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An overhead shot of an assembled & finished Hearty Buffalo Chicken bowl. The bowl is made with cooked brown rice, a bed of arugula, finely shredded cabbage, easy skillet buffalo chicken, roasted cauliflower, grated carrots, cheese, and herby ranch yogurt drizzle over top. The bowls sits atop a creamy white textured surface with a blue and white striped linen napkin resting underneath. Two gold forks, a small ceramic bowl filled with herby ranch yogurt drizzle with a gold spoon resting inside the bowl, freshly snipped chives, and loose fresh dill surround the bowl.

Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls with Herby Ranch Yogurt Drizzle

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Entree Salads & Bowls, Main Dishes
  • Method: Skillet, Sheet Pan
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Kick standard buffalo chicken salads up a few satisfying notches with Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls!

These power bowls are LOADED with goodness: tangy, spicy buffalo chicken, spiced roasted cauliflower, carrots, rice & greens. Finish with a drizzle of Greek yogurt ranch dressing for iconic buffalo flavor. They’re light & healthy, yet completely satisfying & crave-worthy. 

As is the case with any hearty salad or bowl-style meal, a little bit of prep is involved to pull together all of the components. Feel free to take or leave any component depending on how much time you have (e.g. skip the roasted cauliflower, use store-bought ranch dressing, opt for just rice or just greens, etc.). This is a flexible recipe – have fun with it! 

Easily vegetarian or vegan & majorly meal prep-friendly. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for the full how-to! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • easy skillet buffalo chicken, below
  • simple roasted cauliflower, below
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 cup dry cooked according to package directions)
  • 2 cups packed baby arugula or greens of choice
  • 2 cups packed thinly sliced cabbage
  • 2 large carrots, peeled as desired & grated
  • 4 ounces crumbled bleu cheese or shredded sharp white cheddar
  • herby ranch yogurt drizzle, below

for the easy skillet buffalo chicken:

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed into bite-sized pieces (see Recipe Notes)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/3 cup Franks RedHot or buffalo sauce of choice
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired

for the simple roasted cauliflower:

  • 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (approx. 16 ounces or 4 cups florets)
  • 1 overflowing tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired

for the herby ranch yogurt drizzle:

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (whole milk or 2% is best)
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 34 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 34 tablespoons water
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, ensuring an oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with foil for easy clean up as desired. Gather & prep ingredients according to Ingredients List, above.Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls with simple roasted cauliflower and herby ranch yogurt drizzle ingredients arranged on a creamy white textured surface: boneless, skinless chicken breasts, unsalted butter, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Franks RedHot, cauliflower, olive oil, plain Greek yogurt, garlic, fresh chives, fresh dill, apple cider vinegar, baby arugula, carrots, cabbage, crumbled bleu cheese, and cooked brown rice.
  2. Roast the cauliflower: Place the cauliflower florets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over top, sprinkling with garlic powder, smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Toss to coat, arranging the cauliflower such that they’re spaced out & have room to roast. Transfer to the oven & roast 25-30 minutes, until tender & browned. Remove from the oven & set aside for buffalo chicken bowl assembly.An overhead shot of how to make Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls, step 2: Roast the cauliflower. Roasted cauliflower arranged atop an aluminum foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. The cauliflower is roasted until golden brown. The baking sheet sits atop a creamy white textured surface with a blue and white striped linen napkin resting alongside.
  3. Cook the easy skillet buffalo chicken: Meanwhile, as the cauliflower roasts, prep the buffalo chicken. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the cubed chicken to the skillet, seasoning with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cook, flipping occasionally, 2-3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through with golden brown edges. Pour in the hot sauce. Stir to combine, tossing the chicken to coat it evenly in the sauce & pan drippings. Set aside for buffalo chicken bowl assembly.How to make Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls, step 3: Cook the easy skillet buffalo chicken. Cooked cubed chicken sits inside of a gray Staub cast iron skillet tossed with Franks RedHot hot sauce until coated. A wooden spoon rests inside the skillet for mixing the chicken. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  4. Prepare the herby ranch yogurt drizzle: Meanwhile, as the cauliflower roasts & the buffalo chicken cooks, prep the ranch yogurt. In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, garlic, chive or green onions, dill, & apple cider vinegar. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine. If needed, thin the mixture out with 3-4 tablespoons water, just until your desired consistency is reached. Set aside for serving, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.An overhead shot of how to make Hearty Buffalo Chicken Bowls, step 4: Prepare the herby ranch yogurt drizzle. Ranch yogurt sauce fills a white ceramic bowl. The sauce has been garnished with fresh dill, fresh snipped chives, and ground black pepper. A gold spoon rests inside of the bowl. The bowl sits atop a creamy white textured surface with a small white ceramic pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, fresh bunches of dill and freshly snipped chives surround the bowl.
  5. Assemble the buffalo chicken bowls: Add the rice, arugula or greens of choice, & finely shredded cabbage to a large, shallow bowl. Pile the easy buffalo chicken, roasted cauliflower, grated carrots, & cheese over top. Finish with a generous drizzling of the herby ranch yogurt drizzle. Serve immediately – enjoy!An overhead shot of an assembled & finished Hearty Buffalo Chicken bowl. The bowl is made with cooked brown rice, a bed of arugula, finely shredded cabbage, easy skillet buffalo chicken, roasted cauliflower, grated carrots, cheese, and herby ranch yogurt drizzle over top. The bowls sits atop a creamy white textured surface with a blue and white striped linen napkin resting underneath. Two gold forks, a small ceramic bowl filled with herby ranch yogurt drizzle with a gold spoon resting inside the bowl, freshly snipped chives, and loose fresh dill surround the bowl.


Notes

  • Ingredient Notes:
    • Chicken breasts vs thighs: You can use either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts for these hearty buffalo chicken bowls. While I typically gravitate towards thighs (they’re so much more flavorful & juicier!), I am partial to chicken breasts for this particular recipe. 
    • Vegetarian buffalo bowls: These hearty buffalo bowls are easily made vegetarian by omitting the buffalo chicken. Instead, double up on the roasted veggies – either double the cauliflower or add a large sweet potato. Roast as directed in Step 2, though be sure to use 2 baking sheets as needed to ensure the veggies have enough room to roast well. Once they come out of the oven, toss with Frank’s & assemble the bowls as described in Step 5.
    • Vegan buffalo bowls: These hearty buffalo bowls are easily made vegan as well. Follow the vegetarian buffalo bowls guidance above. Swap the Greek yogurt with your favorite dairy-free yogurt substitute & be sure to omit cheese or use your favorite dairy-free cheese. 
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover buffalo chicken, roasted cauliflower, & herby yogurt ranch drizzle will keep, stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken & cauliflower in the microwave until warmed through, then assemble buffalo chicken bowls as desired. 
  • 20-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these hearty buffalo chicken bowls comes from prepping the veggies & the herby ranch yogurt drizzle. Prep either or both in advance to get a head start on your buffalo chicken bowls – it takes 20 minutes, tops:
    • Vegetable prep: Grate 2 large carrots, thinly slice enough cabbage for 2 cups packed, & break down 1 small head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Transfer to individual airtight containers & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>10 minutes active prep)
    • Prepare the herby ranch yogurt drizzle according to Step 4 of Recipe Directions above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>10 minutes active prep)