Quick and Easy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts are perfect as a full-sized sandwich or as a slider. These delectable, 5-ingredient Chicken Melts are another done in under 30 minutes recipe!
The Ingredients
Warm and satisfying Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts are one of my favorite five-ingredient recipes. You’re likely to have everything you need in the pantry and fridge.
- Pre-Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (see substitution options in the section, below.)
- Buffalo Ranch Sauce Choose your favorite brand or use my recipe in the NOTES section of the recipe card.
- Colby Jack Cheese, freshly grated Freshly grated for ultimate meltability is the key, here. I used Colby Jack, but Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Mozzarella or Monterey Jack Cheese would all be delicious. I think Smoked Gouda would also be fantastic!
- Ciabatta Rolls
- Butter
Can a sandwich be comfort food? It can if it’s ooey, gooey cheese and tender white chicken in a luscious creamy buffalo ranch sauce and served on ciabatta rolls. You guys, these are so good!!!
What Is a Melt Sandwich?
A melt sandwich, like this Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melt recipe, combines cheese with a meat or vegetable filling.
Chicken melts (burger melts, mushroom melts, etc.) are then grilled, toasted or baked. They’re served hot and cheesy.
The end result is a flavorful and saucy melt sandwich with flavorful filling and lots of gooey, dripping melted cheese.
Activate Secret Weapon: Pre-Cooked Chicken
Pre-cooked chicken makes this recipe a weeknight dinner dream. I try to always have some in my fridge or freezer for recipes just like these delish Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts..
I typically prep a large batch ahead of time, bag it up and get it stored. The three recipes I use most often to do this are:
- My easy 20-minute, juicy Baked Chicken Breasts. Prepped and on the table in 30 minutes or less. Perfect every time. Great as a main dish or for food prep days. (This is what I had on hand for my Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts recipe, today. It was spectacular.)
- Our best tender and succulent Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts. 2 1/2 hours in the crockpot and you’ll have a fabulous chicken dinner, plus leftovers for the fridge and freezer. Also perfect for chicken melts.
- My favorite chicken for Mexican dishes, slow cooker Southwest Chicken. A little spicy kick wakes up the palate to the familiar southwest flavors in this mouthwatering chicken. Again, only 2 1/2 hours in the slow cooker.
No Pre-Cooked Chicken on Hand? No Worries!
Even if you don’t have one of these recipes pre-cooked and in the fridge or freezer, you still have options to get Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts on the table quickly.
Start with a rotisserie chicken from the store or use up leftovers from another chicken meal. Both are ideal for making chicken melts.
Most grocery stores carry pre-cooked frozen chicken, too (not breaded chicken), for use in recipes. Check out the freezer section to see what your market offers. Thaw the meat before using it in this Chicken Melts recipe.
Some day soon, I do encourage you to take 5 or 10 minutes to throw together one of the easy recipes listed above, though. You will not believe how simple it makes getting weeknight suppers on the table to have pre-cooked chicken ready to go.
Choosing Bread for Your Chicken Melts Sandwiches
I chose ciabatta rolls to make my Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts.
I love the way these rolls can stand up to a saucy chicken melt sandwich without falling apart.
And all the lovely, irregular holes and divets are a great place for the ooey, gooey cheese to melt into. That being said, you could use different bread.
Choose your family’s favorite bread for chicken melt sandwiches. If you use sliced bread, I recommend toasting it before building your Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melt sandwiches, so it doesn’t soak up so much of the sauce and get soggy. And I would probably just toast them in a skillet like grilled cheese.
You could also select: Hamburger Buns, Slider Buns, Sweet Hawaiian Rolls, Hoagie Rolls or Steak Rolls. I also think that Pretzel Rolls would be delicious for Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts.
What to Serve with Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts
What you serve with Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts will depend on the season and the occasion. In warmer months, serve them with your favorite side salads like Potato Salad, Broccoli Cauliflower Salad or Mandarin Orange Salad.
