This Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe is a healthy and simple alternative to the classic appetizer. Tender buffalo chicken bites on a bed of veggies and lettuces, tossed with homemade 4-ingredient Blue Cheese Dressing.
Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe
This Buffalo Chicken Salad is loaded with flavor and will become one of your favorite recipes.
A bed of leafy greens starts off as the base for this meal. Next, seasonal vegetables add great color, texture, and flavor and compliment the chicken perfectly. Baked chicken bites smothered in buffalo sauce are then added to the salad.
Finally, complete the salad with a truly nourishing homemade blue cheese dressing and you have an easy and healthy meal.
Is Buffalo Chicken Salad healthy?
Originally, buffalo chicken was made using chicken wings which is the fattiest cut. Over the years, that has evolved to include other parts of the chicken like breast and thighs.
The cut of chicken is really a matter of personal preference. If you want the traditional chicken wing experience, go with drumette or flats. If you are looking for a cleaner experience, which is especially appreciated in a salad, go with a cut like breast or thigh.
Adding your favorite buffalo chicken to a bed of vegetables is a healthier way to enjoy this hot and spicy appetizer.
And there is nothing comparable to homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce and Blue Cheese Dressing. That in itself already makes it healthier because it gives you total control over the ingredients used.
Most buffalo wing sauces on the market are made using thickeners, fillers, and rancid oils. Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce, on the other hand, calls for only 4 simple ingredients. Check out this easy Buffalo Wing Sauce recipe here.
What are the ingredients in Buffalo Chicken Salad?
- Lettuces: The bulk of the salad are the lettuces. I used romaine and butter lettuces but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Vegetables: carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers, crispy tomatoes, and the green onions all add nice crunch and flavor
- Buffalo Wing Sauce: my favorite is the one that is free from thickeners, additives, and rancid oils. Here's an easy 4-ingredient, 5 minute recipe.
- Chicken: my favorite cut of chicken are the chicken thighs but breasts are also a great option.
- Blue Cheese Dressing: as with Buffalo Wing Sauce, homemade is ideal and takes very little effort and time to make
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Step 1. Chicken - it's best to marinade the chicken in the Buffalo Wing Sauce for 2 hours or overnight. If short on time, you can skip the marinading part and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat instead. If baking in the oven, after marinading the chicken, spread it out on a baking sheet and bake until cooked through.
Step 2. Dressing - combine all ingredients together in mason jar and blend with an immersion blender. If skipping parsley, just stirring everything together with a spoon is sufficient but fresh parsley adds so much flavor.
Step 3. Salad - roughly chop the lettuces (I love a combination of romaine, butter, and sometimes red or green leaf lettuce), add the rest of the veggies. You can either toss everything together with the salad dressing or drizzle on top in a zig-zag motion.
Common Questions for this Buffalo Chicken Salad
Q. Can I use store bought Buffalo Wing Sauce and salad dressing?
A. Homemade is always ideal but the second best option is Noble Made Mild Buffalo wing sauce. Finding a clean Blue Cheese Dressing is a little more trickier because even organic versions contain soybean oil and canola oil. All the more reason to whip up some yourself with only 4 ingredients! You'll have better luck finding good quality ranch dressing but the finished flavor won't be the same.
Q. Can I meal prep this Buffalo Chicken Salad?
A. This salad is great option to include in meal prep. You can make the chicken well in advance and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Same with the salad dressing and Buffalo Wing Sauce if not used for chicken. The vegetables (except for tomatoes) can be prepped and stored in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
Q. What is the best chicken for Buffalo Chicken Salad?
A. The best cut of chicken is the chicken thighs but breasts work great too. Avoid chicken wings since they are not exactly salad-friendly.
Q. Is it necessary to marinade chicken?
A. Marinading the chicken in Buffalo Wing Sauce will produce the best flavor. If you are short on time, just toss the chicken with the wing sauce and cook in a stainless steel pan over medium-high heat until cooked through, approximately 12-14 minutes.
Q. What can be served with this Buffalo Chicken Salad?
A. We love this salad on it's own. It has just the right amount of protein, fats, and carbs to make a complete meal. However, if you are looking for more carb-heavy sides to compliment this salad, consider these Cajun Sweet Potato Fries or these Bacon and Cheese Baked Potato. You can also double the chicken to make sure you get enough protein.
Printable Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs cut into 1" pieces
- 1 cup buffalo wing sauce divided
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 head butter lettuce chopped
- 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 6 green onions cut
- 1 ½ cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber cut into strips or half moons
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
Blue Cheese Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon real salt
- 6 fresh parsley sprigs optional
- 2 garlic cloves optional
Instructions
Buffalo Chicken
- Marinade chicken in ⅔ cup of Buffalo Wing sauce for 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (approximately 20 minutes). Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread chicken on a sheet in single layer and bake for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Blue Cheese Dressing
- Add all ingredients in jar and blend with immersion blender if using parsley. Alternatively, you can finely mince parsley or omit it entirely.
Salad
- Combine all the vegetables together or arrange as shown in picture. Toss with salad dressing or drizzle on top.
- Top with chicken and additional blue cheese crumbles.
Notes
- Marinading chicken will produce best flavor. However, if short on time, toss chicken with buffalo wing sauce and cook in a pan over medium-high heat until cooked through.
- Salad makes very generous portions as a meal for 5 people or a side for 8. Nutrition facts reflect 8 servings.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided for your convenience by an online calculator. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our complete Nutritional Information Disclaimer.
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