Instant Pot Buffalo Ranch Chicken marries the two best flavors ever, spicy buffalo sauce and creamy ranch dressing. Thinking it needs to become a pizza sometime but until then…

Just so y’all know I’m not actually planning on surviving off the S’mores Legit Pancakes I made earlier today, I’m here to show you just how devoted I am to also eating other stuff. My kids have had the flu now for 12 days. In those 12 days, 2 have now recovered and 1 has just not been able to kick the fevers. And in those 12 days, I’ve been mom, nurse, and patient and I am tirrrrred. Real tired.

I promise not to make this a big giant downer but the truth is, I just needed a pick-me-up, especially for my kiddos. I finally sent two of them back to school after being fever-free but this little one has been miserable. So yes, I made a giant stack of pancakes after I asked her what food she thought she could eat lots of. I couldn’t take those sad, glassy eyes and puny little body much more. It’s crushing to watch your sick babies.

After said pancakes, I also knew I needed to back it up with some serious good stuff and also maybe a dish with a little heat to clear out those sinuses. Fortunately, this one can be altered so if you can’t take the heat, you can still stay in the kitchen and just dial it down. I love the combination of ranch and buffalo. And naturally bacon goes on top of anything so I recommend making extra!

Ok, that’s my spiel. The moral of the story is – I am ok  indulging my family sometimes, especially if it can lift their spirits after a long bout of awful. And I am even more okay with it when I can back it up with some hidden veggies, good fats, and delicious proteins. Also, is it Summer yet? Because I need a beach like nobody’s business.

Instant Pot Buffalo Ranch Chicken

Print Recipe

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 17 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup butter, ghee or vegan butter
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup or more gluten free buffalo wing sauce (minimal ingredients)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1.25 cups minced cauliflower
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced chives
• 1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 sprig chopped dill
• Chopped romaine lettuce for serving
• 10–12 ounces chopped, crisped bacon
• Additional fresh dill

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except for the chicken and romaine in the Instant Pot. Press the Saute button and allow the contents to heat, stirring occasionally for about 3-5 minutes.
2. Now place the chicken thighs on top of the heated ingredients, secure the lid, press the Keep Warm/Cancel button and then press the Manual/Pressure Cook button.
3. Use the +/- to adjust the time until 12 minutes is displayed. Allow the cooking cycle to complete and then quick release the pressure valve and remove the lid once safe to do so.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove just the chicken thighs and transfer to a plate, shredding them with two forks.
5. In the meantime, puree the remaining contents in the Instant Pot using an immersion blender or carefully transfer the hot contents to puree them in a vertical blender.
6. Once the sauce is pureed, pour it back into the Instant Pot bowl and add in your shredded chicken. Taste the sauce and add any additional salt or hot sauce if desired.
7. Serve the chicken and sauce on top of romaine and garnish with the chopped bacon and dill.