Buffalo Chicken Bowls are saucy, packed with flavor, and loaded with texture. From the quick pickled onions to the crunchy slaw and creamy sauce, youโre gonna love every bite!
authorโs notes
My Sisterโs Favorite Dinner (and Now One of Mine Too!)
My sister moved to Hawaii recently (rude, right? ๐), so when she flew back for a visit, I wanted to make her something sheโd really love. Sheโs obsessed with buffalo chicken, so I started testing this recipe a couple weeks before she got here.
All the testing paid offโshe took one bite and said (actual quote), โThis is the best thing Iโve ever eaten. I could eat this every single day.โ
I still might give top spot to my banh mi bowls, but Iโm not gonna lie, I could also eat these Buffalo Chicken Bowls every day and never get tired of them. Theyโre packed with flavor, loaded with protein, and just SO good.
Iโll be honestโif you make every part, itโs a bit of a project. But the good news is most of it can be prepped ahead, so when itโs time to eat, everything comes together fast.
Buffalo Chicken Bowls Breakdown
There are 5 main parts to these bowlsโhereโs a quick rundown and some variation ideas:
- Buffalo Chicken: Save time with shredded rotisserie or leftover grilled chicken.
- Crunchy Slaw: Use bagged slaw mix instead of shredding cabbage.
- Quinoa Base: Swap in white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or farro.
- Pickled Red Onions: Use raw red onion or skip if itโs not your thing.
- Green Goddess Sauce: Make it ahead of time; it gets even better as it chills.
Buffalo Chicken Bowls FAQs
These bowls have medium heat with just enough kick without being too much. For less heat, add a little extra sugar. Want more heat? Add a pinch of cayenne.
To make it dairy-free: Use plant-based butter in the Buffalo sauce and skip or swap the Greek yogurt in the Green Goddess sauce.
To make it gluten-free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and double-check that your hot sauce and other ingredients are gluten-free.
Pan-sear it: Trim chicken and slice breasts in half widthwise. Pound to an even thickness (not super flat, just even). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook chicken for 2โ4 minutes per side until fully cooked. Let rest for 5 minutes, then dice or slice.
Storage
Make-Ahead & Storage
Buffalo Chicken Bowls are perfect for meal prepโmake the parts ahead, then build your bowl when ready:
- Cooked Chicken: Fridge 4 days, freezer 2 months. Microwave 30โ45 seconds or pour hot Buffalo sauce over cold chicken to warm it up without drying it out.
- Buffalo Sauce: Fridge 1 week, freezer 3 months. Microwave 20โ30 seconds.
- Grain Base: Fridge 5 days, freezer 1 month. Microwave covered for 1 min.
- Slaw: Fridge 2 days. Donโt freeze. Add cold before serving.
- Green Goddess Sauce: Fridge 5 days. Use leftovers in green goddess chicken salad.
More Buffalo Chicken Favorites:
Buffalo Chicken Bowl
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 medium breasts)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup hot sauce Frankโs original hot sauce recommended
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Quinoa or white rice
- Pickled red onions optional
- Quick slaw optional, see note 1
- Green Goddess Sauce
Instructionsย
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally into 3 to 5 thin, even cutlets. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Add prepared chicken and toss with a spatula to coat. Drizzle in soy sauce and olive oil, then toss again until evenly coated.
- Arrange chicken in one layer (you'll likely need to cook in 2 batches). Don't overlap pieces, allow space in between pieces. Air-fry at 400ยฐF for 9โ12 minutes until lightly charred and internal temp reaches 160ยฐF. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice or dice.
- In a small pot over medium heat, combine butter, hot sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder. Whisk until smooth and butter is melted. Remove from heat.
- If using them, prep the quinoa, Green Goddess sauce, and pickled red onions. Click the links in the ingredients list for those recipes. Make the slaw following the instructions in the notes section.
- Add quinoa or rice to each bowl. Top with chicken, drizzle on buffalo sauce to taste (you may have a bit extra), and add slaw, pickled onions, and a drizzle Green Goddess sauce across everything. Serve right away.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chelsea I make so many of your recipes! This is another slam dunk! My husband gushed about your green goddess dressing. This bowl is definitely on repeat! The slaw is essential! Chicken so tasty even before the wing sauce!
Iโm so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for taking the time to write this!
Iโm confused the photo shows white sauce in the middle like ranch, doesnโt look like the green goddess dressing? What is that?
Itโs the green goddess dressing! I promise ๐ I think just bright light or how Iโm editing is washing it out.
We loved this recipeโฆโฆloved the spice level. Great leftover. Simple too. Definitely a repeat
Yay! So thrilled to hear this buffalo chicken bowl was a hit! Thanks!
could I grill or bake this chicken? Iโm going to be preparing for a crowd, so an air fryer isnโt large enough โฆ.
Yes!! Iโd grill it!
This recipe is incredible! Iโm so glad I tried it, and didnโt skip anything. All
Of the items that made up the bowl went so well together. 10/10 this is going into the rotation!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Tracie!
Could you please share where these bowls are from? I love the design.
Hey Amy! They are from Crate and Barrel!