These Buffalo chicken breast burgers are far from ordinary: tender, juicy, spicy, and full of bold flavor. Finished with cooling ranch or blue cheese dressing, they’re perfect for Game Day or a summer backyard BBQ.
I love finding new ways to use Buffalo wing sauce, so when I couldn’t decide between wings or burgers for Super Bowl Sunday, combining them was an obvious choice. Many recipes use ground chicken for patties, but I prefer a whole juicy chicken breast for a burger—it stays moist and has a satisfying bite.
These burgers are surprisingly simple to make. The key steps: even out the chicken breasts so they cook evenly, dredge them in flour so the sauce adheres, sear briefly to build flavor, then bake with Buffalo sauce and finish with melted cheese. Top with your favorite burger fixings and a generous drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing to balance the heat.
How to make Buffalo Chicken Breast Burgers
Begin by pounding the thicker parts of the chicken breasts with a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin to an even thickness. This helps the breasts cook quickly and uniformly, keeping them juicy.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge in all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. The flour creates a light crust for the sauce to cling to so it won’t slide off during baking.
Make a simple Buffalo wing sauce by whisking cayenne pepper hot sauce with melted butter, or use a bottled Buffalo wing sauce if you prefer. Frank’s RedHot is a classic choice that works well here.
Sear the floured chicken breasts in a hot oven-safe pan for about two minutes per side, until golden. Pour the Buffalo sauce over the breasts, then transfer the pan to a 400°F oven and bake until the chicken is just cooked through, roughly 20–25 minutes. Add a slice of provolone or mozzarella to each breast and return to the oven a minute or two to melt the cheese.
Place each cooked chicken breast on a toasted bun and top with ranch or blue cheese dressing and any optional toppings you like—lettuce, tomato, and red onion are classic choices. The burgers register about medium on my spicy scale and very high on the delicious scale.
Enjoy!
If you make these Buffalo chicken breast burgers, I’d love to see your photos—tag @ourhappymess on Instagram.
Or pin for later!
For other Buffalo-inspired meals, try a lighter Buffalo Chicken Salad or a crowd-pleasing Buffalo Chicken Pizza with a homemade crust. If you want another chicken sandwich idea, the grilled chicken sandwich with sun-dried tomato aioli is a great option.
Buffalo Chicken Breast Burgers
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Ingredients
- 4 small skinless boneless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 4 burger buns
- ranch or blue cheese to taste
- 4 slices provolone or mozzarella
- optional toppings: lettuce, tomato, red onion
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pound the chicken breasts lightly to even the thickness.
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Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
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Spread the flour on a plate. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off excess.
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Sear the chicken breasts in the hot pan about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
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Whisk the hot sauce and melted butter together. Pour the sauce over the chicken and transfer the pan to the oven. If your pan isn’t oven-safe, move the chicken to a baking dish before adding the sauce and baking.
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Bake for 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Add cheese slices and return to the oven until melted.
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Place each chicken breast on a bun and top with ranch or blue cheese and any optional toppings.