This Buffalo chicken hummus bowl brings all the flavors of your favorite Buffalo wings to an easy 20-minute dinner for two. Crispy, broiled chicken thighs are tossed in buttery Buffalo sauce and served over creamy hummus with homemade blue cheese dip, celery and warm pita.
There is a certain time of year when I start craving Buffalo wings. For me, it's late fall, when the college football season is winding down and those familiar flavors of hot sauce, butter, blue cheese and celery sound especially good.
But wings can be a little challenging to get just right. There are plenty of opinions about the best way to make them-fried, baked, crispy, saucy, dry-rubbed. And when you're cooking for two, I don't necessarily want to make a whole platter of wings.
So I took those same flavors and turned them into a 20-minute Buffalo chicken dinner for two.
Instead of wings, I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs coated with baking powder and salt and broiled until deeply browned and charred. Then I cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and toss it in a simple Buffalo sauce made with Frank's RedHot, melted butter and honey or molasses.
The chicken goes on a bed of creamy hummus and gets finished with homemade blue cheese dip, crisp celery and warm pita.
It's Buffalo wings, reimagined for the smaller table.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowl
- How to Make a Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowl
- Why Hummus Works With Buffalo Chicken
- The Secret to Crispy, Broiled Chicken
- Buffalo Sauce: Frank's, Butter and Honey or Molasses
- Homemade Blue Cheese Dip
- Share your thoughts
- Common questions about this recipe
- Tips for the Best Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowls
- Related
- Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowl for Two Recipe
- my new cookbook is here!
Why You'll Love This Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowl
This recipe takes everything I love about Buffalo wings and turns it into a complete dinner without the fuss of making wings.
- 20-minute dinner: A fast, satisfying meal for busy nights.
- Big Buffalo flavor: Frank's RedHot, butter and honey or molasses make a simple, classic sauce.
- No frying: The broiler creates deeply browned, slightly crisp chicken without a fryer.
- Perfect for two: One pound of chicken makes just the right amount for two generous bowls.
- Easy shortcuts: Use your favorite store-bought hummus and make the blue cheese dip ahead.
- A complete meal: Hummus, chicken, blue cheese, celery and pita give you protein, creamy texture, crunch and something to scoop it all up with.
How to Make a Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowl
Step 1 | Coat the chicken with baking powder and salt
Start with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Pat them very dry with paper towels.
Place the chicken in a gallon-size zip-top bag and add the baking powder and salt. Seal the bag and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
Why baking powder? It helps dry the surface of the chicken and encourages browning under the broiler. Since we're using skinless thighs instead of chicken wings with skin, this simple step helps create a browned, crisp exterior on the meat itself.
STEP 2 | Broil the chicken until deeply browned
Position an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler and preheat the broiler.
Line a rimmed quarter sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup and place a wire rack on top. Arrange the chicken in a single layer.
Broil for 16 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is deeply browned and charred on both sides and reaches at least 165°F in the thickest part.
I usually let my chicken thighs reach 170°F to 175°F because I like the texture of thighs at that temperature.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
STEP 3 | Make the Buffalo sauce
While the chicken cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce and honey or molasses. Stir until combined, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
That's it. Three ingredients and you've got classic Buffalo flavor.
Step 4 | Cut the chicken and toss with sauce
Once the chicken has rested, cut it into bite-size pieces.
Add the chicken to the warm Buffalo sauce and stir until every piece is coated.
I prefer cutting the chicken after broiling because it gives the thighs larger surfaces to brown and char. But I've made this recipe by cutting the chicken into pieces before broiling, too, and that works.
Step 5 | Make the blue cheese dip
Combine blue cheese crumbles, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
If you have time, make the dip a couple of hours before dinner and refrigerate it. The flavors have more time to come together.
Step 6 | Build your hummus bowls
Divide the hummus between two serving bowls and spread it across the bottom.
Using a slotted spoon, pile the warm Buffalo chicken over the hummus. Drizzle with blue cheese dip and add celery sticks.
Serve with warm pita for scooping.
Why Hummus Works With Buffalo Chicken
At first glance, hummus might not seem like the obvious partner for Buffalo chicken.
But it works beautifully.
The creamy, mild hummus balances the heat and acidity of the Buffalo sauce while giving the chicken a substantial base. It also turns what could be an appetizer-style plate of Buffalo chicken into a satisfying dinner.
