Buffalo Chicken Bowl (Printer Version)

Tender spiced chicken over fresh vegetables with ranch and blue cheese

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
05 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1/4 tsp salt
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Buffalo Sauce

08 - 1/3 cup hot sauce
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 tsp honey

→ Vegetables

11 - 2 cups cooked white or brown rice, warm
12 - 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
13 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1 cup shredded carrots
15 - 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
16 - 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

→ Toppings

17 - 1/3 cup ranch dressing
18 - 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
19 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine chicken pieces with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
03 - While the chicken cooks, whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and honey in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - Remove the cooked chicken from heat and toss thoroughly with the buffalo sauce until all pieces are evenly coated.
05 - Divide the warm rice among four bowls. Top each with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, and red onion.
06 - Spoon the buffalo chicken over the vegetables in each bowl. Drizzle with ranch dressing and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles.
07 - Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means busy weeknights just became a lot more exciting.
  • The buffalo chicken stays tender and juicy because you're not overthinking it, and that's the whole secret.
  • You can prep your vegetables while the chicken cooks, so your hands are always moving forward.
02 -
  • Don't skip the spice rub on the chicken itself—it sounds redundant when you're adding buffalo sauce, but it's what keeps the chicken tasting like itself instead of just a vehicle for the sauce.
  • Keep your rice warm; the contrast between warm rice and crisp cold vegetables is what makes this bowl work, so don't assemble it all at once and let it sit.
03 -
  • Let your chicken pieces sit in the hot pan for a solid minute before stirring so they develop a proper crust instead of steaming, which changes everything about the texture.
  • Make your buffalo sauce while the chicken cooks so there's zero idle time, and always whisk it together so the butter and hot sauce get properly emulsified into something glossy and cohesive.
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