Could you possibly put more things that Whole30ers love into one dish? This one checks all the boxes with a fast, easy chicken salad that brings together complimentary buffalo sauce and ranch — with even a little bacon on top. Served cold, it’s the perfect portable cold lunch or simple dinner!
This Whole30 buffalo recipe gets its base from shredded chicken, which you can make yourself or use compatible canned chicken. One easy way to make shredded chicken is to put 2-3 chicken breasts on the trivet inside your Instant Pot, add 1 cup water to the bottom, seal, and steam for 10 minutes. Then use a standing or handheld mixer to shred the chicken. Note: We find covering the bowl when you shred the chicken with a mixer helpful for less mess. Easy peasy!
Tips and tricks:
For the ranch and buffalo sauce, we love using Primal Kitchen and Noble Made, which you can find at many popular grocery chains. You can also use any compatible ranch and buffalo sauce that you have on hand. Many onion types will work in this recipe. We recommend a yellow or sweet onion, but use red if that’s what you have on hand!
The best texture is achieved by chopping the onion and tomato nice and small. While bacon gives it added boost of flavor and crunch. This recipe is delicious served on a bed of lettuce like a salad (with a little extra ranch), or with butter lettuce leaves like a wrap.
Assuming you have a way to keep it cold, like our Whole30 insulated lunch puffer, this can go with you to all the places: for a compatible lunch at the office, to the park with your kiddos, on a road trip to the beach, or even in a backpack to hike up those mountains!
Substitutions:
- Keep this dish egg-free by using an egg-free ranch or mayo.
- You can leave out the bacon, but we recommend adding some other crunch with compatible salted sunflower seeds or crushed nuts like cashews.
Whole30 Buffalo Ranch Bacon Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded chicken breast
- 2/3 cup Whole30-compatible ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Roma tomato
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- COMBINE all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until well combined.
- SERVE on a bed of lettuce like a salad, with a little extra ranch dressing if you fancy, or with butter lettuce leaves like a wrap.
- STORE in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
