Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls
Buffalo sauce gives these chicken rice bowls a lively, tangy heat. The brown rice and seasoned beans make a generous base, with cheddar softening the sharper flavors. A forkful with chicken and a little cheese is an inviting way to work through the bowl.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 11 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Lunch
- Primary protein
- Chicken · Beans & lentils
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Family suitability
- Meal prep
- Dish type
- Rice dishes
A few quick notes
1. Color the onion lightly
Cook the red onion over medium-low heat until it has caramelized slightly before adding the beans.
2. Turn the chicken
Flip the chicken as it cooks so the pieces brown on each side and cook through the center.
3. Sauce outside the skillet
Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl before tossing it with the Buffalo sauce.
Get to know the ingredients
Chicken
Dice the boneless skinless breasts into the listed small cubes before browning them in the skillet.
Black beans
Rinse and drain the canned black beans before warming them with the onion and spices.
Rice
Use cooked brown rice as the base of the bowls before adding the beans and chicken.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 8 steps completeMake room for Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Scallions on top
Finish with chopped scallions after assembling the bowls and melting the cheese if you choose.
A little more help as you go
Warm the beans
Stir the paprika, cumin and salt through the black beans as they heat with the onion.
Refrigerating bowls
The assembled bowls can be refrigerated for up to four days and reheated until heated through.
A few questions you might have
Can I use dairy-free cheddar?
Yes, dairy-free cheddar is listed as an alternative to the part-skim cheddar for the bowls.
How do I melt the cheese for serving?
The directions suggest a brief microwave warming after assembly if you are eating the bowls immediately.
Do I coat raw chicken in the Buffalo sauce?
Brown and fully cook the chicken first, then toss it with the sauce in a separate bowl.
Does the onion cook with the chicken?
No, the onion cooks with the beans in a pot while the chicken cooks in a separate skillet.
What order do I use for the bowl layers?
Start with rice, add beans and cheese, then divide the sauced chicken over the bowls.
Any more cooking tips?
These are the meal prep bowls I use.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: skinnytaste.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
