I have a confession to make. For the longest time, I didn’t like spicy foods. I’d always steer clear of the on menus and never make anything at home that might have a little kick.
Clearly, I was missing out on life.
That all changed when I became pregnant. Whatever happens inside of you to make you crave weird combinations of food activated my love for spicy and I never looked back.
I would say that I tolerated buffalo sauce prior this time, but now I am in love with it. I could seriously put it on everything.
With me being home now the majority of the time, I’ve been trying to stretch our meals. Basically, I try to cook once and eat twice. I’ve been trying different recipes in the crock pot lately and I wanted to try to make some shredded buffalo chicken. I knew I would be able to use buffalo chicken for some many different recipes so it would allow us variety from night to night and not feeling like we were completely eating leftovers.
A few years ago I created a buffalo chicken dip (recipe to come!) and thought I could adjust that recipe a bit to make the chicken. I was also craving a Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bowl, similar to the ones they serve at Protein Bar, so I knew that would be the first meal we were going to try.
I’m so excited to say that this craving paid off! Admittedly, sometimes they don’t but this one was delicious! Check out the full recipe below.
Servings: 3-4 completed quinoa bowls with enough chicken to use for a second meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. of chicken (Remember, this meal will stretch.)
- 1 bottle of your favorite buffalo sauce (I used Frank’s.)
- ½ a cup of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup of sour cream
- 2 packets of Ranch Dressing
- 1 ½ cups of quinoa
- ½ cup of shredded carrots
- ½ cup of celery, cut
- ½ cup of blue cheese
- Two green onions, chopped for garnish
- Optional: Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing
Steps:
1. Combine your buffalo sauce, cream cheese and sour cream and mix. If you don’t do this the sauce won’t be as smooth, but you can skip this step if you are in a rush.
Hey Mom, you’ll enjoy these too!
2. Add your chicken to your crock pot. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Add your packets of ranch dressing.
3. Set on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
4. When the chicken is done shred it with a fork. If the sauce is runny leave the lip of the crock pot off so some of the liquid evaporates while you make your quinoa.
5. Boil three cups of water on the stove. When it’s boiling add your quinoa and cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Once done drain the quinoa and separate into bowls. Add your chicken on top.
7. Top with carrots, celery, blue cheese and some additional hot sauce. You can also drizzle it with blue cheese or ranch dressing.
If you have young kids like mine they probably won’t go for this. Mine didn’t but we make them something else on nights we want to have great food that they won’t touch. Otherwise I’d only be eating chicken nuggets.
Make it for you because you appreciate buffalo chicken. Oh and the leftovers are perfect for topping a salad at lunch.
If you have teenagers I bet this one will be a winner for you and them! I hope you enjoy it!