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Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 78 reviews

A zesty and satisfying Buffalo Chicken Salad combining tender marinated chicken breasts cooked in a skillet with fresh crunchy vegetables, creamy blue cheese, and a tangy homemade dressing, perfect for a flavorful and healthy meal.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken Marinade and Cooking

  • 1 cup buffalo sauce
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts)
  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the Dressing

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp. freshly chopped dill
  • 2 tbsp. freshly chopped chives
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

For the Salad

  • 4 cups chopped romaine
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 Persian cucumber, cut into half moons
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

Instructions

  1. Make chicken marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together buffalo sauce, honey, lime juice, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Reserve 1/3 cup of this marinade for basting later. Add chicken breasts to the remaining marinade, toss well to coat, and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
  2. Cook chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off, and place chicken in the hot skillet. Cook until the bottom is golden, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken, then brush it with the reserved marinade. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 to 8 more minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips.
  3. Prepare dressing: While the chicken cooks, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Add minced garlic, chopped parsley, dill, chives, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve.
  4. Assemble salad: In a large bowl, mix chopped romaine, baby spinach, sliced celery, carrot matchsticks, Persian cucumber half moons, sliced avocado, thinly sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and blue cheese crumbles. Place sliced chicken on top. Drizzle with the prepared dressing just before serving and toss lightly if desired.

Notes

  • Marinating the chicken for longer than 30 minutes up to 2 hours enhances flavor but avoid over-marinating to prevent meat texture changes.
  • Use fresh herbs for the dressing to maximize brightness and flavor.
  • For a spicier salad, add more cayenne pepper or extra buffalo sauce when assembling.
  • Blue cheese can be substituted with feta or goat cheese for a different tangy twist.
  • Serve immediately after assembling to keep the salad fresh and crisp.

Keywords: Buffalo chicken salad, spicy chicken salad, healthy buffalo chicken recipe, creamy blue cheese dressing, quick chicken salad

Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/buffalo-chicken-salad-recipe/