Buffalo Chicken Salad
A mouth-watering delicious Buffalo Chicken salad full of flavor from tender chicken slathered in buffalo wing sauce, homemade ranch dressing, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, and bleu cheese. Guaranteed to please the Buffalo Chicken lover in your life.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 691kcal
Ingredients
- Buffalo Chicken
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup Franks’ red hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 ¼ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders
- Buffalo Chicken Salad Ingredients
- 10 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and shredded
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- ⅓ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup crumbled bleu cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon or lime juice
- 1 avocado seeded and sliced
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add Frank's Redhot Sauce, apple cider vinegar, pressed garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and ground cayenne.
- Whisk to combine and bring just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Once cooled, add half the mixture to a bowl and add the chicken. Stir to coat, cover, and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping halfway through the process. Baste with the remaining buffalo sauce to keep it moist and tasty. Cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Whisk the ingredients together for the creamy ranch dressing.
- Layer the romaine on a large platter or in a bowl. Follow up with the celery, carrots, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, bleu cheese, and buffalo chicken. Brush the cut avocado with lime juice and add it to the salad. Drizzle with the homemade ranch dressing or your favorite bleu cheese dressing.
Notes
- For optimal taste, use my homemade ranch dressing. Or your favorite bottled ranch or blue cheese dressing.
- Make the buffalo chicken a day in advance but don't cut it, or it will dry out. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
- For a quick substitute for the Buffalo Chicken, use shredded chicken from already cooked rotisserie chicken tossed in the buffalo sauce. Chicken shreds well using 2 forks.
- Shred the carrots using the large shred side of a box grater or a mandolin. I peel the carrots to bring out that beautiful orange color.
- If you don't like blue cheese, try cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese, or even feta.
- Greek yogurt can be subbed for the mayo.
- Don't cut the avocadoes until you are ready to serve the salad. Then for best results, brush them with a little lemon juice or lime juice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours but keep in mind that the avocado may brown and need to be discarded.
Nutrition
Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 2774mg | Potassium: 1352mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 18137IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 258mg | Iron: 3mg