These buffalo chicken bowls feature tender buffalo chicken and fresh veggies served over a bed of rice. Drizzle with your favorite ranch dressing and additional buffalo sauce for the finishing touch.
Thinly sliced red onion or pickled red onions (see the recipe notes for a quick pickled recipe if interested)
Ranch dressing of choice, for drizzling (we recommend Bolthouse Farms or Primal Kitchen)
Buffalo sauce of choice, for drizzling
Instructions
First begin by preparing the rice in a rice cooker, instant pot, or saucepan if you are not using a microwaveable rice packet. If you want to make your own pickled onions (see recipe notes), make them now as well.
Next, butterfly each chicken breast (slice in half so the chicken breast is half of the original thickness). Add the chicken to a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients to the bowl (feel free to use a ziplock bag if you prefer). Mix until all of the chicken is evenly coated.
Preheat the grill on medium heat for 5 minutes. Discard the excess marinade and place chicken breasts in an even layer on the grill. Close the lid of the grill to retain heat and allow the chicken to cook evenly. After 3-4 minutes, flip each piece of chicken and close the lid of the grill again. Allow the chicken to cook on the second side for 3-4 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the toppings.
Assemble the bowls. Add rice to the bowl and top with chicken, cucumber, tomato, carrot, pickled onions, ranch dressing, and additional buffalo sauce if desired.
Notes
Here is a quick pickled onion recipe if you'd like to make your own. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl before completing other steps of the recipe and let them sit while you cook. 1 medium red onion, sliced thin, ¾ cup white vinegar, 1 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Although we think the grill is the best way to cook the chicken and add a little smoky flavor, if you don't own a grill and want to bake the chicken: Line a baking dish with parchment paper and place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until the thickest portion reaches 165 degrees.
Save Time
Heat pre-cooked chicken nuggets or chicken tenders (we love the Bare brand) and toss them in plain buffalo sauce for crispy buffalo chicken. You could use rotisserie chicken as well.
Buy packets of rice that can be cooked in the microwave.
Buy pre-shredded carrots.
Buy a jar of pickled red onions or use thinly sliced red onion instead.
Prep Ahead
Prepare the buffalo sauce mixture for the chicken ahead of time.
Prepare the toppings ahead of time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container. We recommend storing each component in a separate container. If you are using this recipe for meal prep, you can store the rice and chicken in the same container to heat up together the next day. Then add the separately stored toppings and dressing.
These buffalo bowls are gluten-free. For a dairy-free version use dairy-free buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. They are not vegetarian or vegan.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Buffalo Chicken Bowls." The nutrition is calculated with ½ cup white jasmine rice per bowl and 1 tablespoon of Bolthouse Farms Ranch Dressing. The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.