Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad (Print Version)

A zesty, protein-packed salad featuring spicy buffalo chicken, crisp vegetables, and creamy blue cheese. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Buffalo Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)
02 - 1/4 cup hot sauce
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
05 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Salad

06 - 2 large hearts of romaine lettuce, finely chopped
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
09 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
11 - 1/4 cup shredded carrots

→ Dressing

12 - 1/3 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
13 - 1 tbsp hot sauce

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from heat and rest 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces and toss with hot sauce until evenly coated.
02 - Combine chopped romaine, celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots in a large bowl. Add buffalo chicken and gently toss together. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the top.
03 - Drizzle salad with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Add extra hot sauce if desired for additional heat. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The hot crispy chicken against cool crisp lettuce hits every texture crave in one bowl
  • Its somehow lighter than wings but packs all the flavor you are secretly wanting
  • Everything gets chopped to the same size so each forkful has the perfect ratio
02 -
  • The chicken needs those 5 minutes of resting time or all those juices end up on your cutting board instead of in your salad
  • Hot sauce thickens as it cools so toss the chicken immediately while it is still hot
  • Red onion can be overwhelming so dice it tiny and maybe rinse it under cold water first
03 -
  • Use your biggest bowl for tossing because salad explosion is not the memory you want to make
  • Double the dressing recipe and keep some in the fridge for emergency vegetable situations
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