Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad

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This Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad brings a balance of heat, crunch and flavor. High in protein and easy to make, this chicken salad has the best flavor from the homemade buffalo ranch dressing. Make a sandwich, add it to a wrap or place over a bed of greens for a delicious lunch, dinner or mid-day snack.
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Halved buffalo ranch chicken salad sandwich stacked on a plate.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • This Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad recipe comes with a versatile sauce that can be used so many different ways. 
  • Delicious in sandwiches, wraps, or used as a dip for your next party.  
  • Low in fat and protein-heavy this chicken salad packs a nutritional punch. 
  • This recipe can be ready in minutes if you opt to use a rotisserie chicken instead of making your own.
  • Make ahead of time and save for lunch, dinner or snack for the rest of the week. 
Buffalo ranch chicken salad sandwich on a plate.

Should I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! Chicken salad is best chilled so I suggest you make the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy it throughout the week in so many different ways!

Is this good for meal prep?

I love the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad because it can be eaten in so many different ways though out the week. Here are some ideas: 

  • Wrap it with a Siete wrap or on a pita.
  • Serve over a bed of greens or wrapped in lettuce cups.
  • Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, and pickles for an extra crunch. 
  • Add to cooked pasta to make buffalo ranch chicken salad pasta – hot or cold would be delicious!
  • Serve as a dip with a side of toasted bread, crackers, or veggies.

Can I use a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking my own?

I chose to cook the chicken for the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad recipe. Rotisserie chicken tends to be heavily seasoned and might overpower the buffalo ranch flavor that makes this dish so yummy. However, using a rotisserie chicken can save a lot of time so if you opt to go in that direction try to find a lightly seasoned or seasoned-free chicken to ensure you get the best flavor from the ranch and buffalo. 

It’s all about the sauce.

I love this sauce for the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad because not only does it make a spicy buffalo ranch sauce but by simply omitting the hot sauce you have a perfectly rich and creamy ranch dressing.

 I highly recommend making two batches of this sauce to have both dressings for the week. Simply add all the ranch ingredients together, separate them into two jars and add 1 tbsp of hot sauce to one of the jars until you reach your desired heat. Voila! You now have two sauces.

I use the ranch as a dip to my air fryer blackened chicken and I love the buffalo ranch sauce as a dip to my air fryer smashed potatoes. Both go great as a dressing for salads, wraps, sandwiches, etc. The possibilities are endless and even better…both sauces are pre-entered into MyFitnessPal and Macros First to make tracking a breeze!

Glass jar of buffalo ranch dressing.

Is this recipe dairy and gluten free?

The buffalo ranch chicken salad is naturally gluten free, however does contain dairy. To make dairy free, I suggest using a non-dairy yogurt of your choice. Forager makes a great dairy free yogurt that has a similar flavor and consistency to Greek yogurt. 

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad. 

Chicken: You can substitute with any non-seasoned rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even easier to put together. 

Herbs: This recipe calls for parsley and chives and it’s highly recommended you add them for the ultimate flavor.

Red Onion: You can omit it entirely if needed. 

Celery: Celery adds that perfect crunch we want in a chicken salad but you can omit it entirely if needed.

Stack of buffalo chicken ranch salad sandwich halves.

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for the Buffalo Ranch dressing. See the recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions. 

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk:  Any non dairy milk works here. The vanilla gives it a little extra boost of flavor but ok to use regular milk if needed.

Yogurt: Fage is my go-to Greek yogurt of choice. You can substitute with your favorite non-fat 0% Greek yogurt or dairy-free alternative. 

Hot Sauce: Frank’s Red Hot Sauce is my preferred hot sauce but any will work.

Lemon Juice: The lemon gives it the extra zest it needs. I suggest using fresh squeezed but store bought lemon juice works just fine. 

Dijon Mustard: Highly recommend using Dijon mustard for the tangy, spicy kick. Ok to use regular mustard in a pinch if needed. 

Herbs: Dill, garlic, onion powder and chives make up the herbs of this dressing but parsley is also a great addition. 

Stack of buffalo chicken ranch salad sandwich halves.

How to make the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad

Step 1

In a small bowl whisk together the almond milk, yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried dill, dried parsley, onion powder, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Leave as is for ranch dressing and add the hot sauce to make it into buffalo ranch sauce. 

Step 2

Taste the dressing and adjust seasonings as needed. Transfer the dressing to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. 

Step 3

Add the raw chicken to a pot and cover with enough water to cover the top of the chicken. 

Step 4

Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium. Let the chicken boil for 20 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the water and shred with 2 forks.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, buffalo ranch dressing, celery, red onion, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Mix everything well to combine. 

Step 6

Toast your bread or use lettuce cups if you prefer. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each bread slice, if using. Spoon the buffalo ranch chicken salad on top. Serve immediately with some extra dressing.

Step 7

Optional: You can also add some sliced tomatoes, avocado, or bacon to your sandwich for added flavor and texture. 

Buffalo ranch chicken salad sandwich on a plate.

Serving Sizes and More

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad: 4 servings at 145g each. 

Buffalo Ranch Dressing 375g: 25 servings at 15g each – Calories 7, Fat 0g, Carbs 1g, Sodium 184mg, Protein 1g

Ranch Dressing 350g: 35 servings at 10g each – Calories 3, Fat 0g, Carbs 0g, Sodium, 14mg, Protein 0g

If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our Buffalo-inspired meals!

Halved buffalo ranch chicken salad sandwich stacked on a plate.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad

Danielle Lima
This Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad brings a balance of heat, crunch and flavor. High in protein and easy to make, this chicken salad has the best flavor from the homemade buffalo ranch dressing. Make a sandwich, add it to a wrap or place over a bed of greens for a delicious lunch, dinner or mid-day snack.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 237 kcal

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Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup Buffalo Ranch Dressing 120g
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh chives chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Buffalo Ranch Dressing

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other non dairy alternative 120ml
  • 1/2 cup plain unsweetened non fat Greek yogurt 112g
  • 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. dried dill
  • 2 tsp. dried chives
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk, dairy-free yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried dill, dried parsley, onion powder, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Leave as is for ranch dressing and add the hot sauce to make it into buffalo ranch sauce. 
  • Taste the dressing and adjust seasonings as needed. Transfer dressing to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. 
  • Add the raw chicken to a pot and cover with enough water to cover the top of the chicken. 
  • Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to medium. Let the chicken boil for 20 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the water and shred with 2 forks.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, buffalo ranch dressing, celery, red onion, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Mix everything well to combine. 

Notes

  • Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions. 
  • For plain ranch omit the Frank’s Hot Sauce. 

Nutrition

Serving: 145gCalories: 237kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 42gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 813mgPotassium: 682mgSugar: 1g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was simple and delicious for a family dinner on a busy night. I cooked the chicken in the instant pot (my favorite way for shredded chicken) as I tend to like it better that way vs boiled. And I made about 3 lbs of chicken at once, but only 1x the dressing, and had plenty of dressing for the whole batch of chicken. Quick dinner + leftovers for lunches during the week, in one simple recipe, is a huge win for busy families.

  2. 5 stars
    This was super easy and delicious! I was pleasantly surprised at how well the flavors balanced each other out! The dressing was DELICIOUS and truly made the dish!

  3. 5 stars
    I really couldn’t believe how fast the chicken cooked – made this so easy! And delish. I paired with siete wraps from Costco.

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