Why hello there! I’d like to introduce you to my fall dinner uniform, Healthy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potatoes.
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I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve made this crock pot recipe for shredded buffalo chicken with Greek yogurt sauce since I first shared it last year. In a direct match up between our frequency of eating it and the number of plaid shirts in my closet (my other fall uniform), I might even give it to the healthy buffalo chicken.
If you’ve hung out with me September through March, you know this is not a light statement.
I own A LOT of plaid and somehow keep finding a need to purchase more. A few weeks ago, two of our friends asked me to estimate the number of plaid shirts in my closet. I guessed seven, then went home and counted.
Um, I forgot a few.
Also, do dresses count? Please say no, because I kind of have my eye on this one. It would be so cute with boots!
OK, enough with buffalo check. Let’s get to the buffalo chicken recipe!
Healthy Buffalo Chicken
This Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken recipe is one of a handful of healthy crock pot chicken recipes on my site that I make over and over.
Ben loves it, I love it, it’s beyond easy, and despite its decadent taste, it’s low calorie too.
Whether you need a low-maintenance weeknight meal or a healthy reset after a particularly indulgent weekend, this Healthy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken hits the spot every time.
Why I Love These Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potatoes
I stole the idea to pair buffalo chicken with sweet potatoes from a friend who ordered a side of buffalo dipping sauce with her sweet potato fries at dinner.
At first, I thought it sounded odd, but the combination of the spicy buffalo sauce with the sweetness of the potatoes was addictive. I knew I had to try it at home.
Although I’m no stranger to having fries for dinner, I wanted this slow cooker buffalo chicken to fit a healthy weeknight dinner theme, so I served the shredded chicken over baked sweet potatoes instead. Dynamite!
The baked sweet potatoes gave me the sweet-spicy flavor pairing that I was after but in a lighter, healthier way. They also provide a built-in serving of (unfried) veg.
For maximum simplicity, I made the buffalo chicken in the slow cooker. I poured the buffalo sauce right over the top, and by the time the chicken was ready, it was fall-apart tender.
The final flourish is a blue cheese–Greek yogurt drizzle. If you aren’t into blue cheese, we can’t be friends you can swap for feta cheese or omit the blue cheese completely. These Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potatoes will still be delicious without it.
In addition to being a tasty weeknight dinner, the healthy Buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes are also easy to multiply for a crowd.
If you have any game watches or football parties on your agenda—events for which the presence of buffalo chicken teeters between “strongly encouraged” and “mandatory”—this recipe is a great way to feed the hungry hoards while leaving a little extra wiggle room in your diet too.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potatoes
email me the recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you the best of Well Plated. Already registered? Log in here.
Ingredients
For the Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
- ¾ cup hot sauce such as Frank’s
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry
- Chopped green onions for serving
For the Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing (omit to make dairy free):
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese plus additional for serving
Instructions
- Lightly coat a slow cooker with nonstick spray (I used a 6-quart but believe a smaller size would be fine too). Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place the hot sauce, coconut oil, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave until the coconut oil is melted (about 45 seconds), then stir until smooth. If you prefer not to use the microwave, melt the ingredients together in a small saucepan on the stove. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker, then cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken from crockpot and shred.
- About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, bake the sweet potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon the size of your sweet potato. Turn off the oven and leave the sweet potatoes inside to keep them warm.
- Once the chicken is shredded and while the sweet potatoes bake, mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water together to create a slurry. Add it to the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, then whisk to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken, stirring once halfway through. Once thick, return the chicken to the slow cooker and toss to coat.
- For the blue cheese yogurt topping: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients—Greek yogurt, milk, white vinegar, black pepper, and blue cheese. Split open the sweet potatoes, then top with the crock pot buffalo chicken, a drizzle of the blue cheese dressing, and green onions. Enjoy hot.
Video
Notes
- Store leftover buffalo chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Feel free to double this recipe to feed a larger group. You may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- All slow cookers differ in temperature, so adjust the cooking time according to your experience. Cooking time may vary base on the make and model of your slow cooker.
Nutrition
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Loved it but next time I make it-I will use less cayenne. It was 🔥🔥🔥. Had my husband’s forehead sweating. Will make again for sure.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you Amy!
One of my go-to dinners! So easy, healthy and always tasty
Yay! Thank you Emily!
Am going on try this it does look and sounds delicious, you mention cornstarch? I’m paleo and that isn’t part of the diet I will use tapioca or arrow root as replacements . Not sure if I understood wrong as the caption says paleo friendly
Hi Sue, I’m sorry but I can’t find where you are reading that it says paleo?
I made this for the second time and let me tell you it is soooooo good! People are very interested about this one, when I post it on my Facebook story. I tell them “I know it sounds kinda weird, but the flavors together are AMAZING.” It is sweet, spicy and cool all at the same time!
We make a lot of your recipes because they are amazing and we are really into healthy eating. I just feel your recipes are exactly how I like to eat. I can’t recommend you to my friends and family enough!
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you Natalie!
So excited to try – making tonight! But I don’t have cornstarch.. anything I could use to thicken instead? Thnx!!
Hi Marisa! Maybe a little flour? Hope you enjoy it!
I am in LOVE with this recipe and it has been thrown into my rotation regularly. I’ve been working on eating healthier, but still love my comfort foods, so this is a great recipe for me. I typically make the chicken in my slow cooker exactly as specified and serve it for dinner that night with sweet potatoes per the recipe. I use a combination of Frank’s wing sauce & Sweet Baby Ray’s buffalo wing sauce. Since it’s just me and my hubby, I do one sweet potato for each of us and there is always plenty of leftover chicken. I really like eating the leftover chicken on it’s own with some pita crackers for lunch (sometimes add some celery & onion to it…buffalo chicken salad, yum!), and I’ve also whipped up buffalo chicken dip quick and easy for football Sundays with the leftover chicken. Super easy and delicious recipe, and love how versatile it is. I usually skip the bleu cheese dressing (not a fan of bleu cheese) and just add some feta cheese and green onions on top. Awesome and husband approved too :)
So happy to hear you are enjoying it Erin! Thank you!
What can you use instead of coconut oil? I never buy that!
Hi Savannah, you could use butter instead. Enjoy!
So delicious & filling!! I was looking for lower calorie/ high protein meals and this hits the spot. So yummy!!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, LND!
Absolutely amazing! I followed the exact recipe and the flavor was spot on — not spicy, perfect buffalo flavor, and the Greek yogurt sauce was delish. We’ve made this two weeks in a row because of how good it is!!! I cooked my chicken on low for 8 hours because of work & it was perfectly fine, and my sweet potatoes in the air fryer for 45 min.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Madi! Thank you!
I added a sprinkle of bacon on top ! It was delicious thanks for the recipe ! Oh and that dress is really cute !
Great idea! So glad you enjoyed it, Teresa!