I originally was going to make a classic buffalo sauce (Frank’s Red Hot + melted butter) but I couldn’t find Frank’s anywhere! So I came up with my own version using ingredients I always have on hand and I sure am glad I did! The buffalo-style chicken gets topped with a cooling creamy blue cheese yogurt sauce for a classic combination that is to die for (unless you hate blue cheese, then just make my Yogurt Ranch!).
Ingredient Highlight
Chicken thighs! The nutrition in thighs is similar to breasts, but has a higher fat content. Chicken is a great way to get in easy protein that’s packed with selenium, choline, niacin (Vitamin B3), and vitamin B6, and B12.
I will generally choose chicken thighs over breasts for two reasons. Reason one: chicken thighs have higher fat content and are way more flavorful. Reason two: chicken thighs are pretty much impossible to overcook.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1.5-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½-1 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on spice level)
- ½ tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari or tamari
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
For the blue cheese sauce:*
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the tacos:
- 4-8 flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded lettuce (iceberg, romaine, or use cabbage)
- 1-2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- Cilantro (optional)
- *Not into blue cheese? Make my Yogurt Ranch instead!
Instructions
- Heat the grill on high for at least 10 minutes. In a bowl, add the chicken, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Grill the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Once cooked, slice, chop or shred up the chicken.
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, add the butter and red pepper flakes and melt the butter. Once the butter has melted and starts bubbling on the edges, let it keep bubbling gently to toast those spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender.
- In the blender along with the butter, add the tomato paste, soy, vinegar, garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a large bowl. Add the chopped grilled chicken and toss to coat.
- Rinse out the blender and add the yogurt, blue cheese, vinegar, and salt and blend until combined (you want it a little chunky). If it won’t blend easily, add a splash or two of water or more yogurt. You could also just mix it together in a bowl if you crumble your blue cheese really finely.
- Warm your tortillas and top with buffalo chicken, lettuce, tomatoes (if using) and top with the blue cheese sauce and cilantro.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the buffalo sauce
- Make the blue cheese sauce
- Thinly slice 2 cups lettuce (iceberg, romaine, or use cabbage)
- Chop up 1-2 tomatoes (optional)
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute baked tofu cubes in place of the chicken.
- To make vegan, see above and replace the butter with a vegan butter alternative. You could also try using olive oil but I have not tested this. Make my yogurt ranch using a vegan yogurt alternative.
- To make gluten-free, use gluten-free tortillas (Siete brand cassava tortillas are my favorite. Or turn it into a bowl or salad with tortilla chips.
- Not into blue cheese? Make my Yogurt Ranch instead!
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Buffalo chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Blue cheese sauce: up to 6 days in the fridge.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover chicken in the microwave until warmed through. Warm your tortillas and assemble!
- Turn it into a buffalo chicken bowl or salad. Fill your bowl with either lettuce, rice, or quinoa. Top with warm chicken, tomatoes, handsome crunchy raw cabbage or any other raw crunchy veggie you have. Stir a bit of water into the blue cheese sauce to make it thinner and drizzle it all over.
Servings 4 People Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1.5-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½-1 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on spice level)
- ½ tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari or tamari
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
For the blue cheese sauce:*
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the tacos:
- 4-8 flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded lettuce (iceberg, romaine, or use cabbage)
- 1-2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
- Cilantro (optional)
- *Not into blue cheese? Make my Yogurt Ranch instead!
Instructions
- Heat the grill on high for at least 10 minutes. In a bowl, add the chicken, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Grill the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Once cooked, slice, chop or shred up the chicken.
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, add the butter and red pepper flakes and melt the butter. Once the butter has melted and starts bubbling on the edges, let it keep bubbling gently to toast those spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender.
- In the blender along with the butter, add the tomato paste, soy, vinegar, garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a large bowl. Add the chopped grilled chicken and toss to coat.
- Rinse out the blender and add the yogurt, blue cheese, vinegar, and salt and blend until combined (you want it a little chunky). If it won’t blend easily, add a splash or two of water or more yogurt. You could also just mix it together in a bowl if you crumble your blue cheese really finely.
- Warm your tortillas and top with buffalo chicken, lettuce, tomatoes (if using) and top with the blue cheese sauce and cilantro.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the buffalo sauce
- Make the blue cheese sauce
- Thinly slice 2 cups lettuce (iceberg, romaine, or use cabbage)
- Chop up 1-2 tomatoes (optional)
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute baked tofu cubes in place of the chicken.
- To make vegan, see above and replace the butter with a vegan butter alternative. You could also try using olive oil but I have not tested this. Make my yogurt ranch using a vegan yogurt alternative.
- To make gluten-free, use gluten-free tortillas (Siete brand cassava tortillas are my favorite. Or turn it into a bowl or salad with tortilla chips.
- Not into blue cheese? Make my Yogurt Ranch instead!
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Buffalo chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Blue cheese sauce: up to 6 days in the fridge.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover chicken in the microwave until warmed through. Warm your tortillas and assemble!
- Turn it into a buffalo chicken bowl or salad. Fill your bowl with either lettuce, rice, or quinoa. Top with warm chicken, tomatoes, handsome crunchy raw cabbage or any other raw crunchy veggie you have. Stir a bit of water into the blue cheese sauce to make it thinner and drizzle it all over.
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