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This Buffalo Chicken Sandwich piles juicy, pan-cooked chicken in spicy buffalo sauce onto a toasted brioche bun with crisp lettuce, tomato, and a creamy blue cheese ranch. It skips the deep fryer but keeps all the flavor, and it’s on the table in about 20 minutes.
More chicken sandwiches and wraps: Buffalo Chicken Wrap | Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders | Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Before You Get Started
A few simple steps are the difference between a juicy sandwich and a dry one. Keep these in mind before you start.
- Pound the chicken to even thickness. Thin, uniform cutlets cook quickly and stay juicy. Thicker breasts can be butterflied or pounded flat.
- Cook to 165°F. Thin cutlets cook fast, so an instant-read thermometer keeps them from overcooking and drying out.
- Toast the buns. A quick toast keeps them sturdy so they don’t go soggy under the sauce and toppings.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Here’s how it comes together. See the recipe card below for full measurements and instructions.
Step 1: Prep the chicken
Place the cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness. Pat them dry and season both sides with paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Even thickness means even cooking, so you won’t end up with dry edges and an underdone center.
Step 2: Cook the chicken
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken about 4 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F. A mix of butter and oil adds flavor, but butter on its own tends to burn.
For more on getting a good sear, see my Stovetop Chicken Breast.
Step 3: Make the buffalo sauce
Melt the butter with Frank’s Red Hot in a small bowl or saucepan and whisk until smooth. Toss or brush the cooked chicken in the sauce so every bite is coated.
- Control the spice: The melted butter mellows the heat. Add more for a milder sauce, or more Frank’s to crank it up. Mix it to taste before tossing the chicken.
Step 4: Mix the blue cheese ranch
Stir together sour cream, ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles, and chopped green onions. This spread is optional, but it really makes the sandwich.
Make it milder: Leave out the blue cheese for a smoother ranch spread that still adds plenty of cool, creamy flavor.
Step 5: Assemble
Toast and split the buns, then spread the dressing on both halves.
Layer lettuce, the buffalo chicken, and tomato, add more sauce if you like, and finish with the top bun.
What Goes On It
The blue cheese ranch does a lot of the work here, but the toppings are flexible. The classic Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is crisp lettuce and sliced tomato. From there, add whatever you love:
- Sliced pickles
- Thinly sliced red onion
- A slice of provolone, mozzarella, or sharp cheddar
- Extra ranch or blue cheese dressing
On the cheese: Blue cheese is the traditional match for buffalo’s tang, but if it’s too strong for you, a mild melting cheese like provolone or mozzarella tones the heat down nicely.
- For more buffalo flavor, my Buffalo Chicken Dip and Cheesy Baked Buffalo Chicken are two more easy crowd-pleasers.
What to Serve With
This sandwich is hearty enough on its own, but a couple of game-day sides make it a full meal. Crispy fries or onion rings are the easy move, and something cool and creamy balances out the heat:
- Homemade Baked French Fries
- Beer Battered Onion Rings
- Coleslaw
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Southern Potato Salad
Storage Tips
Storage and Freezing
Best fresh. Assembled sandwiches are best eaten right away, since the buns soften the longer they sit.
Store the chicken separately. Keep leftover buffalo chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, then build a fresh sandwich when you’re ready. It’s also great chopped into a wrap or salad.
Freezing. Freeze the cooked chicken before adding the buffalo sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat, then sauce and assemble.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cheese is best on a buffalo chicken sandwich?
Blue cheese is the classic match for buffalo’s tang, and it’s built right into the ranch spread here. If blue cheese is too strong for you, a slice of provolone, mozzarella, or sharp cheddar melts nicely and tones down the heat.
Does mayo go on buffalo chicken?
It can. Some people like a swipe of mayo or a mayo-ranch mix, but the blue cheese ranch in this recipe already brings the cool, creamy element, so mayo is optional.
Can I use fried or air-fryer chicken instead?
Absolutely. Bread and fry the chicken like my Boneless Chicken Wings for a crispy version, or bake it like my Baked Chicken Nuggets. The buffalo sauce works on any of them.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Boneless, skinless thighs work fine. They’re a little richer than breasts, so the sandwich turns out juicier but slightly greasier.
More Chicken Sandwiches to Try
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich
- Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
- Chicken Salad Sandwich
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cutlets 4 cutlets
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 4 ounces blue cheese crumbles
- 2 green onions chopped
Sandwiches
- 4 large sandwich buns Brioche or other thick, sturdy buns
- 8 lettuce leaves optional
- 1 ripe tomato sliced
- Celery and carrot sticks for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Pound the chicken. Place the cutlets between two large pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness.
- Season and cook. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with paprika, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Cook about 4 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F.
- Sauce the chicken. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter with the hot sauce and stir to combine. Coat the cooked chicken in the sauce.
- Mix the dressing. In another small bowl, stir together the sour cream, ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles, and green onions.
- Build the sandwiches. Toast and split the buns, then spread the dressing on both halves. Layer lettuce, buffalo chicken, and tomato. Add more dressing if desired and finish with the top bun.
Notes
- Even thickness matters. Pound the cutlets so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Toast the buns. Keeps them sturdy under the sauce and toppings so they don’t go soggy.
- Adjust the heat. Use more or less buffalo sauce to taste; the melted butter tames the spice.
- Make it crispy. Bread and fry or bake the chicken if you prefer a crunchy version.
- Store smart. Keep leftover chicken separate from the buns; it lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge or freezes (before saucing) for up to 3 months.
- Skip the blue cheese. Leave it out of the dressing for a milder spread.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
