Kick your grilled cheese up a notch with Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese! This buffalo chicken sandwich combines spicy shredded chicken with smoked cheddar and blue cheese in between two buttery slices of bread.


Buffalo chicken grilled cheese stacked high


Personally I love eating grilled cheese as it’s so easy to make, especially when I’ve been busy with life.

Normally I make it simple for lunch with cheese, bread, and a ton of pickles. Then you can serve it alongside some homemade tomato soup.

However, if I want to make it more substantial for dinner, I stuff it like I did with my Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese.

Two buttery slices of bread stuffed with spicy shredded chicken, smoked cheddar, and blue cheese.

It’s similar to my salsa grilled cheese but I wanted to do a twist with buffalo chicken dip.

I’m obsessed with buffalo chicken – buffalo chicken wings, buffalo chicken mac and cheese, buffalo chicken chili, the list goes on.

Now it’s time to add grilled cheese to that list.

Although most buffalo chicken grilled cheese recipes call for pre-cooked chicken, mine doesn’t because there’s a 99 percent chance I don’t have leftover chicken.

That’s why I included cooking the chicken first in the directions. Luckily it won’t take long so you can enjoy a spicy, cheesy buffalo chicken melt for dinner.

And if you do have leftover shredded chicken, perfect! Just skip that part and go straight to the grilled cheese.


Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Ingredients For Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Here’s what you need to make your buffalo chicken sandwich recipe:

  • Chicken: I prefer chicken thighs as dark meat is juicier than white, but you can also use chicken breast.
  • Olive oil: For cooking the chicken
  • Onion and green pepper: For some crunch
  • Hot sauce: Use your favorite type of hot sauce. I used a Louisiana style hot sauce.
  • Ranch dressing: Helps balances the heat from the hot sauce
  • Smoked cheddar: The smokiness adds another layer of flavor to an already-awesome grilled cheese.
  • Blue cheese: Buffalo chicken and blue cheese often go hand in hand!
  • Bread: Any sliced bread will work but the better the bread, the better the sandwich

What type of cheese works best for Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese?

Cheddar cheese is often used for grilled cheese because it melts easily, but really you can use any that melt nicely, such as mozzarella, pepper jack, or even a combination.

I opted to grate my cheese from a block vs. thinly slicing it because grating helps the cheese melt quicker and more evenly than sliced.

But I will buy pre-sliced cheese to make life easier.

I also added blue cheese because you often see buffalo wings served with blue cheese dressing. But yes, you can leave it out if you don’t like it.


Buffalo Chicken Sandwich piled on each other

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Ready to get dinner on the table?

  1. Cook the chicken in a skillet by browning it on one side then flipping, adding water, and simmering until done. Once cool, shred the chicken.
  2. Saute the onion and green pepper then stir in cooked chicken, hot sauce, and ranch.
  3. Assemble and cook grilled cheese sandwiches until golden brown and melty.

What To Serve With Buffalo Grilled Cheese

Now that dinner is ready, time for the sides! I like to make green onion salad to add some fresh veggies.

You can also make homemade salt and vinegar chips and bbq chips like they do at delis.


Buffalo Chicken Melt on a cutting board

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese FAQ

Can you make buffalo grilled cheese ahead of time?

Grilled cheese sandwiches are best eaten when they’re made, but you can make the filling 1-2 days ahead of time.

Can I use another cheese?

Yes! Use any cheese that melts well, such as Muenster, Colby Jack, or white cheddar.

How do I melt my cheese before the bread burns?

Once the skillet is hot, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook it low and slow. This gives the cheese time to melt before the bread turns too dark.

More Buffalo Chicken Recipes

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Kick your grilled cheese up a notch with Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese! This buffalo chicken sandwich combines spicy shredded chicken with smoked cheddar and blue cheese in between two buttery slices of bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 large boneless skinless chicken thigh
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons chopped white or yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
  • 1/2 cup grated smoked cheddar cheese (can also use shredded or sliced mild cheddar)
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
  • Butter, for spreading
  • 4 slices white bread

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Once hot, lightly season the chicken with salt then add to the oil. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip, add water, cover, and simmer 5-8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Once cool enough to handle, shred (or chop) chicken.
  2. Dump out any leftover liquid from the skillet and wipe clean. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion, green pepper, and a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, roughly 5-8 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, hot sauce, and ranch. Remove from the heat.
  3. In a second skillet, heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, turn the heat down to medium-low. Butter one side of one slice of bread, place it buttered side down in the skillet, add half the cheddar, half of the buffalo chicken, and half of the blue cheese. Top with another slice of bread, buttered side up.
  4. Cook until the cheese has melted and the bottom is golden brown then flip. Cook until golden brown then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

    Best eaten when made. Refrigerate any leftover chicken filling for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • You can also use 1 cup leftover cooked chicken instead of cooking a chicken thigh.
  • Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my other buffalo chicken recipes.

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First published April 4, 2016