This buffalo chicken salad is packed with flavor, great for meal prep and super easy to make! Serve it for lunch with crackers, in a lettuce wrap or as a sandwich.
I love protein salads (like my tuna salad and tarragon chicken salad) and anything with buffalo sauce (these buffalo chicken meatballs and buffalo cauliflower wings are faves of mine!), so I thought I would combine the two to create this buffalo chicken salad!
It’s got everything you love about buffalo chicken, but in a lighter, more versatile form. I love how this salad can be prepped in minutes and enjoyed in so many ways — whether you’re scooping it up with crackers, piling it onto a bed of greens, or stuffing it into a wrap for a quick lunch — the options are endless!
Plus, just like with all my chicken salads this recipe is super easy to make, especially if you use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or prep your shredded chicken in advance. I love meal prepping my slow cooker shredded chicken to have on hand for salads like this one throughout the week.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy – This salad comes together in minutes with simple ingredients, making it perfect for busy days when you need something fast but still satisfying.
- Flavorful – The combo of buffalo sauce, Greek yogurt, mayo and crunchy veggies makes every bite jam-packed with flavor. It’s got just the right amount of heat balanced with creamy and crunchiness.
- Versatile – You can enjoy this salad so many ways – on its own, with crackers (like my almond flour crackers), as a sandwich or wrap, or over a bed of greens – the options are endless!
- Perfect for Meal Prep – Make a batch over the weekend so you have lunches ready to go for the week.
Ingredients Needed
- shredded chicken – I love using rotisserie chicken for this recipe because it’s quick and easy, but you can also use my foolproof method for slow cooker shredded chicken or instant pot shredded chicken.
- buffalo sauce – this is where all the bold, spicy flavor comes from. Look for a clean buffalo wing sauce without artificial flavors or colors, seed oils or corn syrup. My two favorite brands are the Primal Kitchen Medium Heat Buffalo Sauce and Noble Made Medium Buffalo Sauce. Frank’s Hot Sauce is also a good option.
- red onion and celery – these veggies add a little texture, crunch and color to the salad.
- mayonnaise and greek yogurt – the combo of the two binds the ingredients together with a creamy texture. I love using plain greek yogurt as a sub for some of the mayo because it has less fat and calories and more protein. When it comes to mayo, I love using the Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayo, which is sugar-free, dairy-free and refined oil-free.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Toss everything to combine. Taste, and add more yogurt, mayo, or spices if needed.
Brittany’s Tip!
For a shortcut, use rotisserie chicken. Just shred it up and add it to the rest of your ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to serve this buffalo chicken salad. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Over greens: Serve the chicken salad on a bed of fresh greens like spinach, arugula, or mixed baby greens for something light and nutritious.
- With crackers: Serve this chicken salad with crackers for a snack or light lunch. Try my almond flour crackers.
- As a sandwich: Make buffalo chicken salad sandwiches by serving it on sourdough bread or croissants. I love adding tomato slices, carrot sticks, red onion, lettuce and blue cheese crumbles or spinach to make it a full sandwich.
- As a wrap: If you prefer a wrap to a sandwich add this chicken salad to your favorite tortilla along with tomatoes, lettuce and blue cheese crumbles, wrap it up and enjoy! For a a low-carb and gluten-free option, use large lettuce leaves (such as iceberg or butter lettuce) as wraps.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
When ready to serve, give the salad a good stir and add any additional seasoning if needed. If it seems a bit dry, you can add a little more Greek yogurt or mayonnaise to freshen it up.
If you’re packing this salad for lunch, I recommend keeping any extra toppings, like green onions or blue cheese crumbles, separate until you’re ready to eat. This way, everything stays as fresh and crisp as possible. It’s an easy and tasty way to enjoy this salad all week long!
Frequently Asked Questions
For shredded chicken, I love picking up a rotisserie chicken. Just shred it up and add it to the rest of your ingredients. Easy peasy! When I don’t go the rotisserie chicken route I typically follow my recipe for slow cooker shredded chicken or instant pot shredded chicken. Both are foolproof methods for making shredded chicken. If you don’t have a slow cooker or instant pot, you can poach chicken breasts in a pot of simmering water or broth, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until fully cooked. Let the chicken cool before shredding.
Definitely! If you prefer a milder flavor, start with a mild buffalo sauce and less of it then add more to taste. You can also add a little extra Greek yogurt or mayo to cool things down. On the flip side, if you love heat, feel free to add more buffalo sauce or even a dash of hot sauce.
You can easily make this salad dairy-free by swapping the yogurt for a dairy-free alternative or by using more mayo. You can also skip the blue cheese crumbles or use a dairy-free cheese substitute.
More Protein Salad Recipes to Try
Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
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Add chicken, buffalo sauce, red onion, celery, greek yogurt, mayo, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Toss to combine. Taste and add more yogurt/mayo, salt and pepper, if needed.
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Enjoy right away or chill before serving. Serve with crackers for a snack or appetizer, on bread or a wrap for a sandwich or over a bed of greens.
- Shredded chicken: I love using rotisserie chicken for this recipe because it’s quick and easy, but you can also use my foolproof method for slow cooker shredded chicken or instant pot shredded chicken.
- Make it dairy-free: Use all mayo instead of half greek yogurt or you can swap the yogurt with a dairy-free yogurt option.
Serving: 1/4 recipe | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.