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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Buffalo Chicken Salad

    Published: Feb 6, 2018 · Updated: Dec 17, 2020 by Katie | Wheat by the Wayside · This post may contain affiliate links, through which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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    a bowl full of salad with celery, green onion, carrots, shredded buffalo chicken and ranch dressing

    Buffalo Chicken Salad features spicy buffalo chicken on a crisp bed of romaine, with celery, carrots, and crunchy tortilla strips.  Sure to satisfy your buffalo wing craving! 

    a bowl full of salad with celery, green onion, carrots, shredded buffalo chicken and ranch dressing

    Oh my, this Buffalo Chicken Salad, are you kidding me?  This might just be a new favorite and let me tell you it's really tough to beat that cilantro lime vinaigrette on a taco salad!  It hits all the right notes between the crunchy romaine and celery, crispy tortilla strips, spicy buffalo chicken, sweet carrots, and creamy ranch.  My mouth is watering again just thinking about it.

    Making the Shredded Buffalo Chicken

    chicken breasts in an instant pot, buffalo sauce in measuring cup
    Pouring wing sauce on chicken.
    Chicken breasts in wing sauce.
    Shredded chicken in wing sauce.

    The first thing I did to make this buffalo chicken salad, was make the buffalo chicken.  Which was so easy thanks to the instant pot.  Although, you could also make it in a slow cooker.  All you need to do is drop some chicken in the pot of your choice with some buffalo sauce, cook, and shred.

    For the Instant Pot: cook 12-15 minutes on manual

    For the Slow Cooker: cook 2 hrs on high or 4 hours on low.

    Prepping the Salad Ingredients

    A bowl of lettuce, shredded chicken, celery, carrots, green onion, and tortilla strips on the side.

    Now, you'll prep your salad ingredients.  

    • Shred the romaine,
    • shave the carrots, and
    • slice up green onion and celery.
    • You could also slice up an avocado if you have it.  

    I found this Tessemae's organic creamy ranch at the store and I really liked it.  It's dairy free but somehow creamy!   Just use your favorite ranch or bleu cheese dressing.  After that just pile it all in a bowl and chow down!

    a bowl full of salad with celery, green onion, carrots, shredded buffalo chicken and ranch dressing

    Uses for the Leftover Chicken

    If you have any chicken leftover, obviously you can make more salads throughout the week but this shredded buffalo chicken is also great on:

    • a sandwich 
    • Potato Skins - with Monterey Jack cheese, ranch, and green onions
    • in a Quesadilla - with cheese and veggies

    This Shredded Buffalo Chicken is so delicious, I often make it for uses other than this salad!  

    A bowl of buffalo chicken salad.

    Buffalo Chicken Salad

    Katie | Wheat by the Wayside
    Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Instant Pot shredded Buffalo Chicken is the best, healthy salad to satisfy that buffalo craving! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Salad
    Diet Gluten Free
    Servings 8 salads
    Calories 278 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark.

    Ingredients
      

    For the Buffalo Chicken

    • 1.5 lb chicken breasts
    • 1 cup buffalo wing sauce, like Frank's, make sure to get 'wing' sauce

    For the Salad

    • 1 pkg romaine lettuce
    • 2 carrots
    • 2 stalks celery
    • 1 small bunch green onions
    • 1 avocado, optional
    • ranch dressing, or bleu cheese
    • tortilla strips

    Instructions
     

    For the Buffalo Chicken

    • Place the chicken and buffalo sauce into the instant pot.  Close the lid and sealing valve.  Cook on Poultry or Manual (high) for 12-15 minutes.  Allow the pressure to naturally release (NPR).  
    • Remove and shred the chicken with two forks. Place the chicken back into the pot along with the sauce. Set aside.
    • Alternatively, place the chicken and buffalo wing sauce into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hrs.  Remove and shred the chicken.  Place chicken back into the pot with the sauce and set aside.

    To Assemble the Salad

    • Slice the romaine lettuce, green onions, celery, and avocado (optional).  Shave the carrots with a vegetable peeler. Set aside along with the tortilla strips and dressing.
    • Assemble all ingredients into a large bowl and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 278kcal
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and star rating below!

    shredded buffalo chicken on a salad with carrots and celery in a white bowl

    Just look at that salad.  Come to mama!!  Speaking of salads... this BBQ Chicken Salad is also the amazing!

    Did you enjoy this recipe? Please consider leaving a comment & star-rating below. Click the social share buttons below to share this recipe to Facebook or Pinterest! If you make a recipe, tag me on Instagram: @wheatbythewayside and use #wheatbythewayside.  Happy Cooking!

    SaveSave

    More Salads

    • BLT Quinoa Bowls
    • Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad
    • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

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    1. Kathy

      February 06, 2018 at 9:25 am

      5 stars
      Looks delicious. And good for you. Can’t wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Katie

        February 06, 2018 at 9:27 am

        I think you’ll love it!

        Reply

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    Katie Olesen headshot.

    Hi, I'm Katie! I'm the blogger behind Wheat by the Wayside. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2018 and have been following a strict gluten-free diet ever since. The goal of WBTW is to share tried and tested, easy, and delicious gluten-free recipes to give you confidence in the kitchen! 

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