Mason jar salads make for the best meal prep because of how easy they are to prepare, pack, and eat! The options are endless when it comes to these salads; this variation is a buffalo ranch chicken version. These healthy buffalo ranch chicken mason jar salads are flavor packed, easy to prepare, and even easier to eat. Layered with juicy grilled chicken breast tossed in buffalo sauce, fresh carrots, celery, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and mixed greens, this salad is also a great way to get your veggies in. If you are looking for a lunch meal prep that does not require reheating, this recipe is for you.
Why mason jar salads are one of my favorite meal preps
If you have looked through my website, you may have noticed that I have a handful of mason jar salad recipes. Nothing beats the ease and convenience of a filling salad for meal prep. For me, the best way to store salads to keep them the freshest is by layering the ingredients from most dense to lightest.
I am also a sucker for anything aesthetically pleasing. Being able to see all of the different components and colors of a salad make me so excited to eat it.
This salad is stored in 32 oz wide-mouth mason jars, but that is optional. You can also store them in glass meal prep containers if you prefer that. I enjoy using mason jars to store my salads because it allows me to layer the ingredients in order from dense and wet, up to the lightest ingredients, which preserves the freshness of all of the components. I promise, the salads stay fresh all week when stored this way.
Many times I get the question “but do they really stay fresh?” The answer is: yes! The salads stay fresh when using this method. Note, I do not add the dressing to these mason jars, I keep it to the side and add it right before serving.
I also do not eat the salads from the mason jars directly, because I find it hard to reach the ingredients all the way at the bottom. Instead, I dump the salad into a bowl right before eating and then add my dressing. You can eat them right out of the mason jar, though, if you are able to reach all of the ingredients.
This salad is huge, and the mason jars are packed to the brim!
What you will need to make these healthy buffalo ranch chicken mason jar salads
- chicken breast (raw)
- ranch seasoning
- For this recipe, I used Trader Joe’s Ranch seasoning. It is a relatively new product, and a little different than the ranch packet you might have used in the past. I find it to be less salty, and more herby. If you can get your hands on this, I recommend it. Otherwise, the other variety will work!
- buffalo sauce
- mixed greens
- carrots
- celery
- cucumber
- cherry tomatoes
- ranch dressing
- I used a shortcut here, and used my favorite bottled ranch.
Although this recipe uses all fresh ingredients and freshly grilled chicken breast, I do use a shortcut here: I use bottled ranch dressing! You can absolutely make your own ranch dressing, but if there is one you love, why bother? My favorite one is the one from Bolthouse Farms. It is yogurt-based, but also tastes really great.
How to make these mason jar salads
To start out, season the chicken on both sides with the ranch seasoning. Then, grill the chicken on a preheated grill pan sprayed with olive oil spray. Start out on medium high heat, and sear the chicken on one side for about 5 minutes Next, flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the chicken for 5-10 minutes (depending on thickness) until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165F.
Set the chicken aside to cool. Once cooled, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss it in the buffalo sauce.
In the meantime, prepare the vegetables by chopping the carrot, celery, cucumber, and halving the cherry tomatoes.
Layer the salads as follows: cooked chicken (about 1 cup per mason jar), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, and finally, the mixed greens. Serve the dressing on the side.
Healthy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Mason Jar Salads
Equipment
- 4 32-ounce wide mouth mason jar
- grill pan or outdoor grill
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 2 tsp ranch seasoning, I used: Trader Joe's ranch seasoning blend
- olive oil spray
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, I used: Noble Medium Buffalo sauce
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup cucumbers, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 cups mixed greens
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing, I used: Bolthouse Farms Classic Ranch
Instructions
- Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat.
- Season the chicken breast on all sides with the ranch seasoning.
- Spray the grill pan with olive oil spray, and add the chicken to the pan.
- Sear the chicken on one side for 5 minutes, then flip it.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan with a lid.
- Cook the chicken covered for 5-10 minutes or until cooked through (internal temperature of 165F).
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool.
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss it in the buffalo sauce.
- In the meantime, chop the vegetables. Chop the carrots and celery, slice the cucumbers, and half the cherry tomatoes.
- Layer the salad as follows: 1 cup of cooked chicken per mason jar, followed by the halved cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, and finally 2 cups of mixed greens per jar.
- Leave the salad dressing on the side until right before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe, check out these other mason jar salads:
Healthy Spring Vegetable Mason Jar Salads
Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Mason Jar Salads
Autumn Harvest Mason Jar Salads
Shortcut Grilled Chicken Caesar Mason Jar Salads
Strawberry Poppy Seed Mason Jar Salads
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We had these tonight as wraps to rave reviews. I recently got a grill pan like you use. It’s a game changer. My teenage daughter wants to know how I’m such a great cook. 😁