Buffalo Chicken Bean Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Chickpeas and veggies tossed in spicy buffalo sauce with blue cheese for a flavorful, protein-rich 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, for serving)

→ 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)

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, mix chickpeas, diced carrots, celery, and finely chopped red onion until evenly combined.
02 - Whisk buffalo wing sauce with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt in a small bowl until smooth and uniform.
03 - Pour the buffalo sauce mixture over the chickpea and vegetable blend and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Gently fold in half of the crumbled blue cheese to integrate its flavor without breaking it down completely.
05 - Distribute mixed salad greens onto individual serving plates if using.
06 - Top salad greens with the buffalo chickpea mixture, then sprinkle remaining blue cheese and chopped parsley over each serving before serving immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes, which means you can have lunch ready faster than you can scroll through your phone.
  • The chickpeas give you real staying power without any meat, keeping you full through that post-lunch energy dip.
  • Spicy, creamy, crunchy, tangy—every element works together like a perfectly timed conversation.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly—canned liquid makes everything watery and dilutes the sauce you worked to create.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the greens and the salad separate until you're ready to eat, and add any extra blue cheese just before serving so it stays bright and doesn't get soggy.
03 -
  • Toast your chickpeas in a hot pan for a few minutes before adding them to give them a crispy edge that changes the whole texture.
  • Taste the sauce mixture before you commit it to the vegetables—it's your last chance to adjust heat level or creaminess to exactly what you want.
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