Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Name: Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 19 ounces bag of frozen grilled chicken strips or filets; 1 cup buffalo wing sauce ((such as Frank's)); 10 flour tortillas; 2 pounds broccoli ((about 1 large head)); 2 cups chopped curly kale; 2 cups shredded red cabbage; ¼ cup Italian dressing (or to taste); ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta cheese)

by Katerina

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Jul 20, 2016, Updated Aug 26, 2022

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Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos are stuffed with spicy, tangy chicken, loaded with hearty broccoli slaw, and sprinkled with feta cheese. A must-have recipe for busy weeknights!

Love buffalo flavors? Try my easy buffalo chicken dip.

A Mashup of Two Family Favorites!

Buffalo Chicken Tacos, how I love thee! Whether it’s Taco Tuesday, or Taco Friday, or Taco Anytime, these spicy buffalo tacos are sure to be a hit. If you like tacos or spicy food in general, these are gonna be your new favorite! Made with frozen chicken strips or fillets, they’re incredibly simple to pull together, and make a festive meal.

Since I make tacos so often (usually once a week or so), I like to play with the fillings and change things up. Huevos Rancheros Tacos, Southwestern Tacos, Salmon Tacos – those are the kind of tacos I like to serve. However, shredded buffalo chicken tacos are our favorite. A delicious meal that comes together in under 30 minutes.

This is the part where you ask me, “How’s that possible?” I’ll tell you!

From top left: Fresh broccoli, chopped kale, red cabbage, frozen grilled chicken breast, buffalo sauce, Italian dressing, feta cheese, tortillas.

The Key Ingredients

First, you need to remember that while at the grocery store, please pick up the following:

Italian Dressing: Of course, you could also make your own if you’d rather!
Frozen Chicken Strips or Filets: Get the frozen grilled chicken, not frozen raw chicken.
Flour Tortillas: The little fajita size ones are fine, or you could get the street taco size – so cute!
Fresh Veggies: I like broccoli, curly kale, and red cabbage for a homemade broccoli slaw. If you don’t feel like shredding broccoli, grab a bag of pre-made broccoli slaw!
Hot Sauce: Any brand you like.
Feta Cheese: Or you could use cheddar crumbles, Colby crumbles, bleu cheese, etc.

Close-up shot of a chicken taco with buffalo sauce and slaw.

How to Make Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos

This recipe just works for everyone. Some broccoli and kale salad to please the veggie lover, some chicken to satisfy the protein-eater, and some hot sauce and feta cheese for every person in the world (right?). Here’s how to make it:

Make the Chicken. Once you are ready to start dinner, pop the chicken in the microwave for 4 minutes, or follow the package directions to heat it up. Meanwhile, heat the hot sauce in a large skillet. Once the chicken is heated through, add it to the skillet and toss it to coat in the warm hot sauce. Shred and set aside.

Chicken and buffalo sauce cooking in a skillet.

Make the Broccoli Slaw. While the chicken is cooking, shred your broccoli and toss it with the Italian dressing. Let it sit for awhile to absorb the flavor.
Warm the Tortillas. Heat a clean skillet and warm each tortilla for a few seconds on each side. You can also warm them in the microwave, but they won’t be quite as flavorful that way and they may stick together a bit.

Homemade broccoli slaw in a mixing bowl.

Assemble the Tacos! Finally, fill your tortillas with shredded chicken, broccoli slaw, and a sprinkle of feta.
Enjoy. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.

A tortilla with layers of chicken, broccoli slaw, and feta.

Tips and Tricks

There are a lot of ways you can change this recipe, whether you want to use fresh chicken, add more toppings, or use different taco shells. Make it your own!

Fresh Chicken: If you don’t want to use frozen grilled chicken, try making some freshly-grilled chicken breast or Juicy Stovetop Chicken Breast instead. Shred and coat in the buffalo sauce as directed.
Toppings: While broccoli slaw is our favorite, this recipe would also be great with regular taco toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and even sour cream!
Crunchy Tacos: Swap the flour tortillas for crunchy taco shells, warmed in the oven. So good!
Buffalo Burrito Bowls: Layer these ingredients over hot cooked rice for a scrumptious “burrito” bowl.

Two tacos filled with buffalo chicken and other toppings.

What to Eat with Buffalo Chicken Tacos?

Need some easy sides to serve with your tacos? Look no further. There are all kinds of tasty options for making this dish an even better meal.

Cauliflower Bites: These easy Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Bites are a fun, savory addition to any meal. They’re a wholesome side that has all the comfort of your favorite potato wedges, without all the carbs.
Sweet Potato Wedges: Speaking of potato wedges, have you tried making them with sweet potatoes? They’re so good, with a buttery sweetness that plays perfectly with buffalo. This recipe for Crispy Sweet Potato Wedges will give you all the details.
Corn: Who doesn’t love corn on the cob – especially when it’s made with a ton of scrumptious toppings? That’s what you get when you make Elote, AKA Mexican Street Corn.

Shredded chicken tacos with buffalo sauce on a small baking tray, garnished with lime wedges.

Storing and Reheating Instructions

This recipe is easy to store in the fridge, as long as you keep each component separate in their own bowls or containers, and reheat just fine. Here’s how:

To store, Pack the cooked chicken and sauce into one container, the salad into another, and the tortillas into a third. Airtight plastic or glass containers are great, or you could use food storage bags. Keep in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. The tortillas will probably keep a little longer than that – just toss them if they seem stale or show any signs of mold.
To reheat, place the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over low heat until warmed through. Don’t overcook, or the chicken will dry out. Re-warm the tortillas in a clean skillet or the microwave.

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