Buffalo Chicken Rolls with Fluffy Bread Dough
Buffalo chicken rolls are a fun, family-friendly way to turn shredded rotisserie chicken and prepared bread dough into a warm, cheesy dinner everyone can pull apart and enjoy. Using convenient ingredients keeps prep quick and budget-friendly, while soft homemade bread dough makes these savory rolls feel extra special at the dinner table.
We’re big fans of all things buffalo chicken in this house but my kids nearly lost their minds when I told them I was baking up a fresh pan of buffalo chicken rolls.
These soft and pillowy dinner rolls are loaded with tender chunks of chicken, ooey-gooey cheese, and plenty of heat from the buffalo sauce.
We enjoyed them as a special weekend lunch, but they would be such a fun alternative to a sandwich for soup night this season.
Heading to a holiday potluck? I guarantee these will fly off the buffet table!
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Easy Rotisserie Chicken Dinner: Have a little leftover rotisserie chicken? This is a great way to use it up.
- Soft and Fluffy Bread Dough: Tender bread dough gives the rolls a soft and buttery texture that pairs so well with the hearty buffalo chicken filling.
- Perfectly Portioned Rolls: Baking each roll in a muffin tin helps it hold its shape and creates 12 individual servings that are easy to grab, serve, and dip.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Prepared Bread Dough: You can use my easy homemade bread machine dough recipe and prep it in just 5 minutes. If you don’t have a bread maker, you can find frozen white bread dough at the grocery store, I recommend Bridgford white frozen ready dough.
- Shredded Rotisserie Chicken: If you don’t like buying rotisserie chickens, you can make homemade shredded chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing: Either one of these would make an excellent choice. However, if you’re baking for kids, I might recommend sticking with ranch.
- Buffalo Sauce: You can use prepared buffalo sauce from the grocery store, or stir it together in just minutes with my easy buffalo sauce recipe.
- Green Onions
Assemble the Rolls
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and set it aside.
Place the prepared dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out until it’s about 1/4 inch thick.
Add the shredded rotisserie chicken, mozzarella cheese, dressing, and chopped green onions to a large mixing bowl.
Gently toss everything together until just combined. Try not to overmix it, or you’ll break the chicken into pieces that are too small.
Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the rolled dough, leaving a 1-inch border along one of the long sides. You’ll use that clean edge to seal the roll.
Drizzle the buffalo sauce evenly over the chicken filling.
Roll and Slice the Rolls
Starting at the opposite long edge, carefully roll the dough and filling into a log, working it towards the 1-inch border you left uncovered. Press along the edge to help seal the log closed.
Use a pastry cutter or pizza wheel to divide the log into thirds.
Then slice each third in half.
Finally, slice each portion in half again. This makes 12 equal pieces.
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Baking Instructions
Place the sliced rolls, cut side up, in the prepared muffin tin.
Loosely cover the muffin tin with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 15 to 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the buffalo chicken rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bread is baked through and the tops are golden brown.
Make Ahead Tips
To make your dinner assembly go a little faster, you could mix the chicken filling together in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
If you plan to make the homemade bread machine dough, you can also make that earlier in the day and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
If you’d like to freeze them, you can assemble the recipe and bake as directed. Let them cool completely, and then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
The baked buffalo chicken rolls reheat well in a 350°F oven for about 15 – 20 minutes. Cover them in aluminum foil to make sure they don’t get too dark while warming through.
Variations
If you prefer your rolls to have a chewier consistency, you could substitute homemade pizza dough for the bread machine dough. I have several options that would work perfectly:
- Bread Machine Pizza Dough: A classic, chewy dough you’ll love.
- Whole Wheat Pizza Dough: Whole wheat gives the rolls even more flavor.
- Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough: This is a great option if you have sourdough discard on hand.
NOTE: Though I love the flavor and texture of crescent dough, I wouldn’t recommend it in this particular recipe. Crescent roll dough tends to be too tender, and it won’t hold up to the thick fillings of this buffalo chicken dish.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the buffalo chicken rolls warm with extra buffalo sauce drizzled over the top, or a cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping.
For an easy dinner, you could add crisp celery and carrot sticks as a simple side dish, or pair it with a simple green salad or fresh fruit.
This is such a fun choice for game day, a casual party, or a savory appetizer spread because each roll is already baked as an individual portion. They’re so easy for your guests to grab and enjoy during a party.
Buffalo Chicken Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 pound prepared bread dough homemade or thawed frozen prepared dough, see notes
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
- 6 – 8 green onions chopped
- 1 cup buffalo sauce homemade or store bought
Instructions Start Cooking
- Spray a 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out until 1/4-inch thick.1 pound prepared bread dough
- In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, mozzarella, dressing, and green onions. Toss together gently to just combine, you don't want to break up the chicken by over mixing.3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing, 6 – 8 green onions
- Spread the chicken mixture evenly over the rolled dough leaving a 1-inch border along one of the long sides for sealing it when you roll it up.
- Drizzle the buffalo sauce over the chicken filling.1 cup buffalo sauce
- Roll the dough into a log towards the 1-inch border you left. Press along the edge to seal.
- Use a pastry cutter or pizza wheel to cut 12 equal slices. Place each slice cut side up in a well of the prepared muffin tin. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 15 – 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake the rolls for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm with additional buffalo sauce or dressing for dipping as desired.
Recipe Notes
A Note on Bread Dough:
The texture of the bread for this recipe is similar to a dinner roll–soft, tender, and buttery with a fluffy chew. If you prefer to use store bought dough, look for a frozen bread dough similar to Bridgford white bread. My homemade bread dough can be made in a bread machine quickly if you want something similar made from scratch. Alternatively, you could substitute homemade or store bought pizza dough if you prefer a chewier texture. While crescent roll dough is delicious it may not hold its shape with the very thick fillings of this recipe and I do not recommend it.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
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About Tiffany
Tiffany is a home-cooking enthusiast, three-time cookbook author, and creator of the sites Peanut Blossom, Peanut Blossom Book Club, and Don’t Just Fly. She believes that family dinner can be manageable, fun, and — most importantly — tasty. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two daughters and can often be found baking a loaf of bread with her beloved bread machine, reading a good book, or planning her family’s next adventure.