Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Chicken Tots Copycat Recipe

These Buffalo Wild Wings buffalo chicken tots are everything you want in a game-day snack: crispy on the outside, spicy and cheesy on the inside, with that tangy buffalo kick you can never quite stop eating.

The best part is you can make them at home in about 45 minutes, no trip to the restaurant required.

Why I Love This Recipe

The filling hits that balance of sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and hot sauce where each bite is rich but still bright enough that you want another. The crispy coating holds up well, so they stay crunchy even after a few minutes on the table.

This is the version I keep coming back to for Friday nights. It comes together fast, and nobody ever guesses they did not come from a fryer basket at a sports bar.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken – Ground thigh meat stays juicier than breast; either works
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened – Binds the filling and keeps it creamy; full-fat only
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar – Sharp cheddar gives a stronger flavor than mild
• 3 tbsp Frank’s RedHot Original sauce – The standard buffalo base; Tabasco works but is hotter
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted – Stirs into the sauce to round out the sharpness
• 1 tsp garlic powder – Background savoriness for the filling
• 1 tsp onion powder – Pairs with garlic to build flavor in the meat
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika – Adds color and a faint smokiness
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt – Season to taste after mixing
• 1/4 tsp black pepper – Just enough for warmth
• 1 cup all-purpose flour – First coating layer; helps the egg stick
• 2 large eggs, beaten – Egg wash that holds the breadcrumbs on
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs – Panko gives a much crunchier crust than regular breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point; canola works too
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives – For garnish; green onion tops work as a swap
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing – For dipping; this is non-negotiable

Variations / Substitutions

• Rotisserie chicken instead of ground – Shred 1 lb of cooked rotisserie chicken finely and mix straight into the filling; skips the stovetop cook entirely.
• Pepper jack instead of cheddar – Melts the same way but adds more heat; good if your crowd likes it spicy.
• Gluten-free swap – Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free panko; the crust is slightly less light but still crispy.
• Air fryer instead of frying – Spray the coated tots generously with cooking spray and air-fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Extra heat – Replace 1 tbsp of the Frank’s with 1 tbsp of your favorite habanero sauce; the cream cheese tames the burn just enough.
• Dairy-free – Swap the cream cheese for a dairy-free cream cheese alternative and use a dairy-free shredded cheddar; the filling is slightly less tangy but holds together well.

If you like this flavor profile, have a look at the Buffalo Wild Wings Cauliflower Wings Copycat Recipe for a lighter option.

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Tots

Step 1: Cook the Chicken Filling

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 lb ground chicken and break it up with a spoon, cooking for about 6 to 7 minutes until no pink remains and it starts to get a little golden at the edges.

Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the 4 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, 3 tbsp Frank’s RedHot, 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix until the cream cheese is fully incorporated and the mixture looks thick and uniform. If it feels too loose to shape, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.

The filling should be dense enough to scoop and hold a rough ball shape in your hand. If it slides apart, it needs a bit more chilling.

Step 2: Shape the Tots

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of filling per tot and roll it firmly between your palms into a cylinder roughly 1.5 inches long, like a classic tater tot shape. You should get about 24 pieces from this batch.

Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet as you go. Cold hands help here; rinse your hands under cold water every few pieces if the mixture starts sticking. If the filling warms up and gets soft again, pop the whole sheet into the freezer for 10 minutes before you bread them.

Step 3: Bread the Tots

Set up 3 shallow bowls in a line: 1 cup all-purpose flour in the first, 2 beaten eggs in the second, and 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs in the third.

Working one at a time, roll each tot in the flour, shake off the excess, dip it through the egg wash, then press it gently into the panko so the crumbs stick all around the outside. Lay the breaded tots back on the parchment sheet. A light hand press into the panko, not a hard squeeze, keeps the crumbs from clumping.

Step 4: Fry the Tots

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches and heat it over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer; oil that’s too cool makes the coating greasy, and oil above 375°F (190°C) will brown the outside before the center warms through.

