Can I let you in on a little secret? I used to be scared of my Instant Pot. I’m talking flat out terrified. I was convinced it was going to blow up and maim me or burn down my house! Yeah, I know that probably sounds a bit ridiculous, but it’s totally true. The good news is that I finally put my big girl pants on and conquered my fears. Now it’s my favorite appliance which means I can bring you this amazing Dairy-Free Buffalo Ranch Chicken recipe!
Method
This dairy-free buffalo ranch chicken is ridiculously easy to make. If you can stir things and push a few buttons, you’re good to go! There are a few key things to remember.
- Sear your chicken thighs first. This greatly improves the flavor. The recipe will still work if you’re in a hurry and want to skip that, though.
- After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
- Leave the cooking liquid behind. Some people would advocate for shredding your meat with it but I prefer to have fresh ranch and buffalo sauce that hasn’t had the flavor diluted.
Ingredients
There are a few key ingredients to make this Dairy Free Buffalo Ranch Chicken both delicious and allergy-friendly.
- Hot Sauce: You could absolutely use whatever your favorite wing sauce is here. My personal favorite is FRANK’S REDHOT ®.
- Cream Cheese: Obviously you’ll need a dairy-free cream cheese for this. There are loads of brands so use whatever works for your family. I always use Follow Your Heart brand.
- Ranch Dressing: This is the most vital component. Feel free to use whatever dairy-free ranch dressing you like. BUT, if you want a truly amazing ranch dressing, sign up here to get my brand new recipe. It will be going out to my email list for FREE at the end of January!
Serving
The best part about this recipe is that it is so versatile! Here are just a few options for serving.
- If you’re looking for a twist on traditional spaghetti, try topping your pasta with this chicken!
- Grab your favorite burger buns and turn your chicken into a sandwich!
- Top it with your favorite (finely shredded or chopped) dairy-free cheese, pop it under the broiler, and use it as a dip for chips or veggies!
Make Dairy-Free Magic in Your Instant Pot
Do you want to wow your friends and family? Whip up this Dairy-Free Buffalo Ranch Chicken next week. I promise everyone will be begging for more! Don’t forget to sign up here to get your FREE dairy-free ranch dressing recipe!
Save RecipeIngredients
- 3-4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth, divided
- 1 cup buffalo hot sauce, divided
- 1/4 cup dairy-free cream cheese
- 1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup dairy-free ranch dressing, divided
Instructions
- Combine the salt and garlic powder in a small bowl, then sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with it. Discard any extra.
- Set your Instant Pot to ‘saute’ mode and add the olive oil once it is hot.
- Brown the chicken thighs and then remove them to a plate. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
- After all the chicken is browned, turn off your Instant Pot, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape all of the bits off of the bottom of the pot.
- Put 1/2 cup broth, 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, and the cup dairy-free cream cheese into a measuring cup. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the cream cheese is melted, stirring between each time in the microwave. Stir in 1/2 cup of dairy-free ranch.
- Put the chicken thighs back in your instant pot, pour the sauce over it, and secure the lid. Set your pot to manual high pressure for 1 hour. Once the cooking time is done let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick-release of the remaining pressure.
- After the pressure is safely released, remove the lid and use two forks to remove the thighs to a large bowl. Use the forks to shred the meat. Stir together the last 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce and 2/3 cup dairy-free ranch in a measuring cup, then mix with the chicken and serve.
