Crispy Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls are a restaurant-style appetizer recipe with bold Buffalo flavor and an extra-crispy shell. Shredded chicken is mixed with Buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and shredded cheese before being wrapped and fried until golden.
If you like crispy appetizers like this, try our Pizza Egg Rolls or Vegetarian Egg Rolls next.
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls at a Glance 🔎
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 10 to 12 egg rolls
- 🔥 Cook Method: Deep Frying
- 🍽️ Cuisine (or General Category): American Appetizer
- 👩🍳 Pair With: Ranch or blue cheese dressing, celery and carrot sticks, chopped salad
- ⭐ Difficulty Level: Easy
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We use a mix of cheddar and Pepper Jack cheese for flavor and melt. Finish the platter with blue cheese and green onions before serving. ~Jami
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-Style Crispy: Deep frying gives the egg roll wrappers the bubbly, golden exterior that's hard to duplicate with other cooking methods.
- Creamy Without Being Runny: Cream cheese binds the chicken and Buffalo sauce so the filling stays rich without adding unnecessary liquid that can cause leaks.
- Easy Shortcut: Cooked or rotisserie chicken means there's no need to cook the chicken separately before assembling the egg rolls.
- Great for Sharing: These are easy to serve with ranch, blue cheese dressing, and extra Buffalo sauce for parties, game days, or casual entertaining.
Key Ingredients
- Cooked Chicken: Finely shredded chicken works better than large chunks because it's easier to distribute through the filling and makes the egg rolls easier to roll tightly. Rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut, but any simply seasoned cooked chicken works well.
- Frank's RedHot Original: We use Frank's for the familiar tangy heat associated with Buffalo-style chicken. Keeping the amount controlled is important here because too much sauce can make the filling loose and increase the chance of the egg rolls leaking while they fry.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese gives the filling its creamy texture and helps hold the shredded chicken together. Four ounces is enough to make the center rich without turning the filling into Buffalo chicken dip.
- Cheddar and Pepper Jack: Sharp cheddar adds flavor while Pepper Jack melts smoothly. Using both gives the center plenty of cheesy flavor without relying on a large amount of cream cheese.
- Egg Roll Wrappers: Use the refrigerated square egg roll wrappers commonly found in the produce section of the grocery store. Keep unused wrappers covered while you work because they can dry out quickly and become more difficult to roll and seal.
- Frying Oil: Peanut or vegetable oil works well for deep frying because both can handle the 350°F cooking temperature. Maintaining the temperature between batches is more important than the specific oil you choose.
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Cooked Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is convenient, but leftover roasted, baked, or poached chicken works just as well. Keep the seasoning fairly neutral so it doesn't compete with the Buffalo sauce.
- Cheddar Cheese: Colby Jack can replace the cheddar for a slightly milder filling.
- Pepper Jack: Mozzarella can be substituted if that's what you have, although Pepper Jack provides a little more flavor.
- Milder Spice: Reduce the Frank's slightly and serve extra sauce on the side so everyone can control the heat.
- Blue Cheese: Add crumbled blue cheese as a garnish. This keeps its distinctive flavor noticeable and lets guests choose how much they want.
- Presentation: Arrange the egg rolls on a platter with ranch or blue cheese dressing, Buffalo sauce, crumbled blue cheese, and thinly sliced green onions.
How To Make Crispy Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
STEP ONE: Prepare the Buffalo Chicken Filling
Combine the finely shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, Frank's RedHot, cheddar, Pepper Jack, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix until everything is evenly distributed and the mixture holds together when scooped.
The filling should look creamy but not wet. Resist adding extra Buffalo sauce at this point. It's easier to add more sauce when serving than to fix a filling that's too loose to stay inside the wrapper.
STEP TWO: Fill and Roll the Egg Rolls
Set a wrapper on the work surface so it looks like a diamond, with one corner pointing toward you. Place about ¼ cup of filling just below the center and shape it into a short log.
Fold the bottom corner snugly over the filling, bring both side corners toward the center, and continue rolling. Use a small amount of water on the final corner to seal it. A snug roll minimizes air pockets, but don't pull so tightly that you tear the wrapper.
