Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad
This Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad is one of those bowls that satisfies every craving: tangy, spicy, crunchy, and creamy all in one colorful plate. It’s built on a fluffy bed of quinoa, tossed with shredded veggies, crisp broccoli, bright green onions, and crowned with tender, spicy chicken and crumbled blue cheese. I love how the Buffalo sauce wakes everything up, while olive oil and seasoned salt keep the chicken simple and satisfying. The avocado slices mellow the heat and add a silky finish. This recipe makes a great lunch, a protein-packed dinner, or a dish to bring to a potluck when you want something with serious flavor and tons of texture.
This Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad is written so you can prep it in stages: cook the quinoa, brown the chicken, assemble the vegetables, and finish with blue cheese and avocado. The method is straightforward and keeps things tidy, and you’ll end up with a bowl that tastes like it took much longer to make than it actually did.
Why you’ll love this Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad
- Balanced flavors: spicy buffalo sauce, salty blue cheese, and fresh veggies.
- Plenty of texture: fluffy quinoa, crisp broccoli, shredded carrots, and creamy avocado.
- High in protein: chicken and quinoa make this a filling, nutrient-dense meal.
- Make-ahead friendly: quinoa and chicken can be prepped in advance for quick assembly.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (I recommend Frank’s)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, plus more for garnish
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 4 green onions, chopped
Prep and cook time
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 20–25 minutes
- Total: 35–40 minutes
Yield
Makes about 3–4 servings.
Taste tips
- Adjust heat by varying the amount of hot sauce you toss with the chicken. Start with less if you’re sensitive to spice and add more before serving.
- If you prefer a creamier dressing, stir a spoonful of Greek-style yogurt or a drizzle of ranch into the olive oil and hot sauce blend.
- To make this extra bright, squeeze a little lemon or lime over the finished salad just before serving.
Step-by-step instructions
The directions below walk you through making this Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad cleanly and efficiently. The order keeps the quinoa and chicken hot and fresh, and the vegetables crisp and vibrant.
- Rinse and cook the quinoa: Place 1 cup quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Transfer rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan and add 2 cups water (or a 2:1 water-to-quinoa ratio). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed the water and is tender. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the other components.
- Prepare the chicken: Pat 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast dry with paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces. Place the chicken into a medium bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon seasoned salt. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a splash of olive oil (about 1–2 teaspoons) to coat the pan. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook, stirring or turning occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Coat the chicken in buffalo sauce: After the chicken is fully cooked and still hot in the pan, pour 1/2 cup hot sauce (I recommend Frank’s) over the chicken and stir to coat evenly. Let the sauce heat with the chicken for 1–2 minutes so the flavors meld. Remove the skillet from heat and set the sauced chicken aside.
- Prepare the vegetables: While the chicken cooks, chop 1 cup broccoli florets into bite-size pieces if needed. Shred or measure out 3/4 cup shredded carrots and 3/4 cup shredded cabbage. Chop 4 green onions and slice 1 avocado just before assembly to prevent browning.
- Toss quinoa with olive oil and combine salad base: Transfer the cooked, slightly cooled quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle 1/3 cup olive oil over the quinoa and gently toss to coat and separate the grains. This adds flavor and keeps the quinoa from clumping.
- Add vegetables and cheese to the quinoa: Add the broccoli florets, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, and 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles to the quinoa. Toss everything together until evenly distributed. The heat from the quinoa will slightly wilt the shredded cabbage and carrots, which softens their bite while keeping plenty of crunch from the broccoli.
- Combine chicken with the quinoa mixture: Add the buffalo-coated chicken to the quinoa-vegetable mixture. Gently fold the chicken into the salad so the sauce is distributed through the bowl without breaking up the chicken pieces.
- Final garnishes and assembly: Arrange sliced avocado on top of the salad and sprinkle the chopped green onions over everything. Add a few extra blue cheese crumbles as a garnish. If you want a little more heat, drizzle a touch more hot sauce over the finished salad or serve additional hot sauce on the side.
- Serve: Serve the Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It holds up well for meal prep, so you can portion it into containers for easy lunches or dinners.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, keep avocado slices separate and add them just before serving. Reheat gently if you prefer the chicken warm, or enjoy chilled.
Ingredient notes and swaps
- Quinoa: Rinsing quinoa helps remove its natural coating to prevent bitterness. Use white, red, or tricolor quinoa as you prefer—cook times are the same.
- Hot sauce: Frank’s is my pick because of its tangy, balanced flavor, but you can use your favorite hot sauce. Adjust quantity for heat level.
- Blue cheese: If you don’t like blue cheese, feta makes a nice, salty substitute with a milder tang. Keep the amount the same.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds good flavor, but any neutral oil will work if you want a less assertive taste.
- Chicken: Using bite-size pieces ensures quick, even cooking and lots of saucy surfaces to mingle with the salad.
Make-ahead tips
- Cook the quinoa and chicken ahead of time and store them in separate containers. Reheat the chicken and assemble everything quickly when ready to eat.
- Store shredded vegetables together and add avocado and blue cheese at the last minute for the best texture.
Serving suggestions
- Serve on a bed of mixed greens for an even lighter option.
- Top with crunchy roasted chickpeas for extra texture and plant-based protein boost.
- Pair with a cool yogurt-based dressing or ranch on the side for dipping if guests want to mellow the heat.
This Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad balances bold buffalo flavor with nutritious quinoa and plenty of fresh vegetables. It’s an excellent way to satisfy a craving for spicy wings while keeping things balanced, bright, and nutritious. Whether you make it for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or a casual gathering, it’s a bowl that delivers on flavor and texture every time.
Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad
Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions, then fluff and set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the buffalo dressing by whisking together the olive oil, hot sauce, and seasoned salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add the bite-size chicken pieces and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of the prepared buffalo dressing over the chicken and cook until the chicken absorbs the sauce.
- Add the broccoli to the skillet and cook 3–5 minutes more, until the broccoli is tender; remove from heat.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, sauced chicken with broccoli, shredded carrots, and shredded cabbage.
- Toss the salad with as much of the remaining buffalo dressing as desired.
- Stir in the blue cheese crumbles and half of the chopped green onions, toss again, and serve warm topped with extra blue cheese, the remaining green onions, and sliced avocado.
Notes
- Use Frank's hot sauce for a classic buffalo flavor.
- Cut chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking.
- Adjust dressing amount to taste.
- Serve warm for best texture.
