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Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps, high protein slow cooker meals
Brittany Stage

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Tender shredded chicken slow cooked in tangy buffalo sauce and served in crisp lettuce cups with celery, carrots, and your choice of blue cheese or ranch. A high-protein, low-effort meal that works for dinner or meal-prep lunches.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 to 4 medium breasts
  • 3/4 cup buffalo sauce Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce recommended
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter stirred in at the end to round out the heat
  • 1 head romaine or butter lettuce leaves separated and washed
  • 2 stalks celery finely diced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/3 cup blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese optional, for topping

Equipment

  • 4-quart or 6-quart slow cooker
  • two forks for shredding

Method
 

  1. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the bottom of your slow cooker insert. If they overlap slightly that is fine, but try to keep them as flat as possible so they cook evenly.
  2. Pour the buffalo sauce and chicken broth over the chicken. Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper evenly over the top. There is no need to stir at this point. The broth keeps the chicken from drying out during the long cook.
  3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. The chicken is ready when it shreds easily with a fork. If you press down on a breast with a spoon and it starts to fall apart, you are there. Do not overcook past 5 hours on low or the chicken can turn stringy.
  4. Lift the chicken breasts out of the liquid and shred them on a cutting board using two forks, pulling the meat apart into long strands. Then return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce so every piece is coated.
  5. Add the tablespoon of unsalted butter to the pot and stir it in until melted. This step is optional but it makes a real difference. The butter takes the sharp edge off the vinegar heat and gives the sauce a slightly silkier body. Taste the chicken and add a small pinch of salt if needed.
  6. Arrange large lettuce leaves on a platter or on individual plates. Spoon a generous portion of buffalo chicken into each leaf, keeping the filling centered so it does not spill when you pick it up.
  7. Top each wrap with diced celery, shredded carrots, and a drizzle of blue cheese or ranch dressing. Add crumbled blue cheese if you like a stronger flavor. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm and the lettuce is still crisp.

Notes

Chicken breasts can go from perfectly cooked to dry quickly in a slow cooker, so check them at the 4-hour mark. The shredded chicken keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in the sauce so it stays moist when you reheat it.