STEP THREE: Heat the Oil and Fry
Add 2 to 3 inches of peanut or vegetable oil to a heavy pot and heat it to 350°F.
Fry the egg rolls in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed so the wrappers brown evenly.
Watch the thermometer between batches. Adding several cold egg rolls at once can quickly lower the oil temperature, resulting in a wrapper that absorbs more oil instead of becoming light and crisp.
STEP FOUR: Drain, Garnish, and Serve
Transfer the golden egg rolls to a wire rack and let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes. The rack allows excess oil to drain without trapping steam underneath and softening the wrappers.
Serve them whole or cut diagonally to show the Buffalo chicken filling. Finish with crumbled blue cheese and thinly sliced green onions, then serve ranch or blue cheese dressing and additional Buffalo sauce alongside.
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Expert Tips for Success
👩🍳Jami's Pro Tips: Want to take this recipe to the next level? Check out my expert tips below for the best flavor, texture, and meal prep hacks!
✔️ DO Finely shred the chicken so the filling is easy to portion and the wrappers roll smoothly.
✔️ DO Keep the oil close to 350°F and allow it to return to temperature between batches.
❌ DO NOT Add butter or excessive Buffalo sauce to the filling. Extra liquid and fat can make the mixture looser and increase the chance of leaking.
❌ DO NOT Overfill the wrappers.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover cooked buffalo egg rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 375°F oven or air fryer until the center is hot and the wrapper is crisp again. For freezing, cool the cooked egg rolls completely, freeze them individually until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container; reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer rather than microwaving for the best texture.
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Egg Roll Recipe FAQs
Buffalo chicken egg rolls typically combine cooked shredded chicken, Buffalo sauce, and cheese inside an egg roll wrapper. Our version uses cream cheese, cheddar, and Pepper Jack to create a creamy filling that stays thick enough for frying.
Ranch dressing and blue cheese dressing are both classic choices for Buffalo chicken egg rolls. Extra Buffalo sauce on the side is also good for anyone who wants more heat. For a restaurant-style platter, add crumbled blue cheese over the finished egg rolls and serve celery or carrot sticks alongside.
Yes. An air fryer won't produce exactly the same shell as deep frying, but it can still make the wrappers crisp. Lightly coat the assembled egg rolls with oil and arrange them in a single layer with space between them, then air fry until golden and crisp, turning during cooking as needed.
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Large plate or baking sheet
- Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
- Tongs or spider strainer
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken finely shredded, such as rotisserie chicken
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup buffalo sauce such as Frank's RedHot Original
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 10 to 12 refrigerated egg roll wrappers
- water for sealing
- peanut or vegetable oil for frying
For Serving
- ranch or blue cheese dressing
- additional Buffalo sauce
- crumbled blue cheese
- thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Add the shredded chicken, cream cheese, Frank's RedHot, cheddar, Pepper Jack, garlic powder, and onion powder to a large bowl. Mix until evenly combined. The filling should be creamy and hold together without being runny.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner pointing toward you. Add about ¼ cup of filling just below the center and shape it into a short log, leaving enough space around the edges to fold the wrapper.
- Fold the bottom corner snugly over the filling. Fold the left and right corners toward the center, then roll tightly toward the remaining corner. Lightly wet the final corner with water and press to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- Add 2 to 3 inches of oil to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F.
- Working in small batches, carefully lower the egg rolls into the hot oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the wrappers are crisp and evenly golden brown. Let the oil return to 350°F before adding the next batch.
- Transfer the egg rolls to a wire rack and let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with ranch or blue cheese dressing and additional Buffalo sauce. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and sliced green onions, if desired.
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Notes
- Keep the frying oil close to 350°F for a crisp, evenly browned wrapper.
- Roll each egg roll snugly and completely seal the final corner with water.
- Keep the filling thick and serve additional Buffalo sauce on the side.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop too quickly.
Jami Powell says
One of our very favorite game day treats. They're usually the first thing to disappear!