Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Drumsticks
31 Comments Jun 04, 2018
Updated Jun 25, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
Do you have a suggestion on making the saice thicker?
Hi Kari, you could mix a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of water and add it to the sauce. Turn the slow cooker to high and that should thicken it up in about 10 minutes.
First time trying these out for supper tonight!
Looks delicious . Thanks for the paper towel tip!
Can you use bbq sauce instead
I don’t see why not!
HOw much water
No water in this recipe. The Sauce and butter act as the liquid.
These are Awesome and I make them ALL the time and always a big hit and even if just my husband and I , I will make extras as they are so tasty on salads etc too. Last Memorial Day I had an 8 qt cooker full of these and and another 8 qt cooker full of honey BBQ ribs and everyone said who needs a BBQ!!! What a Keeper.Thanks for a Great recipe.
This sounds heavenly, however my hubs is a wee picky. What’s the overall texture?
The meat is very tender.
How would using chicken thighs work? A little longer in the cooker?
Do you think this would do okay on low for 8 hours?
I think it would be fine. It would be fall of the bone tender.
Your tip on removing the skin with a paper towel was a God send. Thank you for saving my arthritis riddled hands! I just turned on the crock pot. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
So great to hear!
Do the skins have to be removed?
No! Not at all. They tend to get soggy in the slow cooker, you can remove the before eating if desired.
Do you think this will fit in my 4qt crockpot?