Buffalo Chicken Football Hand Pies Recipe tastes like spicy-tangy buffalo wings tucked inside a buttery, flaky crust with a cool dip on the side. This suits tailgaters, football-watchers, and busy hosts, and you can pull it off in about 45 minutes. I tested a batch during a Sunday matchup and my crew called a timeout for seconds.
Why You Should Try This Buffalo Chicken Football Hand Pies Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Football Hand Pies Recipe packs all the game day flavor into a tidy, hand-held package. You get crispy edges, creamy-cheesy filling, and that signature buffalo kick without a saucy mess on the couch.
You can use rotisserie chicken, store-bought dough, and your favorite hot sauce to keep prep easy. The football shape scores extra points on the snack table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Filling:
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie shortcut works great)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot (adjust to taste)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack (Cheddar also works)
- 1/3 cup finely diced celery
- 1/3 cup finely diced carrot
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 teaspoon honey for a touch of balance
Assembly:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed in the fridge, or 2 refrigerated pie crusts (Pillsbury works), or 2 crescent roll sheets
- Flour for rolling
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
- Optional toppers: sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning
- Dips: ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Chopped chives or extra green onions for garnish
Equipment:
- Rolling pin, sharp knife or 3.5 to 4 inch football or oval cutter
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Baking sheets lined with parchment
- Pastry brush and fork
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Football Hand Pies
Step 1: Mix the filling
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk hot sauce with melted butter, then stir in cream cheese until smooth. Fold in chicken, cheese, celery, carrot, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and honey if using. Taste and adjust heat or salt.
Step 2: Roll and cut the football shapes
Lightly flour your surface and roll puff pastry or pie dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut an even number of ovals or football shapes, roughly 3.5 to 4 inches long. Gather and reroll scraps as needed, and keep the cut pieces chilled on a tray. Aim for 24 to 28 cutouts to make 12 to 14 hand pies.
Step 3: Fill and crimp
Brush half the cutouts with a little egg wash around the edges. Scoop 1 to 2 tablespoons filling into the center of each base piece. Top with another cutout and press the edges to seal, then crimp all around with a fork so the filling stays put. Use a knife to cut a small steam slit on top.
Step 4: Add the laces and bake
Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like. For laces, cut thin dough strips and lay them on top, or pipe lines with ranch after baking. Arrange the pies on lined sheets and bake 18 to 22 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Rotate the pans halfway for even browning.
Step 5: Sauce and serve
Let the hand pies rest 5 minutes so the filling settles. Drizzle with ranch or blue cheese, or serve dips on the side. Sprinkle with chives and set them on the snack table before anyone challenges the call.
Step 6: Air fryer option
Heat the air fryer to 350°F. Arrange a few pies in a single layer and cook 10 to 12 minutes until golden, flipping at the 7-minute mark. Work in batches so they cook evenly.
Tips & Tricks
- Keep the dough cold so it stays flaky and puffs nicely.
- Don’t overfill; 1 to 2 tablespoons per pie prevents leaks.
- Seal the edges well and cut a small vent so steam can escape.
- Chill assembled pies for 10 minutes before baking for cleaner edges.
- Use a 2 to 1 ratio of hot sauce to butter for classic buffalo flavor.
- Swap cream cheese with Greek yogurt for a lighter vibe.
- Try gluten-free pie crust and gluten-free hot sauce if needed.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer for crisp results.
What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Football Hand Pies
Serve these buffalo chicken hand pies with celery and carrot sticks, extra ranch or blue cheese, and pickle chips for zing. Add a big green salad or coleslaw to cool the heat. Cold lager, crisp pilsner, or hard cider all pair well with the spicy filling. Sparkling water with lime also clears the palate between bites.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Assemble the pies, then refrigerate them up to 24 hours before baking. Freeze unbaked pies on a sheet until firm, then store them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen at 400°F for 22 to 26 minutes, or until the crust turns golden and the filling bubbles lightly. Store baked leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days, and reheat at 350°F in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.
Buffalo Chicken Football Hand Pies Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, Buffalo wing sauce, ranch or blue cheese dressing, shredded cheddar, crumbled blue cheese (if using), and green onions. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Lightly flour your work surface and unroll the pie crusts. Using a football-shaped cookie cutter or a knife, cut out as many matching football shapes as possible, re-rolling scraps as needed. You should get about 16 shapes for 8 hand pies.
- Place half of the football cutouts on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon a small mound of Buffalo chicken filling into the center of each, leaving a border around the edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Brush the edges of the filled crusts lightly with egg wash.
- Top each filled crust with a second football cutout, pressing the edges firmly together with your fingers, then crimp with a fork to seal.
- Use a sharp knife to cut small slits on top of each hand pie for steam to escape. Optionally, lightly score laces on top to resemble footballs. Brush the tops with more egg wash.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the crusts are golden brown and crisp.
- Let the hand pies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, with extra Buffalo sauce and dressing for dipping if desired.
Notes
Approximate per 1 hand pie: 320 calories; fat 20 g; saturated fat 9 g; carbohydrates 20 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 2 g; protein 15 g; sodium 780 mg. Values will vary based on specific ingredients, brands, and portion sizes.