This post may contain affiliate links.
These Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels bring the party to any potluck or tailgate! It’s an easy recipe that uses simple ingredients making them the perfect appetizer for any occasion!
Jump to Recipe
There’s nothing better than the feast that is spread out on a table on game day! You know what I mean…piles of chips, countless dips, buffalo chicken wings, snack mixes, etc.
These Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels are the perfect finger food for your next gathering. They’re reminiscent of a spicy buffalo chicken dip, but in a more portable, easy to eat form!
Ingredients Needed
- Cream Cheese – You can use regular or the 1/3 less fat cream cheese; either way, be sure you’ve softened it to room temperature.
- Chicken – Use leftover rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken breasts, or whatever cooked chicken (shredded or diced) you have on hand. Though I don’t love the flavor of canned chicken, if you choose to use it, be sure to drain it well.
- Green Onions
- Buffalo Hot Sauce – Use store-bought (I like Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce) or homemade buffalo sauce. You’ll find this in grocery stores in the condiment aisle.
- Ranch Dressing – You can opt to use blue cheese dressing instead if you’d like.
- Cheddar Cheese – You can also use sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack or Colby jack cheese.
- Flour Tortillas – I suggest using the large 10-inch flour tortillas. I don’t recommend using corn tortillas as they’re not as pliable.
Variations
Spice it up! Though the recipe already has a little kick, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to bring the heat up a notch!
Add some crunch! Try adding some finely diced celery to bring a little bit of texture to the pinwheel.
Give it some color! The green onions add a little color, but add more with a few diced black olives and diced red pepper.
Blue Cheese lovers! Love blue cheese?? Replace the ranch with blue cheese dressing and use half cheddar cheese and half blue cheese crumbles.
Tips for the Best Pinwheels
Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature when you begin. I like to use a hand mixer to mix the cream cheese to be sure there are no chunks of cream cheese in the final product.
Spread the buffalo chicken filling over the tortillas in an even layer. Then, when you roll it up, wrap tightly but not so tightly that you squeeze the filling out.
Be sure to wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the buffalo chicken tortilla pinwheels for a couple of hours before serving. This will make it much easier to cut.
Use a sharp knife to cut through the rolled tortillas for nicely clean-cut pinwheels. I prefer using a serrated knife but any sharp knife will work.
The ends of the tortillas roll-ups won’t be as pretty….but save them for later (you’ll be glad you have leftovers, even if they’re aren’t super pretty!)
FAQ’s
Store leftover sliced pinwheels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do recommend placing parchment paper between the layers of pinwheels as the cream cheese mixture can make them stick together.
I don’t recommend it. I’d stick to either the full fat or low fat (1/3 less fat Nuefchatel) cream cheese.
If you have a gluten free “flour” tortilla that is nice and pliable, absolutely! I don’t recommend using corn tortillas as the texture isn’t ideal for pinwheels.
You can, but it will change the texture a bit. The tortillas will take on some of the moisture from the filling and will be softer than it was before freezing.
Other Game Day Faves
Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
Ingredients
- One 8 ounce block cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/3 cup buffalo sauce
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 5 large flour tortillas (I use the "burrito" size)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded chicken, green onions, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing and shredded cheese.
- Divide the mixture between the 5 tortillas and spread out to an even layer.
- Roll each tortilla up tightly then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- After chilling for 2-4 hours, slice into bite-size pieces.
- Refrigerate pinwheels until ready to serve.
These are the perfect game day snack! My husband my roast beef version, but I am glad to have a little variety on the menu now!