Buffalo Chicken Bean Salad (Print)

Chickpeas tossed in spicy buffalo sauce with celery, carrots, and blue cheese for a crunchy protein-packed dish.

# What You 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 tablespoons mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

→ Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

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

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that comes together in 15 minutes, no cooking required.
  • The spicy heat from buffalo sauce balances perfectly with cool, creamy blue cheese.
  • You get real protein and fiber from chickpeas without needing meat.
  • It tastes even better the next day when flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
02 -
  • The salad gets watery if you skip rinsing the chickpeas—I learned this the hard way by creating puddles on the plate.
  • Make it a few hours ahead or even the day before, and it tastes better because the chickpeas soak up all the buffalo flavor instead of sitting on top of it.
  • The heat level depends entirely on your buffalo sauce brand, so taste as you go if you're sensitive to spice.
03 -
  • Toast the blue cheese in the oven at 375°F for 3-4 minutes if you want it warm and slightly melted—it creates little crispy edges that change everything.
  • Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end for brightness that cuts through the richness and makes the whole thing sing.
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