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Buffalo Chicken Salad

This buffalo chicken salad is a low-carb version of the traditional saucy sandwich! Loaded with crisp lettuce, crunchy coleslaw, fresh veggies, and your choice of a creamy homemade blue cheese or ranch dressing. 

Buffalo chicken salad in white bowl.
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Spicy Chicken Salad

I’m always on the lookout for healthy dinner ideas. If I can create a healthier version of comfort food, I’m all for it. This recipe has all of the same flavors as a buffalo chicken wrap, but in salad form. It’s so delicious that you won’t even miss the tortilla!

What makes this a healthy buffalo chicken salad? Well for starters, it’s made completely from scratch, from the buffalo sauce to the blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing. It’s low carb, loaded with tomatoes, celery, coleslaw, and avocado, and can be customized to fit your needs! It’s a bit spicy, but not overwhelming. As we all know, the mouthwatering flavor of buffalo sauce is worth a little heat.

This recipe comes together in a pinch and is a great way to use up whatever veggies you have on hand. It’s a meal prep game-changer when planning healthy lunches for the week. For a twist, you can use the salad ingredients to make buffalo chicken lettuce wraps instead!

Buffalo chicken ingredients collage.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad

All you need for this super simple recipe is the chicken, loads of veggies, and your choice of dressing!

  1. Prep. Warm buffalo chicken, if desired, and prepare your salad ingredients.
  2. Fill. Place the lettuce in bowls or meal prep containers. Top with the chicken, coleslaw mix, diced tomatoes, avocado, celery and red onion.
  3. Drizzle. Top each bowl with ranch or blue cheese dressing when ready to serve. Add fresh cilantro on top if desired.
Salad ingredients being prepped.

Tips + Swaps

  • Chicken. Here is an easy recipe for making instant pot buffalo chicken. Along with a simple 2 ingredient buffalo sauce.
  • Easy swap. If you’re short on time or want to use up a leftover rotisserie chicken, use 2 cups rotisserie chicken and 1/4 cup buffalo sauce.
  • Tortilla wrap. Turn this salad into a traditional wrap for an on-the-go lunch! Toss in as many of the ingredients as you can fit, and you’ve got a meal you can carry with you.
  • Lettuce wrap. Swap out the romaine for bibb lettuce, and put the contents of the salad in a lettuce leaf for a low-carb tasty wrap.
  • Protein boost: Add some hard boiled eggs for an extra boost of protein and it makes this similar to everyone’s favorite cobb salad.
  • Avocado. Learn how to cut an avocado like a pro. It’s easy, but there’s an art to it!
Buffalo chicken salad in white bowl.

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buffalo chicken salad in white bowl

Buffalo Chicken Salad

5 from 4 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
This buffalo chicken salad is a low-carb version of the traditional saucy sandwich! Loaded with crisp lettuce, crunchy coleslaw, fresh veggies, and your choice of a creamy homemade blue cheese or ranch dressing. 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups cooked buffalo chicken
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce , chopped
  • 2 cups coleslaw mix , plain (no dressing)
  • 1 cup tomatoes , diced
  • 1 avocado , diced
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • ½ cup red onion , diced
  • ½ cup ranch dressing , or blue cheese dressing

Optional: Cilantro or blue cheese crumbles for topping

    Instructions

    • Warm the chicken if desired and prepare salad ingredients.
    • Place the lettuce in bowls or meal prep containers. Top with chicken, coleslaw mix, diced tomatoes, avocado, celery and red onion.
    • Drizzle ranch or blue cheese dressing over top when ready to serve. Add fresh cilantro on top if desired.

    Notes

    Buffalo chicken recipe: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/buffalo-chicken/
    Easy swap: Use 2 cups rotisserie chicken and 1/4 cup buffalo sauce. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 749mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4609IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American

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