This healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad is served with a light Greek Yogurt Ranch dressing and makes a perfect meal-prep lunch or dinner!

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Are you a salad as a meal kind of person? If you are, this one is for you!

I love a main-course salad and they tend to dominate my lunch rotation. They’re easy to meal prep and can work for both lunch and dinner. I’ve used this one for both!

If you love a healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip, you’ll absolutely love this salad version. It’s both delicious and nourishing and it brings all the flavors and textures from a classic Buffalo Chicken Dip spread.

Ready to make this yummy salad? Let’s get cooking.

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad

This Salad recipe is packed with flavors and textures that make every bite a treat. Let’s see why this salad is about to become your new go-to lunch or favorite make-ahead dinner.

Nutritional Benefits

This buffalo wing sauce chicken salad is a powerhouse of good-for-you ingredients. Starting with lean protein, you can choose between boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, which keep you full without the extra fat. The fresh lettuce, carrots, and celery add a variety of vitamins and a punch of fiber which make this a balanced meal.

Taste You Crave

The real kicker is the taste. The spicy and tangy buffalo sauce, mixed with melted butter and honey, then mixed with homemade ranch dressing or a spicy ranch variation, creates a rich flavor profile that’s bold but not overwhelming.

The optional blue cheese crumbles or a sprinkle of fresh herbs increase the depth of flavors you savor with each bite.

Easy to Prepare

One of the best parts about this buffalo salad is how easy it is to put together. If you are really short on time, you can use pre-cooked chicken from the beginning of the week or even a rotisserie chicken. Another time-saving tip is to ask your butcher to cube your chicken breasts for you. That’s one less prep step you’ll need to worry about in the kitchen!

Dressing ingredients like plain Greek yogurt, garlic powder, and your buffalo sauce may likely already be in your pantry.

Ingredients Needed to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad

For the chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sweet paprika
Onion powder
Garlic salt
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Buffalo sauce–I recommend Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce
Butter, melted
Honey

For the salad

Chopped romaine lettuce
celery stalks, diced
English cucumber, diced
Carrots, diced
Crumbled blue cheese

For the dressing

Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
Mayonnaise–I recommend Primal Kitchen Real Mayonnaise made with Avocado Oil
Dried dill weed
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt

I use my Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing recipe for this!

Note: If making this salad for meal prep, store each ingredient separately and assemble the salad just before eating.

Buffalo Chicken Salad–Step by Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking tray with avocado oil spray.
Cut your chicken into 2-inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, onion powder, garlic salt, sea salt, freshly
ground black pepper and all-purpose flour. Pour this mixture onto the chicken pieces and
toss to evenly coat them.
Place the chicken pieces on the prepared baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over half way through the baking time.
Meanwhile, chop your salad ingredients and whisk together the dressing ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine the buffalo sauce, melted butter, and honey.
When the chicken is finished cooking, allow to cool a few minutes, and then place the pieces in a clean bowl. Top with the buffalo sauce mixture and stir to evenly coat the chicken pieces. Optional: chop the chicken pieces into smaller pieces for serving.
To assemble, distribute the salad ingredients and chicken pieces evenly between 4-6 plates. Top with the Greek yogurt Ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Variations of This Spicy Chicken Salad Recipe

As with any good salad, this buffalo chicken delight lets you try different variations. Here are some of the ways you can make this yummy salad:

Protein Variations

Not a fan of chicken breasts? Swap them out for chicken thighs, salmon, or tofu. Or if you have leftover chicken, shred it and toss it into the salad for a quick meal. For a vegetarian option, chickpeas marinated in buffalo wing sauce make a great substitute.

Add More Greens

Bulk up your salad by adding a variety of green leaves like spinach or kale for nutrient boost—a great way to make your meal even healthier and more filling.

Add More Vegetables

This is already a substantial meal, but you can boost the nutrition by adding even more vegetables to the mix. You can throw in some hearty vegetables like roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash for a touch of sweetness to balance the spicy flavors. I also think red onions would be great here, but my people don’t like raw red onions, so I left them out. Sprinkle some green onions on top for extra flavor, another addition my family doesn’t love but most people do!

If you try this Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe or any of my other healthy recipes, please let me know! Leave a star rating and comment below so other recipes can see which recipes are tried and true. I appreciate you! If you make a Happy Healthy Mama recipe and share your picture on Instagram, I’ll feature you. Make sure to tag me!

If you love recipes where buffalo sauce is the star, scroll below the recipe card for more great recipe ideas!

More Healthy Recipes with Buffalo Sauce

Clearly, I love all things with buffalo sauce. Check out all the recipe below and let me know which is your favorite!

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato (pictured above 😍) Buffalo chicken and sweet potatoes are a perfect match.

Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich–This vegetarian sandwich is quick, easy, and delicious!

Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings” -Why not try a vegan version of your favorite chicken wings?

Buffalo Chicken Breast recipe–Such a tasty way to eat your boneless, skinless chicken breasts!

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip–Tastes like the classic, but it’s lightened up!

Dairy-Free Buffalo Chicken Dip–Can’t have dairy? Here’s the dip for you!

Buffalo Tofu Nuggets–Tofu never tasted so good!

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Trackbacks

10-Minute Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe for Busy Days says:

February 4, 2025 at 3:27 pm

[…] Rotisserie chicken is a lifesaver for those short on time. Shredding 2 cups of cooked chicken makes a quick and tasty base for your buffalo chicken salad5. Its pre-seasoned meat adds a rich flavor to your salad6. […]

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Yogurt Ranch