Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Drumsticks
31 Comments Jun 04, 2018
Updated Jun 25, 2025
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These Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Drumsticks mix the spicy kick of Buffalo sauce with the cool flavor of ranch, all cooked up easily in the crockpot for a super tasty and hearty meal. Perfect over mashed potatoes along with corn.
If you love chicken drumsticks, also try my Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks, Slow Cooker Bang Bang Chicken, or Chicken in a Hurry.
Buffalo wings are easily one of my top 10 favorite foods, and this recipe nails it with skinless drumsticks. Skipping the skin means I don’t have to worry about browning it, plus it keeps the sauce from getting too greasy. I like to kick up the heat with a little cayenne and throw in some minced garlic for extra flavor. It’s a simple but tasty twist on classic wings!
What you need:
- Drumsticks: You will need 4 pounds of chicken drumsticks, which is great because they seem to be the cheapest cut of chicken. I remove the skins, but this is optional. If you want wings, try my slow cooker buffalo wings recipe.
- Buffalo Sauce: I use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (original). This is what restaurants use when they make buffalo wings. Frank’s red hot sauce is found near the barbecue sauce at the store.
- Butter: Butter is a common ingredients in buffalo wings, it helps soften the cayenne pepper sauce and adds so much flavor.
- Other Seasonings: Ranch Dressing mix, garlic and cayenne pepper.
- Taking the skin off the drumsticks takes a bit of work, but once you get the rhythm down it’s no problem.
- I start by pulling the skin down, then when it gets too tough to pull, I grab the skin with a paper towel. Some were too tough even with that trick and I had to cut the skin off with a knife.
- Place the chicken into the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the garlic, cayenne, pepper, and ranch dressing mix. Pour over the Frank’s Red Hot and the melted butter. Stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
How to Serve
- Serve the drumsticks with a side of ranch for drizzling or dipping.
- I serve these Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Drumsticks with mashed potatoes and corn. Try my slow cooker mashed potatoes and slow cooker corn on the cob.
More buffalo recipes:
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken (shredded)
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken 15 Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Pork Ribs
Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Drumsticks
How to Video
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. chicken drumsticks
- 2 garlic cloves,, minced
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 oz. Ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup Frank’s Red Hot
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the drumsticks. I do this by pulling the skin as far down as I can, then when I can pull any further I grab onto the skin with a paper towel and the skin usually comes right off. I did have to cut the skin off of a few.
- Place the chicken into the slow cooker. Sprinkle over the garlic, cayenne, pepper, and ranch dressing mix. Pour over the Frank’s Red Hot and the melted butter. Stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Hi do u have to remove the skin
No, you can leave it on.
Is cooking on low for 8 hours okay?
Yes, though the meat may be too tender and be falling off the bones.
I’m going to make these Sunday and I like my wings really crispy . If I remove them from crock pot after 4hrs could I broil them in oven ? And of yes how long do you suggest? Thank you
Hi Joe,
It depends on how close you have your rack to the broiler. I usually stick them in for around 5 minutes. I keep the oven open so I can keep an eye on them.
How many hours in the crockpot on cooking them slow?
I would do 6-7
Looks so easy. 10 stars
My boys LOVED these! Used bone in chicken thighs in the pressure cooker using garlic powder in place of the fresh; Served them over riced cauliflower. So good!!!! We will 100% for sure make these again! (These taste commercial/artificial not at all natural but they are delicious! My oldest said they taste like a gourmet spicy chicken noodle cup)
Just made these two nights ago…and my room mate snagged one from the fridge yesterday and kept going on about how awesome they were…and said he will pay for the ingredients next time if I will make them again.
I agree. They were awesome!
They are SOO good. Very tender. Glad ya’ll liked them.
I don’t have crock pot anymore I have dutch oven pot will that work please and thank u I hope so it sounds very good.