Buffalo Chicken Bean Salad (Printable)

A flavorful mix of buffalo sauce, chickpeas, celery, carrots, and blue cheese for a protein-packed dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cups mixed salad greens (optional)

→ Sauce & Cheese

06 - 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
07 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, diced carrots, diced celery, and finely chopped red onion.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk buffalo wing sauce with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt until smooth.
03 - Pour the buffalo sauce mixture over the chickpea and vegetable blend. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
04 - Gently fold in half of the crumbled blue cheese into the salad.
05 - Distribute mixed salad greens (if using) on serving plates and top with the buffalo chickpea mixture.
06 - Sprinkle remaining blue cheese and chopped parsley over each plate. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's tangy, spicy, and creamy all at once—basically a buffalo wing experience that doesn't require cooking.
  • Ready in 15 minutes and actually tastes better if you make it ahead, so meal prep becomes effortless.
  • The blue cheese brings a sophisticated bite that makes the whole thing feel restaurant-quality but entirely doable at home.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned chickpeas—that starchy liquid makes everything feel gluey rather than fresh and snappy.
  • The mayo-to-buffalo ratio matters; too much mayo and it becomes bland, too little and it becomes mouth-burning, so taste as you whisk and trust your instincts.
03 -
  • Prep your vegetables the night before but wait to combine everything until you're ready to eat or serve, so nothing gets waterlogged.
  • If you end up with leftovers, the salad keeps beautifully for two days, and leftovers taste even better than the first bite because the flavors have had time to settle into place.
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