Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Salads
The perfect summer night salad to have on the menu plan. When you hear buffalo chicken don’t worry that it will be overly spicy for the whole family. The flavor of buffalo sauce combined with the water and spices during the cooking process defiantly tames the buffalo flavor down. If you are worried it might be too spicy the first time you make it, you can reduce the amount of Franks Red Hot sauce from ½ cup to ⅓ cup and add a splash more water. You can always add more at the end or to individual salads if you want more heat. Both of our kiddos don’t really like spicy food and they love these salads without me having to tame the buffalo flavor down. Like most of my favorite Instant Pot recipes, this comes together quickly and can be made from fresh or frozen chicken breast.
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Quick & East Dinner
To make this dinner even easier pre-cook and shred up the chicken beforehand. With the chicken pre-cooked you’ll have dinner on the table in 20 minutes or less. I usually use whole bone-in chickens for my recipes I prefer to cook the whole chicken like I show you here and have it shredded and ready to go. One chicken is usually large enough for a few meals or to make dinner and a few lunches as well. No matter how to you make this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Salad it will be quick and delicious.
Ingredients:
- Butter
- Pre-cooked shredded chicken
- Water
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Onion powder
- Granulated garlic
- Franks Red Hot Sauce
- Baby Spinach
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Shredded carrots
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sliced cucumbers
- Hot banana pepper rings
- Ranch dressing
How To Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Salads
OK, I know your probably saying “Amber, you can’t make a salad in the Instant Pot”. Yes, I know you don’t make the entire salad in the Instant Pot but, the most important part of the salad is the buffalo chicken and that’s the part we’re going to make in the Instant Pot.
For pre-cooked and shredded chicken turn on the saute function and add the butter. When the butter has melted select cancel. Add the chicken, buffalo sauce, spices, and water and stir to combine and coat the chicken. Lock the lid in place and pressure cook for 4 minutes with 5 minutes of NPR before releasing the remaining pressure.
For thawed chicken breast melt the butter on the saute function and add the Franks Hot sauce, water, and spices and stir together. Select Cancel to stop the saute function, add the chicken breast, and select pressure cook/manual function. Set the cooking time for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken breast. For frozen chicken breast increase the cooking time to 10-12 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps to signal that the cook cycle is complete allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure.
Assemble The Salads
While the magic pot is doing all the hard work, assemble the salads. Serve Buffalo Chicken on a bed of baby spinach with shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, and blue cheese crumbles topped off with creamy ranch dressing. Sub out the spinach for romaine and your choice of homemade or storebought dressing. Shredded carrots go perfectly on this salad and I don’t waste any time shredding them up myself. Buy a bag of organic shredded carrots for around $2 so take the shortcut on this one, remember we’re all about quick easy recipes here. Other toppings we like are sliced cucumber and for an extra kick hot banana pepper rings.
Easy Instant Pot Recipes To Make Tonight
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs. Butter
- 1.5 lbs. Pre-cooked shredded chicken
- 5 Tbs. Water
- ½ tsp. Sea salt
- ½ tsp. Black pepper
- 1 tsp. Onion powder
- 1 tsp. Granulated garlic
- ½ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
Salad Ingredients
- Baby Spinach
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Shredded carrots
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sliced cucumbers
- Hot banana pepper rings
- Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Pre-cook and shred chicken.
- Turn on the saute function and melt butter.
- Cancel saute function and add chicken
- Add hot sauce, spices, and water
- Mix everything to combine and coat the chicken
- Lock lid in place and vent to sealing
- Select pressure cook/manual and cook time for 4 minutes
- Natural pressure release for 5 minutes before releasing remaining pressure
Notes
If you are worried it might be too spicy the first time you make this recipe, you can reduce the amount of Franks Red Hot sauce from ½ cup to ⅓ cup and add a splash more water. You can always add more at the end or to individual salads if you want more spice.
If your starting with thawed chicken breast melt the butter on the saute function and add the Franks Hot sauce, water, and spices and stir together. Select Cancel to stop the saute function and add the chicken breast and set cook time for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken breast. For frozen chicken breast increase the cook time to 10-12 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 266Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 910mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 31g
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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