This Buffalo chicken egg rolls recipe combines the delicious flavors of a cheesy buffalo chicken dip with the crispy goodness of a perfectly fried egg roll wrapper and buffalo wing for an appetizer (or side dish) that’s as perfect for the middle of the week as it is for game day.
This recipe couldn’t be any more simple. Just shred chicken (made freshly or bought at the store), mix it with some cheese and Buffalo wings sauce, then stuff it into wrappers and fry. Boom! You’ve got a starter or side that nearly no one can resist.
Why You’ll Love Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
These tasty Buffalo chicken egg rolls are a savory bite of deliciousness that any lover of Buffalo-style spiced food will adore.
- A Fun Twist – Sure, we love traditional egg rolls! But we also love packing a spicy, creamy, cheesy chicken filling into the wrappers that fry up to the perfect level of crispiness.
- Perfect Party App – While you can make these for any occasion from a random weeknight to movie night, these are particularly good for parties. You can do most of the prep ahead of time and just fry when you’re ready.
- Make It Your Own – Whether you want to up the heat, change the meat, or add your own unique spin, these egg rolls are super customizable.
Ingredients
These simple ingredients are combined in this quick recipe to make a less messy handheld version of Buffalo chicken.
- Cooked Chicken – Any cooked chicken will work for this recipe — the name of the game is making it simple. Use canned chicken that’s been drained, rotisserie chicken, or leftovers of any cut from chicken breast to chicken thighs..
- Buffalo Sauce – I like to make homemade Buffalo sauce, but you can use your own favorite brand of Buffalo wing sauce you prefer.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Fresh is always best, so grating your own cheese is the most ideal for the best flavor. However, you can buy store-bought shredded cheese as a timesaver.
- Egg Roll Wrappers – These simple wrappers are often found in a refrigerated case in the produce section of the grocery store.
- Egg White – Use only the white for the simple egg wash that helps bind the sides of the wrappers together.
- Neutral Oil – Any neutrally flavored oil will work for frying these egg rolls. Consider olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil. Coconut oil is another option, too.
- Blue Cheese Dressing or Ranch Dressing – Either of these can be served on the side as a dipping sauce.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Making the Egg Rolls:
- Mix chicken, sauce and cheese. Add the chicken, Buffalo sauce, and cheddar cheese to a medium bowl and mix together until well combined.
- Mix water and egg white. Pour a tablespoon of water and egg white into a separate bowl and whisk together.
- Brush egg mixture onto wrapper. Use a pastry brush to add the egg white mixture to the edges of the egg roll wrapper.
- Add chicken to wrapper. Spoon a small portion of the chicken mixture into the center of the egg roll wrapper.
- Wrap and repeat. Wrap the egg roll and seal it by pressing the edge tightly. Continue until all of the filling has been used.
- Chill. Refrigerate in an airtight container in a single layer or layered between pieces of parchment paper. Or, freeze for up to 20 weeks.
Frying:
- Heat oil. Pour the oil into a large Dutch oven or large skillet and bring it to the desired frying temperature.
- Add egg rolls to hot oil. Carefully add several egg rolls to the pot and fry briefly, turning halfway through.
- Remove to wire rack. Once golden brown, use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove the cooked egg rolls from the pot. Transfer the egg rolls to a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Serve. Serve immediately with blue cheese or ranch dipping sauce.
What to Serve With Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
These crispy egg rolls filled with creamy and spicy Buffalo chicken are a hit all by themselves. Serve them with other sauces like tiger sauce, beer BBQ sauce, or spicy aioli.
This twist on egg rolls is also great as a starter or side dish — serve it as an app before chicken tortilla soup or roasted red pepper soup. They’re also great with a simple side salad, southwest chicken salad, or a classic wedge salad.
Variations
These delicious egg rolls are fabulous as they are but you can make changes to them, too!
- Meat – Instead of chicken use pulled pork or shredded turkey.
- Heat – Increase the hot sauce or add other spices like cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper. You can also add other sauces like Cholula or Tabasco for a different flavor profile.
