This buffalo ranch chicken salad is a zesty take on plain old chicken salad. With zippy buffalo flavor and a refreshing shot of ranch, this flavor packed chicken salad recipe will spice up any meal in a flash. Perfect for lunch or dinner and easy to put together any time. Run, don’t walk, to your kitchen to make this yummy buffalo ranch chicken salad.
I feel like we always have leftover chicken in our house. Look in my fridge at any moment in time and you’re sure to find some chicken just waiting for someone to finish it up.
But most leftover chicken is sort of boring. No one really is into eating a second time. Unless you turn the leftovers into something special like this buffalo ranch chicken salad.
Not only is this chicken salad recipe a fantastic way to use up leftover chicken but it’s also a zingy fresh take on classic mayo based chicken salad.
It’s almost a cross between traditional chicken salad and buffalo chicken dip. It’s so good and the perfect sandwich filling for lunch.
Making this chicken salad recipe is so easy. You can start with leftover chicken, or you can use a rotisserie chicken.
Whichever option you choose, just cut the chicken into bite sized chunks or shred it before you toss it with chopped celery and scallions. Then pour the ranch dressing and buffalo sauce into the bowl and mix until combined.
That’s it. Chicken salad, done. Lunch is ready to serve.
I DON’T LIKE RANCH. WHAT SUBSTITUTIONS CAN I MAKE?
If you aren’t a ranch fan, you have a couple options here. Of course, you could substitute an equal amount of blue cheese dressing for the ranch dressing.
You could also try mayonnaise or even plain Greek yogurt instead of the ranch dressing. Any of the options would give you the creaminess of ranch without the ranch flavor.
I GET TIRED OF CHICKEN SANDWICHES. HOW ELSE CAN I SERVE THIS BUFFALO RANCH CHICKEN SALAD?
The sky is the limit on serving ideas. While yes, chicken salad sandwiches are probably the most popular way to serve chicken salad, you could do so many things with this.
For example. you could spread it on top of celery sticks, cucumber slices, or crackers for a fun appetizer.
Skip the dressing and serve this on top of a bowl of green salad for a lighter dinner, or on a leaf of crispy romaine lettuce for a healthier lunch.
You could use this to make a zesty grilled cheese sandwich. Just add some cheese, and grill the sandwich in butter until toasty. Really, there are lots of options.
I’M NOT SURE ABOUT THE SPICE LEVEL. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CHICKEN SALAD RECIPES YOU RECOMMEND?
Yes! We eat a lot of chicken in this house. You could always try a mild buffalo sauce instead of a spicy one. Or even add less buffalo sauce and more ranch to lessen the heat.
if you are looking for a chicken salad recipe that’s a bit more traditional you can try my dill pickle chicken salad recipe or my cranberry walnut chicken salad. Both are delicious and more along the lines of a classic chicken salad recipes than this one.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR MAKING THIS BUFFALO RANCH CHICKEN SALAD:
- This chicken salad recipe is literally that, chicken salad. If you want more ‘crunch’ or texture, or just to get some more veggies thinly sliced celery & shredded carrots both make great additions. You can use one, or both.
- Don’t have green onions? You can sub white or red onion, but mince them. Larger, diced pieces will lead to more bite, and that can be overpowering.
- The sauce for this recipe is delicious, but it is also thin. If you prefer a creamier, thicker consistency- blend in 4 ounces of softened cream cheese with the ranch dressing & wing sauce until smooth before adding to the chicken salad.
- I love making chicken salad as a way to use up leftover chicken. I even keep a rotisserie chicken on hand each week, just to have a quick meal option. If you don’t have leftover rotisserie chicken, you can cook a couple chicken breasts & chop those to use instead. I recommend poaching them though for the juiciest, tender results for this recipe.
No matter how you serve it, this buffalo ranch chicken salad will jazz up your lunch routine and satisfy any cravings for that big buffalo wing taste.
OTHER CHICKEN SALAD RECIPES TO TRY:
- Crunchy Poppyseed Chicken Salad
- Tex Mex Chicken Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Curry Chicken Salad with Red Grapes & Pecans
If you’ve tried these Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken chopped
- 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl. Toss them together to evenly combine.
- Pour in the ranch dressing & buffalo sauce. Stir until evenly combined and everything's well coated.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to chill before serving.
Nutrition
Lily Jitse says
Very Nice and deliciously cooked the amazing receipe as i just followed your given instructions few days back its really become an awesome receipe. Thanks for sharing !
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
This does look amazing!! My tummy just growled! Thanks for bringing at Fiesta Friday party!