Having buffalo chicken rice bowls for lunch is a fantastic way to break free from a lunch rut. The buffalo-flavored chicken is topped with ranch dressing and served on a bed of cilantro lime rice. Feel free to add as many toppings as you like, along with an extra drizzle of creamy ranch dressing for good measure!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flexible - Add what you love and leave off what you don’t,
- Use Dutch oven shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, or leftover cooked chicken!
- Make it gluten free, dairy free, or low FODMAP with ingredient selection.
Featured Ingredients
- Buffalo Chicken - Shredded chicken breasts soaked in homemade buffalo sauce or Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce. Or use the Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken.
- Cilantro Lime Rice - I love to use this flavorful rice as the base for this rice bowl. Plain white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice are all options as well.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes - The roasted sweet potatoes add a hearty and sweet flavor profile.
- Roasted Carrots - Add a delicious crunch and a beautiful color.
- Celery - Dice into fine pieces to add texture to the rice bowl.
- Grape Tomatoes - Adds a beautiful color and a wonderful sweetness.
- Avocados - These add a creamy texture and a beautiful color.
- Ranch Dressing - I love homemade dairy free ranch dressing.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Chicken: Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken or double the recipe and make buffalo chicken sliders one night and the rice bowl next week.
Rice: Make brown or white cilantro lime rice in the Instant Pot. Regular rice in a rice cooker will also work. Add some lime juice and fresh cilantro! Leftover rice will also work.
Sweet Potatoes: Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Place on a sheet pan, drizzle with avocado oil, and roast at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until tender.
Step 1: Start with the rice in a large shallow bowl. It needs plenty of room for all the toppings.
Cut the warm shredded chicken into small pieces so it is easier to eat. Add it to the bowl.
Step 2: Next, add the warm, roasted sweet potatoes.
Wash the carrots and peel them into ribbons. Place on top of the rice.
Dice the celery fine and add it to the bowl.
Step 3: Slice the grape tomatoes in half and add them to the rice bowl.
Cut an avocado in half, peel, and remove the pit. Slice and add to the bowl.
Step 4: Drizzle the ranch dressing over it all. If you want to add more buffalo sauce or hot sauce, now is the time to do so.
Tips and Tricks
Meal prep buffalo chicken rice bowls for lunch or quick dinners. Place the ingredients that will need to be heated (rice, chicken, potatoes) in a microwave-safe container. Store the cold ingredients (carrots, celery, tomatoes) in a different container to be added after heating. Once assembled, drizzle with ranch.
Love delicious bowl recipes? Try BBQ pulled pork rice bowl or a loaded mashed potato bowl!
Ingredient Swaps
- Chicken - Use chicken thighs, homemade chicken nuggets, buffalo chicken bites, or shredded rotisserie chicken with buffalo sauce added.
- Rice - Use regular rice, fluffy brown rice, or cauliflower rice, or skip the bed of rice completely and create a low-carb buffalo chicken bowl.
Additional Toppings
Pull out leftovers in your refrigerator and pantry! Less food waste and a delicious way to enjoy them. Here are some ideas:
Bell Peppers - A colorful and delicious option. Caramelize the peppers to bring out their sweetness, or dice them and eat them fresh.
Black Beans - A great way to add additional fiber to your bowl.
Blue Cheese Crumbles - If you love blue cheese, this is a must-add!
Blue Cheese Dressing - Another must if you love blue cheese.
Cherry Tomatoes - A larger version of grape tomatoes.
Green Onions - Chop up the tops of a green onion for a fresh onion flavor.
Feta Cheese Crumbles- Another option for cheese if you are not a blue cheese fan.
Roasted Broccoli - Toss fresh broccoli on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in a 425 degree F oven until tender.
Reader Love
"Absolutely delicious! This will be going into our meal rotation, thank you!"
- Hannah
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Special Diet Variations
Dairy Free Rice Bowls: When making the cilantro lime rice, swap out the butter for a dairy free option. Make dairy free ranch dressing to drizzle over it all.
Gluten Free Rice Bowls: Recipe as it is makes a great gluten free option. If you are celiac or allergic, verify the ingredients used to make the rice and that the ranch dressing is indeed gluten-free.
Low FODMAP Rice Bowls: Make the rice with a low FODMAP chicken broth. The shredded buffalo chicken will need a low FODMAP buffalo sauce. Follow the guidance from the Monash University Food App on the serving sizes for the avocado, sweet potatoes, grape tomatoes and celery. Modify as necessary for your tolerances.
Storing And Reheating
Storing: Keep the rice and toppings in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freezing: Also, the rice, buffalo chicken, and roasted sweet potatoes can all be kept in the freezer and defrosted before use. The fresh toppings should be fresh and not frozen. The defrosting process will not be kind to the fresh veggies.
Reheating: Leave off the cold toppings like carrot ribbons, diced celery, and grape tomatoes. Heat the warm bowl ingredients. Such as cilantro lime rice, roasted sweet potatoes, and buffalo chicken. Then drizzle it with ranch dressing.
FAQs
Absolutely! Place all the toppings on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce or whatever type of lettuce is your favorite.
No, everything is cooked, so it is safe to eat. They work either way, depending on your preference.
Blue cheese dressing would be great with this. For a high protein option, use cottage cheese ranch dip. Another option would be avocado lime crema for a creamy, cooling option.
What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
Prepare a large green salad bursting with texture and color, and give it a generous drizzle of ranch dressing, of course. For a tasty twist, consider serving the rice bowls with roasted baby potatoes and warm homemade cornbread. And don’t forget, coleslaw with a tangy dressing makes for another fantastic side dish option!
Additional Buffalo Flavored Recipes
- Homemade Buffalo Sauce - Adjust the spice level to your liking.
- Buffalo Chicken Bites - Perfect for game day or as a party appetizer!
- Buffalo Chex Mix - Enjoy this spicy, crunchy snack mix!
Discover additional quick lunch recipes! Maybe a new favorite or an old standby.
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups cilantro lime rice cooked (Note 1)
- 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes 1-2 sweet potatoes
- 2 cups buffalo chicken or shredded chicken with buffalo sauce (Note 2)
- 2-3 whole carrots (Note 3)
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1-2 avocados
- 2 cups ranch dressing (Note 4)
Instructions
- Make the cilantro lime rice or cook white rice and add cilantro and lime.
- Roast peeled and evenly diced sweet potatoes in a 425 degrees F oven on a sheet pan with a drizzle of avocado oil and salt and pepper for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
- Shred the chicken and add buffalo sauce if needed.
Assembly Instructions:
- Use a bowl that has a wide area so there is a lot of room for toppings.
- Add 1 cup of cilantro lime rice to the bottom of the bowl. Next, add ½ cup buffalo chicken. If the pieces are large, chop them into smaller pieces. Add ¼ cup of roasted sweet potatoes.
- Next, wash and peel the carrots into ribbons. Add to the rice bowl. Wash and chop the celery into a fine dice. Half the grape tomatoes and add to the rice bowl. Chop an avocado in half, remove the pit and slice. Add a few slices to the bowl.
- Next, drizzle the ranch dressing over it all. Add more buffalo sauce if wanted.
- Store any leftovers in separate containers until ready to reheat and enjoy. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Hannah says
Absolutely delicious! This will be going into our meal rotation, thank you!
Venessa says
Thank you! We love it too. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.