This easy weeknight dinner has it all: bold, tangy buffalo flavor, quick grilling, and a creamy, cooling slaw. These grilled buffalo chicken tacos start with a simple zesty marinade that flavors tender chicken and then doubles as a saucy drizzle to spoon over the finished tacos. A cilantro–blue cheese slaw tops each taco for the perfect balance of spicy and creamy in every bite.
Grilled Marinated Buffalo Chicken Tacos — A Favorite
When buffalo and chicken appear together, I’m in. These grilled buffalo chicken tacos are a regular on my weeknight rotation because they’re fast, flavorful, and forgiving. The marinade delivers tang and heat, and a portion of it is reserved and sweetened with honey to use as a finishing sauce so the chicken never feels dry. Paired with a creamy cilantro–blue cheese slaw, the textures and flavors come together beautifully.
Prep is straightforward and mostly hands-off. While the chicken soaks up the marinade, mix the slaw dressing and let it chill so the cabbage softens and the dressing becomes creamy. The chicken grills in minutes, then you build tacos with warm tortillas, sliced chicken, a drizzle of the honeyed buffalo sauce, and a generous scoop of slaw.
Let’s Make This Together
(Below are step-by-step photos and condensed instructions. See the recipe card for ingredient amounts and full details.)
Marinate the chicken and reserve sauce
Whisk hot sauce, garlic powder, celery salt, smoked paprika, pepper, and olive oil. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the mixture, then add a tablespoon of honey to the reserved portion for drizzling later. Marinate the chicken in the remaining sauce for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Make the creamy blue cheese cilantro slaw
Combine mayonnaise, blue cheese crumbles, chopped cilantro, cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss with a bag of coleslaw mix, cover, and chill at least 1 hour. The dressing will seem thin at first but becomes creamier as the cabbage softens.
Grill the chicken
Chicken tenderloins work great because they cook quickly and stay juicy. Grill the tenders over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until they reach 165°F and have nice grill marks. If you like, warm or char the tortillas on the grill for flexibility and flavor.
Serve and Customize
These tacos are delicious as-is, but extra toppings take them over the top. Offer additional blue cheese, grated cheddar, Monterey Jack, or queso fresco. Fresh add-ins like avocado, red onion, diced tomato, cilantro, or diced celery all pair well with the slaw and buffalo flavors.
If you prefer, skip the slaw and drizzle ranch over the chicken, or use both the slaw and ranch for extra creaminess. Leftover chicken is great on salads, in quesadillas, nachos, grilled pizzas, or wrapped in lettuce.
Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you — leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. Feedback helps others decide what to make and I always appreciate hearing how it turned out. -Melissa
Grilled Marinated Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Slaw
Melissa Erdelac
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Ingredients
Marinated Buffalo Chicken
- 1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey (for the reserved sauce)
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins (see notes for using breasts)
Creamy Blue Cheese Slaw
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 14-ounce bag coleslaw mix
- Flour or corn tortillas (about 12)
- Optional toppings: blue cheese, cilantro, cheddar, red onion, avocado
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together hot sauce, garlic powder, celery salt, smoked paprika, pepper, and olive oil. Do not add honey yet. Remove about 1/4 cup of this mixture and set aside. Place chicken in a zip-top bag or shallow dish, add 1/4 cup marinade, toss to coat, and refrigerate 1–4 hours.
- Add 1 tablespoon honey to the reserved marinade, cover, and refrigerate for serving.
- While the chicken marinates, make the slaw. Whisk together mayonnaise, blue cheese, cilantro, cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss with the coleslaw mix, cover, and chill 1–2 hours. The slaw will become creamier as it chills.
- Preheat the grill to medium and grease the grates. Grill the chicken undisturbed for about 5 minutes on the first side until char marks form and the pieces release easily. Flip and cook a few more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest while warming tortillas.
- To char tortillas, place them directly on a clean, dry grill for 1–2 minutes per side until they have light char marks. Keep warm in foil until serving.
- To serve, chop the cooked chicken, place on tortillas, drizzle with the honeyed reserved marinade, and top with the creamy blue cheese cilantro slaw and any additional toppings you like.
Notes
Using Chicken Breasts
I prefer tenders because they’re already portioned and cook evenly. If you use boneless skinless breasts, pound them to an even thickness or slice into 2-inch-wide strips so they grill in the same time as listed.
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