A simple slow cooker crock pot Buffalo chicken drumsticks recipe that takes only a minute to prepare. Just dump the ingredients into the crock pot!
The last few days have been pretty hot and humid. In the heat of the summer, it’s best to leave the oven off. That’s why I like to pull out the slow cooker during hot summer days.
I picked up a family pack of chicken drumsticks last week. They are so inexpensive to buy in bulk. Since I didn’t want to heat up the kitchen by baking, I made a batch of slow cooked crock pot Buffalo chicken drumsticks.
Normally, I make Buffalo chicken in the oven. I just mix the buffalo sauce with butter and bake until the chicken is cooked. It’s a super easy dish to make.
For the crock pot Buffalo chicken drumsticks, I replaced the butter with apple cider vinegar. I wanted to get a tangier flavor. Plus, apple cider vinegar helps tenderize the meat.
The preparation for this dish can easily be done in less than a minute. I mixed it all up in the crock pot when I first woke up. Then, I put in in the refrigerator to marinate. After a few hours, I took the crock out of the refrigerator. I let it sit on the counter for about half an hour before cooking in the slow cooker. If you change temperature too quickly, the crock could crack.
I used chicken drumsticks because that’s what I had. You could use any part of the chicken for this dish. Wing pieces are most popular, but there’s very little meat on each piece. Great for appetizers, but not so great for a main dish.
The slow cooked crock pot Buffalo chicken drumsticks will be fully cooked in about four hours on the low setting. If you need them faster, the chicken is typically cooked in 3-4 hours if cooked on the high setting. It takes a little longer to cook on low. You can even use frozen chicken which will cook in about 4-6 hours on high.
I cooked the chicken for a little over four hours on low. It was just enough time for me to go out and run some errands. I always love coming home to the smell of a fresh cooked meal!
The chicken meat was very tender. The longer you slow cook it, the more tender it will be. I was a little hungry so I took out a piece to eat while letting the other pieces cook a little longer. The meat just fell off the bone for the pieces cooked longer.
Most Buffalo wing sauces are low carb. But, you’ll want to check the carb data listed before buying. There should be zero or almost zero carbs per serving. I always compare brands and choose the one with the lowest carb count.
I hope you enjoy the simplicity of this crock pot Buffalo chicken drumstick dish. It’s perfect for busy days! If you like this recipe, you may also want to try my Buffalo chicken meatloaf recipe here.
What’s your favorite low carb Buffalo wing sauce? Have you ever made your own sauce from scratch?
Slow Cooker Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks
- 7.5 ounces Wing sauce half a 13 ounce bottle
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley
Instructions
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Dump all ingredients into a slow cooker crock 6 quart size or larger.
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Toss ingredients to combine. Set in refrigerator for at least 3 hours to marinate.
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Allow crock to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before heating.
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Cover crock and cook on low setting for 4-6 hours or high setting 3-4 hours.
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Remove chicken to a platter and drizzle sauce over.
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Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery, if desired.
Bonnie says
Love this recipe, but my family doesn’t like hot sauce. Can you substitute the wing sauce for something a little milder?
Lisa says
Any sauce works.
Christine says
I love Buffalo Wild Wings spicy garlic. Can’t go wrong. Of course, I love Frank’s too.
Lisa says
I haven’t tried that one. I’ll have to give it a taste.
Lisa says
My favorite is Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce. It has 0 calories and 0 carbs! So yummy!!!
Lisa says
You can’t go wrong with Frank’s!