softened cream cheese and still have some awesome buffalo chicken tacos.
• buffalo wing sauce – Use your favorite brand… we used Texas Pete Wing sauce for these tacos, but any buffalo-style sauce will work.
• ranch dressing
• mozzarella cheese – You can use packaged, pre-shredded cheese for this recipe to make it easier… no need to shred your own cheese.
• corn tortillas – The corn tortillas fry up nicely on the hot griddle. You can use white or yellow corn tortillas, whichever you prefer.
• high heat cooking oil – You’ll need a good high heat oil for shallow frying the tacos on the griddle. Avocado oil is my favorite oil for griddle cooking and seasoning.

How to Make the Best Buffalo Chicken Tacos

These buffalo chicken tacos are super easy to make on the griddle or inside on the stovetop (since a griddle is basically just a large skillet!). Just follow these steps:

Step 1: Prepare the Buffalo Chicken Mixture

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Your mix should look something like this:

*TIP – Typically for buffalo chicken dip, I would recommend using a hand mixer to shred your chicken, because it gives a finer texture. However, for this recipe, the tacos are best when you shred the chicken by hand so that the individual pieces are not too fine.

Step 2: Heat the Flat Top Grill or Griddle

Preheat your flat top grill or griddle to a medium-high heat, about 400-425°F. You want to make sure that the griddle surface is hot enough to be able to shallow fry the corn tortillas for crispy tacos.

Step 3: Assemble the Buffalo Chicken Tacos on the Griddle

When the griddle (or skillet) is hot, add a few tablespoons of your favorite high-heat cooking oil, and spread it around a bit with your spatula. You can tell in the photo below how much oil is on my griddle – you’ll want the oil to be “beading” in areas so that there is enough for the tortillas to fry:

Then, follow these steps to assemble the buffalo chicken tacos (similar to making quesadillas on the griddle):

1. Place the corn tortillas flat on the oiled surface.
2. Add a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each tortilla – about 3-4 tablespoons of cheese on each.
3. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the buffalo chicken mixture on top of the cheese, making sure to keep the mix on half of the tortilla to be able to fold it in half later.
4. Add a few dashes of Texas Pete hot sauce or buffalo sauce on top of the buffalo chicken mixture for a little extra heat.
5. Let the tacos cook open (unfolded) for about 1-2 minutes.

*TIP – I recommend that you cook 6-8 tacos on the griddle at one time. If you try to do too many, then some of the tortillas may burn before you can get to flip them.

Step 4: Fold the Corn Tortillas in Half to Make Tacos

When the cheese has started to melt, it’s time to fold the corn tortillas in half to make the tacos.

I found it easiest to use two griddle spatulas (or one spatula and one scraper) to hold one side of the tortilla down flat while folding the other side over it.

Then, cook on the first side for about 2-3 minutes until the tortilla is a bit crispy, and then flip to the next side. You may need to add a bit more oil to your griddle surface before flipping to the second side, to make sure that the corn tortilla fries evenly.

And feel free to flip the tacos back and forth to ensure that they fry evenly on the griddle. You’ll notice the color of the tortillas start to change from a pale yellow to a nice golden brown as they finish cooking and become more crispy.

Step 5: Serve the Buffalo Chicken Tacos

When the tacos are done cooking on the griddle, transfer them to a wire cooling rack for the excess oil to drain. Letting the tacos rest on a cooling rack also helps them to stay crispy versus stacking them immediately on a serving platter.

Once the tacos have cooled down a bit, you can transfer them to a serving platter. Garnish with your favorite toppings like crumbled blue cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, or a drizzle of ranch dressing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?

While corn tortillas are traditionally used for authentic tacos, you can certainly use flour tortillas if you prefer. Just be aware that the texture and flavor may be slightly different.

Can I make the buffalo chicken mixture ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the buffalo chicken mixture ahead of time and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to prepare the tacos.

How spicy are these Buffalo Chicken Tacos?

The level of spiciness can be adjusted to suit your taste preferences. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can use a milder sauce or reduce the amount of buffalo sauce used in the recipe. Or if you like it extra spicy, substitute a hotter buffalo sauce in the chicken mixture, or add a few dashes of hot sauce to the tacos before folding them over on the griddle.

Can I bake the tacos instead of frying them on a griddle?

Yes, you can bake the tacos in the oven instead of frying them on a griddle. Simply arrange the assembled tacos on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy and the filling is heated through.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos are a game day must-have for any football party. With their bold flavor and crispy texture, they’re sure to score big with your guests. Whether you’re cooking them up on a griddle or in a skillet, these tacos are quick and easy to make, leaving you more time to enjoy the big game! So, fire up the grill, whip up a batch of these mouthwatering tacos, and get ready to cheer on your favorite team!