Crave-worthy Buffalo chicken gets a dairy-free makeover! Stuffed inside a tender sweet potato, and done completely in the slow cooker, 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potatoes is your answer to dinner tonight.
Raise you hand if you’re a Buffalo chicken fan.
Is your hand up? Mine too.
That spicy, vinegary tang hits the spot every time, and the combo can take regular, everyday chicken and elevate it to something really special.
The traditional recipe, though, is really better reserved for bar-fare or gameday.
Not so this version.
This version has all the traditional favor you expect, but made dairy-free with a just a touch of coconut oil for richness, and stuffed inside a luscious, tender sweet potato.
And the entire meal (potatoes included) can be prepared in the slow cooker.
Boom. Mic drop.
This one took more time to perfect than I’d like to admit (let’s just say we’ve eating a lot of Buffalo chicken in the past few months) but in the end I think it’s worth it.
Especially the part about the sweet potatoes cooking right alongside the chicken. Love that.
You can, of course, skip the sweet potatoes if you prefer to serve the chicken another way. It really is a simple recipe that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. I hope you enjoy.
Now, let’s make some 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potatoes!
RECIPE & KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | Most of the spice cooks out of the red hot sauce during the cooking process, making it palatable to those sensitive to heat.
Serve the chicken shredded, without any additional hot sauce if you’re serving someone who is sensitive to spice.
2 | Skip the sweet potatoes and serve the shredded chicken any way you like: in bowls, tacos, in buns, or salads. It would be especially delicious with something cold & crunchy like my creamy cabbage slaw recipe
THIS RECIPE IS . . .
Naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo and Whole30 Friendly
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
- ¾ cup red hot sauce*
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil divided**
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 small whole scrubbed sweet potatoes or 2 large sweet potatoes halved
For the Toppings (Optional)
- ¼ cup avocado mayonnaise or whole plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onion
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the hot sauce and 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil.
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Rub 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil on the skin of the sweet potatoes.
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Place the chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker. Drizzle with ¼ cup of the hot sauce mixture, tossing to coat.
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Arrange the sweet potatoes on top of the chicken, around the edge of the slow cooker.
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Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes are tender.
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While the chicken and sweet potatoes cook, make the sauce by whisking together the avocado mayonnaise or yogurt, lime juice and salt.
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Carefully remove the potatoes from the slow cooker--they will be very soft so you may need to use tongs and a spatula--and set aside. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return the chicken to the slow cooker, stirring together with any accumulated juice. Pour in an additional ¼ cup hot sauce mixture, stirring to combine.
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Slice the sweet potatoes, top with the shredded chicken, and drizzle with the remaining hot sauce mixture and mayonnaise or yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Notes
**Butter may be used in place of coconut oil.
All slow cookers are different. You may need to adjust the time up or down depending on your particular unit.
Most of the spice cooks out of the red hot sauce during the cooking process, making it palatable to those sensitive to heat.
Serve the chicken shredded, without any additional hot sauce if you're serving someone who is sensitive to spice.
Skip the sweet potatoes and serve the shredded chicken any way you like: in bowls, tacos, in buns, or salads.
