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Buffalo Chicken Tacos transform your favorite game day flavors into an irresistible handheld dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes! Crispy corn tortillas filled with creamy, spicy buffalo chicken and melty cheddar cheese create crowd-pleasing tacos with all the bold, tangy flavors you love about buffalo wings, minus the mess!
Nikki’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: Bold, tangy buffalo sauce perfectly balanced with creamy, cheesy richness in every bite.
- Texture: There is a lovely contrast between the crispy baked tortillas and the warm, creamy buffalo chicken filling!
- Ease: Simple 30-minute recipe that relies on basic ingredients and straightforward techniques.
- Pros: Crowd-pleasing fusion dish that’s customizable, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for everything from game day to weeknight dinners.
- Considerations: Corn tortillas need proper warming to prevent cracking, and heat level should be adjusted based on your audience.
- Recipe Repeatability: This is a reliable recipe that will quickly become part of your regular rotation – especially during football season and busy weeknights!
I don’t know about you, but when I think of buffalo chicken, I think about game day. And these buffalo chicken tacos are perfect for your next game day party! But, you don’t have to save these tacos for game day – they’re surprisingly quick to put together and guaranteed to become a family favorite.
The combination of warm, creamy buffalo chicken, melted sharp cheddar, and crispy corn tortillas can be served as an appetizer to share or a hearty family dinner! These crispy buffalo chicken tacos deliver all the bold flavors of your favorite wings with half the effort, since they use simple pantry ingredients and are ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients Needed For Buffalo Chicken tacos
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese adds the perfect creamy flavor and texture to the buffalo chicken filling.
- Spices: You will need garlic powder, onion powder and salt to season up the chicken filling!
- Hot Sauce: Use a cayenne pepper sauce like Frank’s Red Hot for that classic spicy, buffalo flavor!
- Shredded Chicken: For ease, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken. Or prep and shred chicken breasts before preparing the tacos.
- Cheddar Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese adds flavor and also keeps the tacos sealed together after baking.
- Corn Tortillas: Small corn tortillas work great here!
- Olive Oil: Olive oil spray is easiest, or you can brush olive oil directly onto the tacos for a crispy finish.
Variations and Substitutions
- Tortillas: Use flour tortillas instead of corn, if you prefer (no need to pre-soften)!
- Cheese: I wouldn’t omit the cheddar cheese entirely, but you can mix in some shredded pepper jack cheese for extra heat!
- Chicken: If you are in a rush and don’t have rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken on hand, you can opt for canned chicken instead.
How To Make the Best Buffalo Chicken Tacos
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Prep the Filling
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle a baking sheet with a generous amount of olive oil.
Add the cream cheese to a large glass mixing bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds, until the cream cheese is easy to stir.
Combine the cream cheese with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce. Stir well to combine.
Add the cooked and shredded chicken to the cream cheese mixture. Mix well to coat all the chicken.
Step 2 | Assemble
Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave(See Note***). Spread ¼ cup of the buffalo chicken mixture on one side of a tortilla, and top with 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese.
Fold the tortilla in half over the chicken, and coat the top of the tortilla with olive oil spray. Flip the tortilla over and place it, olive oil side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Coat the other side of the tortilla with olive oil. Repeat until all the tacos are assembled.
Step 3 | Bake & Serve
Bake the tacos for about 15 minutes, until the tortillas are crisp and starting to turn golden at the edges.
Remove the tacos from the baking sheet and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Top with a drizzle of buffalo sauce, sour cream, or ranch dressing, if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overfill the tacos – they should close easily over the filling so that they are easier to serve and eat!
- Make sure that the corn tortillas are warm before assembling and folding. This will prevent cracks that will cause them to fall apart.
- For super crispy tacos, make sure to space them out evenly on the baking sheet. If they are too close together, they won’t get as crispy.
Recipe FAQs
These are between mild and medium with 2 tablespoons of sauce, but that is easily adjustable depending on your preference. If you are sensitive to spice, you can use a little bit less sauce and taste the filling before adding more!
Yes, feel free to assemble your tacos up to 24 hours in advance and bake just before serving!
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Storage
Storage: Store assembled but unbaked tacos covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Already baked tacos can be refrigerated for up to 3 days – reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes to re-crisp. The filling alone keeps well for up to 5 days refrigerated.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing buffalo chicken tacos, since the cream cheese mixture can become grainy after thawing.
What to Serve with Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos
These tacos pair beautifully with Mexican-inspired sides like Mexican rice or charro beans, but also work well with traditional buffalo wing accompaniments. You can try serving it with a crisp coleslaw which provides refreshing crunch, a side of ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, and blue cheese crumbles on top!
For a lighter option, serve alongside a salad like my Tex-Mex chopped salad or kale crunch salad. Don’t forget extra buffalo sauce on the side, too!
If you are a buffalo sauce lover, be sure to also try my buffalo chicken quesadillas!
Other Recipes to Try
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Air Fryer Fish Stick Tacos
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
- Chicken Burrito Bowls
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Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, see note*
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper based hot sauce, like Frank's Red Hot, plus more to taste
- 1 pound cooked shredded chicken breast
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, or olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle a baking sheet with a generous amount of olive oil.
- Add the cream cheese to a large glass mixing bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds, until the cream cheese is easy to stir.
- Combine the cream cheese with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce. Stir well to combine.
- Add the cooked and shredded chicken to the cream cheese mixture. Mix well to coat all the chicken.
- Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave.(See Note***) Spread ¼ cup of the buffalo chicken mixture on one side of a tortilla, and top with 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese.
- Fold the tortilla in half over the chicken, and coat the top of the tortilla with olive oil spray. Flip the tortilla over and place it, olive oil side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Coat the other side of the tortilla with olive oil. Repeat until all the tacos are assembled.
- Bake the tacos for about 15 minutes, until the tortillas are crisp and starting to turn golden at the edges.
- Remove the tacos from the baking sheet and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Top with a drizzle of buffalo sauce, sour cream, or ranch dressing, if desired, and enjoy!
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
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Notes
- I used shredded rotisserie chicken in this recipe, which is salted. If you use plain (unsalted) shredded chicken, you may want to increase the salt a bit. I recommend mixing up the chicken filling and then salting it to taste before assembling the tacos. *
- I recommend adding two tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce to the chicken filling, and more to taste if you prefer. Two tablespoons makes a somewhat mild taco, but with a definite buffalo flavor. I found two tablespoons to be a good amount to please my whole family – the tacos were mild enough for kids but could be made spicier for the adults by drizzling more buffalo sauce over the top. If everyone in your family likes spice, feel free to add more Red Hot sauce to the filling too!**
- When using corn tortillas, I like to soften them before using to help prevent splitting. Soften tortillas by wrapping them inside a damp paper towel and microwaving for about 30 seconds.***
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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