Fry the tots in batches of 6 to 8, turning them gently with a slotted spoon after about 2 minutes on the first side. Total frying time per batch is about 4 minutes until the coating is a deep amber-gold. Transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet, not a paper towel, so the bottom stays crispy while you fry the rest.

Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature fast, so keep the batches small. You’ll notice the bubbling around each tot slow down as they approach done, which is a good visual cue alongside the color.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve

Pile the tots onto a serving plate or shallow bowl and scatter the 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives over the top. Set a small bowl of ranch or blue cheese dressing alongside for dipping.

Serve immediately while the crust is still cracking-crisp.

Recipe Tips

• Chill the filling if it’s sticky. Ground chicken has more moisture than beef. A quick 15-minute rest in the fridge makes shaping much easier and keeps the tots from flattening when they hit the oil.
• Use a thermometer for the oil. Eye-balling hot oil is the single most common reason homemade fried food disappoints. A cheap clip-on candy thermometer handles this entirely.
• Double coat for extra crunch. After the first panko coat, dip the tot back through the egg and panko a second time. This gives a noticeably thicker crust that holds up to dipping.
• Make ahead and freeze. Shape and bread the tots up to 1 month ahead, freeze them on a parchment sheet until solid, then transfer to a zip bag. Fry straight from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Leftover tots reheat well in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes; the oven at the same temperature for 8 minutes also works if you don’t have one.

Fry times by batch size (oil at 350°F / 175°C):

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store cooled tots in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They soften as they sit, so reheating is worth the extra minute.
• Reheating – An air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes is the fastest way back to crispy. A regular oven at 375°F (190°C) on a wire rack for 8 to 10 minutes also works well.

What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Tots

These tots are built to share, and they’re best alongside something that cools down the heat. A simple celery and carrot sticks platter works because the raw crunch gives your mouth a break between bites. If you want to turn this into a fuller spread, a lightly dressed coleslaw cuts through the richness of the filling the same way it does with fried chicken. For a game-day table, setting these next to something mild like soft pretzel bites lets guests mix and match instead of heat overload from start to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake these instead of frying them?

Yes. Bake on a wire rack over a baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping once at the halfway mark. The crust will be paler and slightly less crunchy than the fried version, but the filling tastes exactly the same.

Can I use canned chicken to make these?

You can, but drain it extremely well and pat it dry first. Canned chicken holds a lot of moisture, which can make the filling too loose to shape cleanly.

How do I know when the oil is hot enough without a thermometer?

Drop one panko breadcrumb into the oil. If it sizzles and floats to the surface within about 2 seconds, you’re close to 350°F (175°C). If it just sinks slowly, the oil needs more time.

Can I make these with a different hot sauce?

Yes. Any vinegar-based hot sauce works in a 1:1 swap. Avoid thicker sauces like Sriracha as the only sauce, since they can make the filling gummy.

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Buffalo Chicken Tots Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 3 tbsp Frank’s RedHot Original sauce
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for serving

Method

 

1. Cook the 1 lb ground chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it up until no pink remains. Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes, then mix in the 4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar, 3 tbsp Frank’s RedHot, 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper until uniform. Refrigerate 15 minutes if the filling feels loose.
2. Scoop 2 tbsp of filling per tot and roll into a cylinder about 1.5 inches long. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You should get about 24 tots total.
3. Set up 3 bowls with 1 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and 1 1/2 cups panko. Coat each tot in flour, then egg, then panko, pressing gently to adhere.
4. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry in batches of 6 to 8 for about 4 minutes total, turning at 2 minutes, until deep amber-gold. Transfer to a wire rack.
5. Pile the tots on a serving plate, scatter the 2 tbsp fresh chives over the top, and serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Notes

The filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge, which also makes shaping easier. If you’re frying for a crowd, keep finished batches warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on the wire rack while you finish the rest. The double-coat panko trick from the tips above is worth the extra minute if you want an especially thick, crunchy shell.