When the weather is cool they’re fantastic next to a warm bowl of tomato soup, or with Air Fryer Green Beans or Green Beans and Potatoes. I also love them with Cranberry Apple Salad or Kale Salad with Apples and Roasted Butternut Squash.
You can also make these sandwiches in a mini form, creating sliders instead of full size sandwiches. These are perfect for Labor Day parties, football and tailgating gatherings or for fun evenings around a bonfire. Serve them at a Halloween party or on a Christmas Eve buffet table.
Wherever you serve Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts, and in whatever size, these melty, cheesy chicken sandwiches with just a touch of spicy kick will be met with cheers and huzzahs from all who get to share them.
Storing and Reheating
If you won’t be eating six sandwiches at one sitting, i recommend storing the prepped chicken for your Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Build the sandwiches as you need them and bake.
The good new is that we did have two leftover sandwiches the day I first made these.. I allowed them to cool completely, still in the foil and stored them in the fridge.
Two days later, rather than disassemble the sandwich to bring the chicken to room temp, I simply put the whole foil packet in the oven and turned it on to 400°. Leaving the sandwich in the foil kept it from drying out. As the oven preheated, the contents were warmed slightly. When the oven hit 400°, I set the timer for 15 minutes.
The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melt I reheated was just as good as the first time around! Delicious! (I do think that the tougher hearty ciabatta roll made this possible. I’m not sure a soft roll would have held up.)
How to Make Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Thinly slice all three pieces of precooked chicken breast. I slice it even thinner than an 1/8″. It’s like 2mm thick. I can’t slice it as thin as deli meat, because I just use my big chef’s knife [affiliate link], but I get it as thin as I possibly can for a chicken melt.
- Grate the cheese so it’s ready to go.
- Add the Buffalo Ranch Sauce to the skillet with the sliced chicken breast. Stir to evenly coat every single slice.
- Heat lightly over medium heat, stirring so it doesn’t stick and so all pieces are exposed to the heat. You don’t need it hot. It’s already fully cooked. You just want to take the chill off your chicken and sauce if they have been refrigerated. You’re basically bringing them to room temperature or a little warmer. It will take 3 to 4 minutes, tops. (You could try doing this in the microwave, but I don’t recommend it. The meat will become dry and tough.) This quick preheat means the chicken melt sandwiches will spend less time in the oven and will heat more evenly. Set the warmed chicken aside.
- Butter both the top halves and the bottom halves of all 6 ciabatta rolls.
- Spread 3 Tablespoons of grated cheese on top of the butter on each bottom half.
- Next, add 1/6 of the sliced chicken breast you’ve prepped for the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders.
- Top the chicken with 3 more Tablespoons of grated cheese.
- Add the buttered top halves of the ciabatta rolls over the cheese to top of your chicken melt sandwiches.
- Wrap each individual chicken melt sandwich in foil, being careful to seal the edges. Place the individually wrapped Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melt Sandwiches on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil and move each sandwich to the plate you’ll be serving it on.
The Recipe
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Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 large or 12 small sandwiches 1x
Description
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts are ooey, gooey and cheesy delicious warm chicken sandwiches. They have a mild spicy kick that’s not too heavy-handed so they’re great for young and old.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 precooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, (or leftover or rotisserie chicken – frozen chicken should be thawed)
- 1 1/2 cups Buffalo Ranch Dressing/Sauce (favorite brand or recipe in NOTES section
- 6 ciabatta rolls
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2 1/4 cups Cheddar Jack or Colby Jack cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Thinly slice all three chicken breasts. I slice it even thinner than an 1/8″. It’s like 2mm thick. I can’t slice it as thin as deli meat, because I just use my big chef’s knife [affiliate link], but I get it as thin as I possibly can. If you prefer you can shred or dice the chicken. We just prefer slices.
- Grate the cheese so it’s ready to go.
- Add the Buffalo Ranch Sauce to the skillet with the chicken. Stir to evenly coat every single slice.