And because this is a 20-minute recipe, I absolutely use store-bought hummus.
Choose your favorite traditional or plain hummus. There's no need to make another component from scratch when the whole point of this recipe is getting dinner on the table quickly.
The Secret to Crispy, Broiled Chicken
Why use baking powder on chicken?
Baking powder helps draw moisture from the surface of the chicken and promotes browning. Under the intense heat of the broiler, it helps create a browned, slightly crisp exterior on the skinless chicken thighs.
It doesn't turn the chicken into a fried wing-and that's not what we're trying to do.
Instead, it gives us deeply browned, charred edges that hold up beautifully to the Buffalo sauce.
Why use a wire rack?
The wire rack allows hot air to circulate around the chicken while the broiler cooks it. It also keeps the chicken elevated above the juices that collect on the pan.
Line the pan with foil first and cleanup is practically done before dinner starts.
Buffalo Sauce: Frank's, Butter and Honey or Molasses
For classic Buffalo flavor, I use Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce.
The hot sauce brings the cayenne and vinegar bite, while melted butter softens the heat and gives the sauce that familiar richness.
Then I add just a little honey or molasses.
Honey or molasses?
Both work.
Honey gives the sauce a lighter, straightforward sweetness.
Molasses adds a deeper, slightly darker flavor that I especially like with the charred chicken.
Use whichever you have in the pantry.
Homemade Blue Cheese Dip
The blue cheese dip is what makes this bowl taste like Buffalo wings rather than simply spicy chicken over hummus.
It's a quick combination of:
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Milk
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Make it ahead if you can. Even a couple of hours in the refrigerator allows the blue cheese flavor to mingle with the creamy base.
Note: You will find the measurements and other helpful ingredient tips in the recipe card below.
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Share your thoughts
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Common questions about this recipe
You've got questions... I've got answers! If you have a question about this buffalo chicken hummus bowl recipe that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll jump in there to help you out.
Yes. Chicken breast will work, but I prefer chicken thighs for this recipe because they stay juicy under the high heat of the broiler and have more flavor.
If using chicken breast, be careful not to overcook it.
Yes. I've made it both ways.
I prefer broiling the thighs whole and cutting them afterward because the larger pieces develop better browned and charred surfaces. But cutting the chicken first is a perfectly good shortcut.
Tips for the Best Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowls
- Pat the chicken dry - Don't skip this step. The drier the surface, the better the chicken will brown under the broiler.
- Don't skip the wire rack - It helps the chicken brown all around instead of sitting in its juices.
- Watch the broiler- roilers can vary significantly. Start checking the chicken before the 20-minute mark and use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.
- Sauce the chicken after broiling - Don't coat the chicken in Buffalo sauce before broiling. The sauce goes on after the chicken is browned so you keep those delicious charred edges.
- Make the blue cheese dip ahead - This is an easy way to make a quick dinner even easier.
Related
Looking for other bowl recipes for two like this? Try a Salsa Verde Chicken Rice Bowl, Panko Shrimp Rice Bowl, Lamb Barbacoa with Green Rice, or a Roasted Vegetable Fajita Bowl:
Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bowl for Two Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Buffalo Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons honey or molasses
Blue Cheese Dip
- ⅛ cup blue cheese crumbles
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2½ tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For Serving
- 7 ounces traditional or plain hummus
- 2 celery sticks cut into 2 " sticks
- Warm pita bread optional
Instructions
- Make the Blue Cheese Dip: Combine the blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the Chicken: Position an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed quarter sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and place a wire rack on top.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Add the baking powder and salt, seal the bag and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer on the wire rack.
- Broil the Chicken: Broil the chicken for 16-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deeply browned and charred on both sides.
- Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken should reach at least 165°F; I usually let chicken thighs reach 170-175°F for a tender texture. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
- Make the Buffalo Sauce: While the chicken cooks, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and honey or molasses. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat. Cover and keep warm.
- Cut and Sauce the Chicken: Cut the rested chicken thighs into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken to the warm Buffalo sauce and gently stir until evenly coated.
- Assemble the Bowls: Divide the hummus between two serving bowls and spread it across the bottom. Using a slotted spoon, divide the Buffalo chicken between the bowls.
- Drizzle with blue cheese dip and garnish with celery sticks. Serve warm with pita bread for dipping and scooping.
Notes
Your Notes, Tips and Tricks
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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