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Last updated January 12, 2023

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep: 4 ways

Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep is so quick, easy, and tender in the Instant Pot! Mix it up with four different meal prep recipes for an amazing week of healthy lunches or dinners. Paleo, Whole30, dairy free, and gluten free too!

Instant Pot chicken meal prep

Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep Recipe

  • Needing a little more variety in your meal prep? You’ll never get tired of eating the same thing with four different buffalo chicken recipes. Each meal prep option is packed with protein, healthy fats, and nutrient rich veggies!
  • You can make this meal prep chicken recipe with only a few ingredients you already have in your pantry. Let the pressure cooker do the work for the most juicy shredded chicken breasts smothered in hot sauce, that never leaves you with dry chicken.
  • Short on time? Prep 4 days worth of lunches in just 30 minutes! Yes, it’s that easy.

No More Boring Meal Prep

Tired of the same boring meal prep? I’ve been there. The key to creating meal prep that you never get tired of is to incorporate different flavors with each dish. Try these meal prep combinations for your weekly meal plan:

  • Day 1: Buffalo Chicken + Tomatoes + Celery Sticks + Hard-Boiled Eggs + Carrot Sticks + Ranch Dressing (as a dip for veggies). Some other options to throw in are: cucumbers, grain-free crackers, sliced bell peppers or broccoli. This is the easiest one to make!
  • Day 2: Buffalo Chicken + Tomatoes + Brussels Sprouts + Sweet Potatoes. Roast brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes together on a sheet pan. Feel free to use any other veggies you have in your fridge like broccoli, or asparagus.
  • Day 3: Buffalo Chicken + Tomatoes + Avocado + Mixed Greens + Hard-Boiled Eggs + Red Onion + Green Goddess Salad Dressing (I use Primal Kitchen). For the full green goddess experience add: feta cheese, bacon, or pickled onions.
  • Day 4: Buffalo Chicken + Cauliflower Rice + Jalapeños + Tomatoes + Avocado + Mixed Greens + Squeeze of Lime Juice. Salsa, ranch dressing, white rice, or black beans could easily be added too.

How to Make the Buffalo Chicken

Follow these steps to make the perfect buffalo chicken! For the full list of steps and measurements, check out the recipe card below!

Shredded Buffalo Chicken in Instant Pot
  1. First, season the chicken all over with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and place them in the Instant Pot.
  2. Add the 1/2 cup hot sauce to the pot and top it all off with ghee and diced onion.
  3. Seal the Instant Pot and set the timer. When it goes off, let it naturally release a few minutes before quick releasing the pressure cooker.
  4. Now, transfer the chicken to a cutting board. It should be easy to shred with a couple forks.
  5. When it’s all shredded, add the chicken back to the Instant pot and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce. Sauté for a few minutes to let all the juices get into the chicken.

When you’re assembling the meal prep boxes, be sure to let the chicken cool completely.

FAQs

What is a Whole30 Compliant and Paleo Friendly Hot Sauce I Can Use?

For Buffalo chicken, you want a bright red, vinegar-based hot sauce. My go-to is Frank’s Red Hot Original Sauce, especially if you are on Whole30 or follow a Paleo diet.

Be careful that you don’t buy Franks Red Hot Wings Buffalo Sauce, as it contains ingredients like canola oil, and ‘natural flavors’.

Some other hot or buffalo sauces with healthy ingredients to try are:

How to Shred Chicken

There are so many easy ways to shred chicken!

The best tried-and-true way is to simply shred it with two forks, raking them in different directions. This produces perfectly natural chunks of chicken.

If you want a more hands-off method, you can shred boneless chicken with a hand or stand mixer! Start on low speed and use a large mixing bowl.

How Long Does Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep Last in the Fridge?

You can keep this Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep for at least 4 days! That gives you plenty of time to try tons of combinations of meal prep ingredients to see what you love and what you can stop buying.

Box up your lunches on Sunday for a grab-and-go week.

Four different buffalo chicken meal prep dishes

More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love

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Instant Pot chicken meal prep

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep – 4 ways


  • Author: Abbey Blackwell
  • Total Time: 22 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep is so quick, easy, and tender in the Instant Pot! Mix it up with four different meal prep recipes for an amazing week of healthy lunches or dinners. Paleo, Whole30, dairy free, and gluten free too!


Ingredients

Scale

to make the Buffalo Chicken:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 tablespoons ghee, or olive oil (use if you don’t tolerate ghee)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce

Buffalo Chicken Lunch Box Meal Prep:

  • handful of baby carrots
  • handful of mini celery sticks
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 12 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
  • 4 oz buffalo chicken
  • more optional add-ins: cucumbers, Primal Kitchen Ranch dressing (for dip)

Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato and Brussels sprouts Meal Prep:

  • 1 large sweet potato, sliced into rounds and roasted
  • 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, halved and roasted
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 oz buffalo chicken

Green Goddess Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep

  • handful of mixed greens
  • Primal Kitchen Green Goddess salad dressing
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 avocado, diced
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, sliced in half
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 4 oz buffalo chicken
  • more optional add-ins: feta cheese (leave out for Paleo or Whole30), crispy bacon, pickled onions

Mexican Buffalo Chicken Meal Prep:

  • 1 bag frozen cauliflower rice
  • fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 jalapeños, diced
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • handful of mixed salad greens
  • 1/2 avocado, diced
  • slice of lime, juiced
  • 4 oz buffalo chicken
  • more optional add-ins: grain-free Siete tortilla chips, Primal Kitchen ranch dressing, shredded cabbage,

Instructions

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken:

  1. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken breast at the bottom of the instant pot.
  2. Pour 1/2 a cup of hot sauce over chicken, and top with ghee, and diced onion.
  3. Place the lid on the instant pot, and make sure the valve knob is set to ‘sealing’. Set the timer on manual high pressure for 17 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the instant pot naturally release for 5 minutes.
  4. Unlock the lid, and use tongs to transfer chicken breast onto a cutting board or plate to shred. Using two forks, shred the chicken and return it to the Instant pot.
  5. Pour remaining 1/4 cup of hot sauce over the chicken and stir. Press sauté on the Instant Pot to let the juices absorb into the chicken for 5-8 minutes.
  6. Press ‘cancel’ on Instant pot to turn off ‘saute’ mode, and let the chicken cool before serving.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 17 minutes
  • Category: Meal Prep
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 oz
  • Calories: 220
  • Sugar: 0.6 g
  • Sodium: 1433.2 mg
  • Fat: 11.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
  • Protein: 25.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 105.6 mg

Keywords: Paleo, Whole30, buffalo chicken, instant pot, meal prep, healthy, easy

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Recipe rating

  1. I have yet to join the Instapot craze. My guy doesn’t want one more piece of equipment in the kitchen. Could this easily work up in a crockpot just the same?

    1. Yes, it can work just the same in a slow cooker. On the low setting, you will need to cook it for about 3/4 hours at least. Then put it back for 1/2~1h after shredding.