- Heat lightly over medium heat, stirring so it doesn’t stick and so all pieces are exposed to the heat. You don’t need it hot. It’s already fully cooked. You just want to take the chill off your chicken and sauce if they have been refrigerated. You’re basically bringing them to room temperature or a little warmer. It will take 3 to 4 minutes, tops. (You could try doing this in the microwave, but I don’t recommend it. The meat will become dry and tough.) This quick preheat means the sandwiches will spend less time in the oven and will heat more evenly. Set the warmed chicken aside
- Butter both the top halves and the bottom halves of all 6 ciabatta rolls.
- Spread 3 Tablespoons of grated cheese on top of the butter on each bottom half.
- Next, add 1/6 of the chicken slices you’ve prepped for the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders.
- Top the chicken with 3 more Tablespoons of grated cheese.
- Add the buttered top halves of the ciabatta rolls over the cheese to top of your sandwiches.
- Wrap each individual sandwich in foil, being careful to seal the edges. Place the individually wrapped Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melt Sandwiches on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 15 minutes at 400° F.
- Remove the foil and move each sandwich to the plate you’ll be serving it on.
Notes
For homemade Buffalo Ranch Sauce
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 4 to 5 Tablespoons ranch dressing mix, adjust to taste
- 4 to 5 drops Franks Red Hot, adjust to your heat preference
Stir all ingredients together and use as a sandwich topping, on tacos or salads.
Storing and Reheating
If you won’t be eating six sandwiches at one sitting, I recommend storing the prepped chicken for your Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Build the sandwiches as you need them and bake.
The good new is that we did have two leftover sandwiches the day I first made these.. I allowed them to cool completely, still in the foil and stored them in the fridge.
Two days later, rather than disassemble the sandwich to bring the chicken to room temp, I simply put the whole foil packet in the oven and turned it on to 400°. Leaving the sandwich in the foil kept it from drying out. As the oven preheated, the contents were warmed slightly. When the oven hit 400°, I set the timer for 15 minutes.
The Buffalo Ranch Chicken Melt I reheated was just as good as the first time around! Delicious! (I do think that the tougher crust on the hearty ciabatta roll made this possible. I’m not sure a soft roll would have held up.)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Chicken, Sandwich
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
About Glenda
I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...
This recipe was just what I needed for half a rotisserie I had (thank to last-minute plans and not eating it!) Loved the flavor of this sauce and so so easy!!
I’m happy to hear it worked well for you, Paula! I love quick-fix leftover makeovers.
We are big wings fans, and this was perfect! My kids liked it to (BONUS)!
That’s the best news ever, Emily! I’m so glad everyone could enjoy them.
These were so cheesy gooey and delicious will be making them again.
Glad you enjoyed them, James! Thanks so much!
I have some big buffalo chicken fans in my house and these were devoured as soon as they were ready. I have several requests to make this again! Thank you for the recipe – my family loved it.
Gen, I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks for stopping by to let me know!
This was super fun to make! And so delicious!
Thanks, Cam!
Made these for dinner tonight…delicious!!!
Yay!!! So glad you liked them! Thanks for letting me know, Debi!
We loved these cheesy sandwiches. The Buffalo chicken and chewy ciabatta bread were delicious together.
Dana, that’s awesome! Thank you!
I’ll have to try these! I love Ciabatta bread!
Isn’t it the greatest! Hope you enjoy the chicken melts, Mom!
This is such a great family meal. I will make it again and again.
I think so too, Wendy! Everyone loves them and they’re so easy to make.
I activated your secret weapon and I have to say it was the best chicken melts I have ever had, I loved it on ciabatta!
Mandy, you are definitely an in the know expert chef, then! So glad you loved them!
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make buffalo ranch chicken melts on ciabatta rolls recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
Thanks, Allyssa! I’m so happy you all enjoyed them.
This was total comfort food! Will definitely make again!
Kris, I agree! And when comfort food is easy, all the better! Thanks so much!