Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad Recipe

Rebekah Garcia Kalinowski | Kitchen Gidget

This Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad is one epic way to get lunch or dinner on the table. It’s spicy and savory, and oh so good!

If you’ve never tried quinoa, now is the time! I was scared the first time because of the weird name and because I thought of it as a “healthy” food like kale.

We try to eat healthy, but we prefer to eat foods that don’t scream “health food.”

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad Photo

Meals like Mexican Tuna Salad (no mayo) or Puerto Rican Rice and Beans with tons of flavor. Well, quinoa is good for you and I actually do like kale, but this little seed tastes really good, too!

I like to think of it like rice, it’s soft and fluffy, but with a nutty flavor. It comes in various colors like white or red, but I’ve never noticed a difference in taste.

I even make it in my rice cooker and it turns out perfect every time!

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad Picture

You can cook quinoa in water, or jazz it up with some chicken broth. Just make sure you rinse it well before cooking. This will eliminate any bitterness.

Some people even eat quinoa for breakfast like oatmeal. I haven’t gone that far yet, but we do eat a lot of quinoa and even my husband is on board.

If you’re looking for a great way to try it out, this buffalo chicken quinoa salad is just the trick.

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad Image

I call this “buffalo chicken,” but to be honest I rarely put chicken in it.

The quinoa takes the place of the chicken and it’s all tossed with a creamy buffalo sauce. It has all the trimmings you’d get with an order of buffalo wings – celery, carrots and blue cheese.

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad Pic

If you want to add chicken you totally can! One of the benefits of quinoa is that it’s a complete protein, so I leave it out and we have a vegetarian dinner, which also saves us some calories.

Feel free to leave out what you don’t like, or add in what you do! That’s the beauty of quinoa bowls.

File 1 Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad

You can serve them individually, or you can mix everything up into a salad that’s great to take for lunch or potlucks. 

Planning a dinner party and need some inspiration?

How about looking for a new slow cooker dinner idea?

We’ve got you covered in our ever-growing Facebook group! If you’re not a member yet, why not?!

Facebook!

We’re chatting cooking techniques, dessert ideas, and everything in between. If you’re already a member, invite your friends to join us too!

Print
Save

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad Recipe

    4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Quinoa, uncooked
  • 2/3 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons Hot Sauce
  • 1 cup Diced Celery
  • 1 cup Shredded Carrots
  • 1/2 cup Blue Cheese
  • Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together yogurt and hot sauce. Season to taste with black pepper.

For Quinoa Bowls:

  1. Assemble quinoa bowls by dividing quinoa between 2 bowls. Top each bowl with celery, carrots and blue cheese. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and serve.

For Salad:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together quinoa, celery, carrots and blue cheese. Toss with yogurt sauce and serve.

Recommended

Published:
Modified:
Author:
Cooking Method:
Boiled
Category:
Salads
Tags:
, , , , , , ,
Related Recipes:
Cheese Recipes, Salad Recipes, Quinoa Salad Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Spicy Recipes, Easy Recipes, Dressing Recipes, Boiled Recipes
Recipe Yields:
4 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Rebekah Garcia Kalinowski
Recipe Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 52
Calories 217

% Daily Value*
10%
Total Fat 6g
17%
  Saturated Fat 3g
12%
Sodium 284mg
9%
Total Carbohydrate 28g
4%
  Dietary Fiber 3g
  Sugars 2g
22%
Protein 11g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Rebekah Garcia Kalinowski

About Rebekah

Rebekah is the blogger behind Kitchen Gidget, an all-encompassing food blog dedicated to her Midwestern roots and Hispanic heritage. She adores cheese (who doesn't?!), so we asked her to be our Cheese fanatic. Time to get excited!

Show Comments