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Pulled Buffalo Chicken Melts

By Jessica Rudolph

Published on December 19, 2024

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Pulled Buffalo Chicken Melts

Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage 2 celery ribs, sliced thin2 scallions, sliced thin½ cup bottled blue cheese salad dressing ½ teaspoon table salt, divided8 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 garlic cloves, minced½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce 1 (2½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)4 brioche hamburger buns, toasted4 slices cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Before You Begin

Coleslaw mix can be used in place of the red cabbage. Choose a high-quality blue cheese dressing for this recipe; we like Marie’s Chunky Blue Cheese. Serve with jarred sliced jalapeños for extra spice.

Instructions

  1. Combine cabbage, celery, scallions, dressing, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl.
  2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until light golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk in hot sauce and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Stir in chicken and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  3. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange bun bottoms on rimmed baking sheet. Divide chicken mixture evenly among bun bottoms. Top each with 1 slice cheddar, then broil until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Divide cabbage mixture among sandwiches. Cover with bun tops. Serve.
Pulled Buffalo Chicken Melts
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Kendra Smith.

Pulled Buffalo Chicken Melts

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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup bottled blue cheese salad dressing
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 (2½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
4 brioche hamburger buns, toasted
4 slices cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup bottled blue cheese salad dressing
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 (2½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
4 brioche hamburger buns, toasted
4 slices cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 scallions, sliced thin
½ cup bottled blue cheese salad dressing
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 (2½-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
4 brioche hamburger buns, toasted
4 slices cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Why This Recipe Works

Bottled blue cheese dressing made a supereasy slaw to top these zippy sandwiches. Starting with a rotisserie chicken dramatically reduced the time it took to get these sandwiches on the table.

Before You Begin

Coleslaw mix can be used in place of the red cabbage. Choose a high-quality blue cheese dressing for this recipe; we like Marie’s Chunky Blue Cheese. Serve with jarred sliced jalapeños for extra spice.

Instructions

  1. Combine cabbage, celery, scallions, dressing, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl.
  2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until light golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk in hot sauce and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Stir in chicken and cook, stirring, until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  3. Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange bun bottoms on rimmed baking sheet. Divide chicken mixture evenly among bun bottoms. Top each with 1 slice cheddar, then broil until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Divide cabbage mixture among sandwiches. Cover with bun tops. Serve.

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