- Cheese – Shred a different cheese to use other than cheddar. Colby Jack, mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack are all good choices. For a super creamy chicken, all you need is a little bit of cream cheese.
- Sauce – Instead of classics like blue cheese or ranch, try using a fry dipping sauce, chicken nugget dipping sauce, or an avocado crema.
- Vegetables – Sneak veggies into these super tasty egg rolls — they will be hardly recognizable. Try shredded carrots, diced mushrooms, or any leftover vegetables you may have.
- Onions – Dice up white onions, yellow onions, or green onions, and add them to the chicken mixture.
- Method – Instead of pan-frying try air frying. Just place the egg rolls in the air fryer basket and turn halfway through cooking, just like with the pan-fry method.
Storage and Freezing
Storage of these savory egg rolls couldn’t be more simple whether you’re making them ahead of time or want to refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
Make Ahead: You can easily make these egg rolls ahead of time. First, you can make the filling and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before assembling. Or, you can make the whole egg rolls and store them in the fridge for 24 hours or freeze them for up to 20 weeks before frying.
Refrigerator: Buffalo chicken egg rolls will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
Freezer: Freeze leftover buffalo chicken egg rolls for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. To prevent them from sticking together, separate them with parchment paper or flash freeze before bagging.
Common Questions About Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
The key to filling egg rolls is to use a moderate amount of filling so that they can be folded and sealed easily. Use a spoon to place the filling in the center of the egg roll wrapper before folding. Experimenting with one or two first will help you figure out just the right amount to add to ensure they are not over-filled.
Properly frying the egg rolls until they are golden brown and crunchy will help to ensure that they are crispy. You can also place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet (to catch any dripping excess oil) so that they do not get soggy once removed from the heat.
Use an egg white wash brushed around the edges of the wrapper to seal the egg rolls. If you find that they are not sealing, apply more egg wash.
More Savory Appetizers
I almost always serve more than one appetizer, here are a few more ideas.
Crab Cake Egg Rolls
Air Fryer Southwest Egg Rolls
Pork and Sauerkraut Egg Rolls
Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken , can be canned (drained), rotisserie or leftovers
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce
- ½ cup cheddar cheese , shredded
- 8 egg roll wrappers
- egg white
- neutral oil , for frying
- blue cheese dressing
- ranch dressing
Instructions
Making the Egg Rolls:
- In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, buffalo sauce and cheddar cheese. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface and baste the edges with the egg white mixture.
- Spread approximately ¼ cup of the chicken mixture in the center.
- Fold one corner of the egg roll wrapper over the chicken filling, Fold in the other two corners on either side (like an envelope) and then continue to roll. Roll should be fairly tight, but with a little room for expansion.
- Repeat with the remaining wrappers. If the wrapper does not stick, add more egg wash to secure.
- Place the egg rolls in a container separated by parchment paper or wax paper. Freeze for a minimum of 1 hour or up 20 weeks. Since they are not tightly wrapped, they are more prone to developing freezer burn. See instructions for freezing for longer periods of time.
Frying:
- When ready to fry, fill a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom saucepan with about 2-3 inches of neutral oil. Heat to between 325°F and 345°F using a deep frying thermometer.
- When the oil is hot, gently lower 2-3 egg rolls (depending on the size of the pot) into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once, or until just golden brown.
- Remove to a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack suspended over it to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining egg rolls.
- Serve hot with blue cheese or ranch dipping sauce.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
This is such a great spin on classic egg rolls. My family definitely loved these so much more.
These were absolutely delicious! Dipped in some blue cheese dressing they were *chef’s kiss*
I always love to find a new tasty appetizer recipe that I know will impress guests every time its served. These tasty bites will be on my next party menu.
I mean…egg rolls are amazing to begin with, but Buffalo? Yes, please! I’m looking forward to a birthday celebration I’m planning so I can make and serve these! Yum!
Oh my goodness these were a huge hit for football watching snacks!