Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls
These buffalo chicken rice bowls bring the kick of buffalo sauce to a quick and easy 15 minute meal. Spicy, satisfying, and simple to prepare, these bowls are great for a weeknight dinner, quick lunch, or your weekly meal prep rotation.
Love buffalo chicken? Try my 20-minute Buffalo Chicken Tacos or my popular Buffalo Shrimp recipe – both packed with flavor and perfect for busy schedules.
As the former owner of a meal prep company, I know flavor is non-negotiable, even when time is tight. That’s why I create quick, practical recipes that deliver on taste without hours in the kitchen. Looking for more quick chicken dinners? Check out my 20-minute chicken recipes designed for busy weeknights.
Why you will love this recipe
- Ready in just 15 minutes
- Perfect for meal prep (stays fresh 3-4 days)
- Uses pantry staples
- Easy to customize
- Budget friendly (hello chicken thighs)
- High protein, gluten free, dairy free
- Can easily be doubled for family meals
- Packs well for work lunches
Ingredients and substitutions
- Rice – jasmine or basmati is best, as they reheat better for meal prep and cook quickly. Some great substitutions are quinoa, cauliflower rice and beans.
- Chicken – breast, thighs, or tenders all work well, so use whatever you have.
- Buffalo Sauce – hot sauce + avocado oil (or butter/ghee) + spices. You could also use store bought buffalo sauce, my favorites are Primal Kitchen and New Primal Buffalo Sauce.
- Fresh Veggies – celery and carrots for classic buffalo wing vibes
How to make buffalo chicken bowls
Start by making the rice: Rinse it well before cooking.
- For instant pot: Add rinsed rice and water and cook on high pressure 3 minutes.
- For stove: Add rinsed rice and water to pot. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, simmer 15 minutes.
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces (about 1-1.5 inch chunks). Add the chicken to a bowl.
Make the buffalo sauce: combine the sauce ingredients, stir well and pour over the chicken in the bowl.
Cook the chicken: Add chicken to hot skillet and cook 5 minutes (don’t touch it during this time). After 5 minutes, stir the chicken, cooking 4-5 more minutes until cooked through.
Chop the celery and carrots into small pieces.
Assemble the buffalo chicken rice bowls: Add rice, buffalo chicken and the veggies, top with ranch (optional).
Pro tips
Prep & Time Saving Tips
- Cut chicken into equal-sized pieces for even cooking
- For the quick prep: use chicken tenders since they cut up quickly
- Prep ahead: Chop the chicken into pieces up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Make extra rice for quick meals later (you can freeze leftovers using Soupercubes)
- Choose chicken thighs for more flavor, breast or tenders for leaner option
- Cook rice in broth for extra flavor
Sauce and cooking tips
- Want it saucier? Double the buffalo sauce
- If the sauce looks watery after cooking the chicken, remove chicken and reduce sauce 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Stir the chicken into the thicken sauce then serve.
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
- Store fresh veggies separate from chicken and rice.
- Wait to add any dressing until after reheating
- If you want to reheat your veggies with the chicken and rice, don’t use celery and carrots, instead I recommend:
- Broccoli or cauliflower (steamed or roasted in advance)
- Air fryer zucchini and squash
Common questions
What if this is too spicy?
As written, this buffalo chicken and rice isn’t too spicy, but if you need to cool down the spice, add ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.
What is the best hot sauce to use
The hot sauce used will determine the spiciness of the buffalo chicken and also the flavor.
- I prefer Franks Red Hot, because it has great ingredients. You can also find a dupe at Aldi.
- For a less spicy sauce, use Texas Pete.
Can you use pre-cooked chicken?
Yes. Add the buffalo sauce to the cubed or shredded pre-cooked chicken and stir well. Reheat in a skillet until warmed through.
Can you double the recipe?
Yes! You can easily double the recipe. Here are some things to know in advance:
- The rice will take longer to come up to pressure.
- Consider cooking the chicken in batches or in two large skillets to ensure that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- You could also make baked buffalo chicken thighs instead if you are making a large batch.
Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1.25 cup water
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 medium celery stalks
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp dried chives
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
Instructions
- Make the rice: Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Add the rinsed rice to the instant pot with 1.25 cups of water and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. After the pressure cooker is done cooking, let the pressure naturally release 5 minutes then manually release the pressure. See below for stove-top instructions.
- While the rice is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cut the chicken into bite size pieces 1-1.5 inch pieces. Add the chicken cubes to a bowl.
- Combine the hot sauce, avocado oil and spices in a bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over the chicken cubes and stir well.
- Add the buffalo chicken mixture to a preheated skillet and be sure to spread into a single layer. Cook for 5 minutes before moving the chicken around in the skillet. After 5 minutes, stir the chicken and cook 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the chicken is cooking, chop the celery and carrots.
- Once the chicken and rice is done cooking, assemble the buffalo chicken rice bowls by adding the rice, buffalo chicken and veggies to a bowl.
Notes
- For even cooking, cut chicken into equal-sized pieces
- Want it saucier? Double the buffalo sauce
- Time-saver: Use chicken tenders for minimal prep
- Cook rice in broth for extra flavor
- For meal prep: Store carrots and celery separately
- Remove chicken and reduce sauce if pan gets too watery
- Fridge (up to 4 days): Store chicken and rice together, keeping fresh veggies separate to maintain crunch.
- Freezer (up to 3 months). Only freeze the chicken and rice. Make your own freezer meal by using Soupercubes and layering the rice first, then chicken (no fresh veggies). Thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheating Options: I recommend keeping the fresh veggies (carrots and celery) separate from the chicken and rice as they don’t reheat well.
- Stovetop (best method): Cook in a covered skillet over medium low heat 5-6 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet to ensure the rice and chicken don’t dry out.
- Microwave: 1:30-2:30 minutes
“Add this to the rotation immediately.” – hubby :-) Thank you!