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If you love buffalo chicken dip and traditional chicken salad, this Buffalo Chicken Salad brings the best of both together in one easy recipe. Tender shredded chicken, crunchy celery, red onion, blue cheese crumbles, creamy mayo, and plenty of buffalo flavor make this a quick lunch that’s anything but boring.
This easy Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe is also a great option for meal prep because there’s no cooking required once your chicken is ready. Serve it on toasted bread, make Buffalo Chicken Salad sandwiches, pile it into lettuce wraps for a low carb option, or simply grab some crackers and dig in. No matter how you serve it, you’re getting so much flavor from a handful of simple ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Salad
There are plenty of chicken salad recipes out there, but if you’re a buffalo chicken fan, this one needs to be on your list.
Instead of the mild flavors you typically find in traditional chicken salad, this recipe combines creamy mayo with hot sauce for a tangy, spicy dressing that coats every piece of chicken. Crunchy veggies add texture, while blue cheese crumbles give the salad that classic buffalo wing flavor.
It’s easy to make, requires just 15 minutes of prep once the chicken is cooked, and keeps well in the refrigerator. That makes it one of my favorite easy ways to turn cooked chicken into lunches for the next few days.
The Best Chicken for Buffalo Chicken Salad
My favorite way to make this recipe is with boneless skinless chicken breast that I cook specifically for shredding.
You have a couple of easy options. The first is to poach the chicken breasts in water until they’re completely cooked through. Let them cool before shredding and assembling the salad.
You can also cook the chicken in a slow cooker or crockpot on high until tender enough to shred. Once it’s cooked, I like to use a hand mixer to quickly break the chicken apart. It’s one of the easiest ways to get perfectly shredded chicken without spending several minutes pulling it apart by hand.
Leftover chicken breasts are another good alternative, and rotisserie chicken is perfect when you want to skip the cooking process altogether. Just remove the skin and bones and shred the meat before adding it to your large bowl.
What You’ll Need
The complete list of measurements can be found in the recipe card, but the main ingredients are incredibly simple.
You’ll need shredded chicken, crunchy celery, red onion, blue cheese crumbles, mayonnaise, buffalo sauce, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
The celery and onion are especially important because they provide crunch against the creamy texture of the chicken salad.
For the buffalo sauce, use your favorite brand. You can choose a mild sauce or something with more hot sauce and heat depending on your preference.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Start with completely cooled cooked chicken. Shred three large chicken breasts into small, bite-sized pieces and place them directly into a large bowl.
Next, add the diced crunchy celery, finely diced red onion, and blue cheese crumbles. Give everything a quick toss so the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the chicken.
Add the mayonnaise, buffalo sauce, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper directly to the same bowl. There’s no reason to dirty another dish by making the creamy dressing separately.
Stir everything together until the chicken is completely coated and you have a creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad.
Taste and adjust from there. Want more heat? Add another splash of buffalo sauce or hot sauce. Prefer an extra creamy texture? Mix in a little more mayonnaise.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives all those flavors time to come together.
Easy Ways to Customize It
This chicken recipe is easy to customize based on what you already have in the refrigerator.
If blue cheese isn’t your thing, leave out the blue cheese crumbles and substitute shredded cheddar or another cheese you enjoy.
You can also add green onion, diced carrots, extra crunchy celery, or other crunchy veggies.
For even more ranch flavor, mix a little ranch seasoning into the mayo and buffalo sauce. You could also replace some of the mayonnaise with ranch dressing to create an extra tangy, creamy dressing.
These additions are a great way to put your own spin on the recipe without losing that classic buffalo flavor.
Is Buffalo Chicken Salad Low Carb?
The chicken salad itself is naturally low in carbohydrates, making it a great option if you’re looking to reduce carbs.
Instead of bread, serve it in lettuce wraps or spoon it over a large bed of chopped greens. You can also serve it alongside celery, carrots, cucumbers, or other fresh vegetables.
If you’re searching for a healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad, you can replace some of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. It won’t taste exactly the same, but it’s a good alternative that still creates a creamy consistency.
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Salad
One of the best things about this recipe is how many different ways you can serve it.
My favorite way is piled high on toasted bread or a buttery croissant with extra buffalo sauce on top. You can also make Buffalo Chicken Salad sandwiches, stuff it into wraps, serve it in lettuce wraps, or scoop it up with crackers.
For game day, put a bowl of it out with crackers, celery sticks, and carrots for an easy appetizer inspired by buffalo chicken dip.
Meal Prep and Storage
Buffalo Chicken Salad is perfect for meal prep because the flavor gets even better after it spends some time in the refrigerator.
Transfer the salad to an airtight container and keep it refrigerated. For the best quality, enjoy it within 3–4 days.
If you have leftover chicken salad, give it a good stir before serving again. You can also add a little more buffalo sauce or mayo if needed to bring back that creamy texture.
Final Thoughts
This creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad is an easy way to turn simple cooked chicken into a flavor-packed lunch or dinner. With tender shredded chicken, crunchy celery, red onion, blue cheese, mayo, garlic powder, and spicy buffalo sauce, you get the flavors of buffalo wings in an easy chicken salad recipe.
Whether you’re using freshly poached boneless skinless chicken breast, leftover chicken breasts, slow cooker chicken, or rotisserie chicken, it’s a simple recipe you can make again and again.
Serve it on toasted bread, make Buffalo Chicken Salad sandwiches, load it into lettuce wraps, or eat it straight from the bowl with crackers. However you serve it, this easy Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe delivers the perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, tangy, and spicy in every bite.
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- 3/4 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 4 oz blue cheese crumbles
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Shred the cooked chicken breasts into small, bite-sized pieces and add them directly to a large mixing bowl. Make sure the chicken has cooled completely before assembling the salad.
- Add the diced celery, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles directly to the bowl with the shredded chicken. Give everything a quick toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Add the mayonnaise, buffalo sauce, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper directly to the bowl. Stir everything together until the shredded chicken and vegetables are completely coated in the creamy buffalo mixture.
- Taste the chicken salad and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add a little more buffalo sauce for extra heat or additional mayonnaise if you prefer a creamier consistency.
- Cover the Buffalo Chicken Salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to come together while keeping the chicken salad cold and creamy.
- Serve chilled on toasted bread, piled onto a croissant, stuffed into a wrap, or alongside crackers and fresh vegetables. Finish with extra buffalo sauce and blue cheese crumbles if desired.
