This lightened-up Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad is going to be your new go-to lunch. It’s packed with so much protein, veggies, and FLAVOR that you’ll want to eat it again and again!
Am I the only one who is always craving buffalo chicken? 😂 I don’t think I could ever get bored of it and especially not of this chicken salad recipe! Tender and juicy chicken tossed in spicy buffalo sauce and crunchy veggies lathered in a creamy ranch or bleu cheese dressing…oh my lanta. SO GOOD!
If this is you too, you’re going to love my Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad so much that you’re gonna make it everyday for lunch! It’s filled with the same delicious chicken and veggies as any other variation, but you’d never guess it’s made healthier for you.
This salad recipe is so perfect to make early in the week and use in your lunches. It holds up great in the fridge and there are so many ways you can enjoy it. Spread it on some toast to make a regular or open-faced sandwich, roll it up in a tortilla as a wrap, scoop it into some lettuce cups, or treat it as a dip and dive in with some carrots and celery. The options are endless!
And if you love buffalo sauce as much as I do, keep reading for my other delicious buffalo recipes at the end of this post!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS HEALTHY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
- It’s super easy to whip up.
- Packed with so much delicious flavor!
- Made with hearty chicken and crunchy veggies.
- So filling and satisfying!
- A great recipe for meal prep.
- Incredibly versatile. You can eat it so many ways!
INGREDIENTS FOR HEALTHY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
- Chicken – You’ll need cooked and shredded chicken. You could use a rotisserie chicken or canned chicken for convenience here.
- Bell pepper
- Celery
- Red onion
- Carrots
- Mayo – I used Hellman’s light mayo.
- Buffalo sauce – I used Frank’s Red hot.
- Salt & pepper
HOW TO MAKE THIS HEALTHY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
- Wash and dice your veggies.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients. Fold using a wooden spoon until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve as a sandwich, on an open-faced piece of toast, in a lettuce wrap, or eat straight up!
HOW TO STORE YOUR HEALTHY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD SALAD
Store your Buffalo Chicken Salad in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for 5-6 days.
HOW TO EAT YOUR HEALTHY BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
- As a sandwich – The classic way! Place your chicken salad between two pieces of bread or toast.
- As open-faced sandwich – Spread chicken salad on a warm, toasted piece of bread.
- As a wrap – Grab your favorite kind of tortilla and roll this chicken salad inside!
- On top of a salad – I like to eat this over a bed of romaine with some crackers on the side.
- Straight up – Enjoy by the forkful. It’s so delicious!
BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD FAQ
It sure is! “Health” is such a relative term, but yes, this chicken salad is packed with lean protein, four different vegetables, and uses a small amount of mayo to bring creaminess. It has significantly less fat and calories than most chicken salad recipes.
I know mayo gets a bad wrap, but I promise you, everything is fine in moderation. Yes, even mayo! We use a little bit of light mayo in this recipe and it goes a long way. I highly recommend using if you have it, but if you are in a crunch, you can replace with plain Greek yogurt. Just keep in mind that it won’t have quite as much tang or flavor!
Oh, there are so many options! I like to eat mine with some fresh sticks of carrots or celery. Pita bread is great to scoop it up. You can also eat alongside chips or pretzels if you’ like!
DON’T SLEEP ON THESE OTHER BUFFALO RECIPES
- BUFFALO CHICKEN SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE
- LOW CARB BUFFALO CHICKEN SOUP
- LIGHTENED UP BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
MORE CHICKEN SALAD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- RAINBOW CHICKEN SALAD (LIGHTENED-UP)
- WINTER PECAN AND CRANBERRY CHICKEN SALAD
- AVOCADO GREEK YOGURT CHICKEN SALAD
- EASY APPLE PECAN CHICKEN SALAD
WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?
If you try this Buffalo Chicken Salad and love it, please rate this recipe!
You can also tag me on Instagram, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!
Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Salad
This lightened-up Dairy Free Buffalo Chicken Salad is going to be your new go-to lunch. It's packed with so much protein, veggies, and flavor that you'll want to eat it again and again!
Ingredients
- 4.5 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (500g)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced (130g)
- 4 celery stalks, finely diced (185g)
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced (120g)
- 2 small carrots, finely diced (120g)
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp light mayo (90g)
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp buffalo sauce (90g)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies by washing and dicing them.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients. Fold until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Taste and add salt and pepper to desired liking.
Serve as a sandwich, on an open-faced piece of toast, in a lettuce wrap or eat straight up! Any greens will work but I think butter lettuce tastes the best! You can also just add the chicken mixture on top of a bed of salad greens (I do this a lot!)
Notes
MFP Entry: LFF Buffalo Chicken Salad
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
200gAmount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 7.7gSaturated Fat: 1.4gCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1.8gSugar: 3.6gProtein: 26.7g
I don’t have a scale for portion size, roughly how many cups is 200g?
Hey Jamie, I would say roughly around a heaping cup or so. I will measure with cups next time I make and update the card.