If you like the taste of buffalo chicken and are looking for a quick & easy high-protein lunch, try this Buffalo Chicken Salad! It might just be your new favorite way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken or chicken breasts! 😊
As a dietitian, I am on a mission to provide you with recipes that you can meal prep and enjoy the next day, too. This easy buffalo chicken salad comes together in just about 10 minutes and you won't believe how good it tastes! Enjoy it with chips or crackers, dip celery and carrots in it, or turn it into a sandwich or wrap! It's a great one to bring to football watching parties or tailgates, too. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. 😊
If you love chicken salads, try my Green Goddess Chicken Salad or Tuscan Chicken Salad next!
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad is made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the printable recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Rotisserie Chicken - as a shortcut for this quick recipe, I use rotisserie chicken. If you don't want to use pre-cooked chicken, you can cook your own and use either chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cook it using your favorite method and then shred the chicken.
- Buffalo Hot Sauce - tangy buffalo sauce is a great way to add the classic buffalo chicken flavor! I use the Primal Kitchen brand. You can find it at the grocery store or on Amazon.
- Plain Greek Yogurt - we use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise to make this buffalo chicken salad creamy with less added saturated fats. If you can't tolerate dairy, use a plain dairy-free yogurt. You can substitute it with cottage cheese or do a half avocado mayo & half Greek yogurt mixture.
- Celery - crunchy celery is commonly served with buffalo chicken and adds a little dietary fiber and the perfect crunch to this chicken salad. If you want more veggies, you can also add crunchy bell peppers, red cabbage, or diced cherry tomatoes.
- Green onions - onions add lots of flavor and are an easy way to enhance this buffalo chicken salad. You can replace green onion with red onion or shallots if you want!
- Lemon Juice - a little lemon juice to brighten it up. Don't skip this ingredient because it makes a big difference!
- Seasonings - garlic powder and paprika add flavor.
- Salt & Pepper - a bit of salt and pepper to tie all the flavors together.
- Optional ingredients if you want to kick it up a notch - blue cheese crumbles, fresh herbs like fresh dill or parsley, creamy avocado, olive oil or avocado oil.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful!
- Step 1- Shred your chicken using either 2 forks or a hand mixer. Finely chop the celery and green onions.
- Step 2 - in a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, buffalo hot sauce, celery, green onions, lemon juice, seasonings, and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Hint: if you like things spicy, add more buffalo sauce and cut back on the amount of Greek yogurt!
Dietitian Tip
It seems basic, but it's so easy to forget that when it comes to sticking with healthy eating, having easy lunches like chicken salad meal prepped and ready to go is so helpful. Especially on busy days. And recipes that taste great like this Buffalo Chicken Salad are key to making mealtime truly enjoyable! 😊
Video of How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Here's a short video of how to make this recipe!
Variations
The best part about this buffalo chicken salad is you can customize it based on your preference. Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative!
- Spicy - double up on the hot sauce or add crushed red pepper flakes, serrano or jalapeno pepper to spice it up.
- Deluxe - feel free to add chopped carrot, red onion, and cucumber for an extra crunchy texture! Top it with lemon zest to add even more flavor.
- Potato Salad - add cooked red potatoes and blue cheese to turn it into a twist on normal potato salad.
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Salad
Once you have a batch of this buffalo chicken salad, there are so many different ways you can serve it! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich or Wrap - turn this chicken salad into a balanced healthy meal by serving it between two slices of sourdough or whole wheat bread with some crunchy romaine lettuce.
- In Lettuce Wraps - if you're looking for a gluten-free option, serve this buffalo chicken salad recipe in fresh lettuce wraps. Romaine lettuce works great for this.
- Green Salad - add a couple of scoops of this buffalo chicken dip on top of spring mix and add your favorite fresh vegetables and some blue cheese on top!
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos - wrap it up in a tortilla and enjoy buffalo chicken tacos!
Storage
- Refrigerator - store leftover Buffalo Chicken Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use a chicken you like the flavor of since it will have an impact on the flavor of this chicken salad!
- One of the easiest ways to shred chicken for chicken salads is to shred it in a food processor or with a hand mixer.
- For the best flavor, I suggest using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice if possible.
FAQs
While healthy means something different to everyone, this buffalo chicken salad is a nutrient-rich option. Chicken is a high-quality lean protein and also provides other important nutrients including iron and vitamin B6. This recipe also contains Greek yogurt which provides more protein, phosphorus, and calcium. This recipe is gluten-free and does not contain added sugars.
I use Primal Kitchen's Buffalo Sauce made with avocado oil.
Great question! Make it a meal by serving chicken salad in a sandwich or a wrap. You could serve it on a bed of lettuce or in a green salad. Eat it as a snack with crackers, pita chips, raw vegetables, or even sweet potatoes. I enjoy Mary's Gone Crackers Seed Crackers or Pretzel Crisps with this buffalo chicken salad.
Yes, this is a gluten-free recipe.
This recipe is not dairy-free since it uses Greek yogurt. You can make this recipe dairy-free by replacing the Greek yogurt with a plant-based yogurt! Just be sure to use plain flavored yogurt.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Buffalo Chicken Salad:
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I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad (High-Protein, Healthy)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped about ½ cup
- 4 stalks green onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup Greek yogurt I use nonfat
- ⅓ cup Buffalo sauce
- ½ large lemon, juice of
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Shred your chicken using either 2 forks or a hand mixer. Finely chop the celery and green onions.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, Greek yogurt, buffalo hot sauce, celery, green onions, lemon juice, seasonings, and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Hint: if you like things spicy, add more buffalo sauce and cut back on the amount of Greek yogurt!
- Hint: if you like things spicy, add more buffalo sauce and cut back on the amount of Greek yogurt!
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use a chicken you like the flavor of since it will have an impact on the flavor of this chicken salad!
- One of the easiest ways to shred chicken for chicken salads is to shred it in a food processor or with a hand mixer.
- For the best flavor, I suggest using fresh lemon juice in the dressing instead of bottled lemon juice if possible.
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