Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad (Print version)

Finely chopped romaine, spicy buffalo chicken, crisp celery, and creamy blue cheese in a zesty 30-minute meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Buffalo Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)
02 - 1/4 cup hot sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1/2 teaspoon 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 tablespoon 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 for 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss cooked chicken with hot sauce until evenly coated.
02 - In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, diced celery, diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots. Add buffalo chicken and gently toss to combine.
03 - Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the salad. Drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing and add extra hot sauce if desired. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between cold crunch and warm spice makes every bite exciting
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something you'd order at a gastropub
  • You can prep everything ahead and just warm the chicken when you're ready to eat
02 -
  • Warm chicken against cold vegetables is the magic combination here, so don't let the chicken cool completely before assembling
  • The blue cheese should be cold and crumbly, not melted into the sauce, for the best texture contrast
03 -
  • Don't skip the butter in the buffalo sauce, it's what gives it that restaurant-quality finish
  • Letting the chicken rest before cutting keeps all those juices inside where they belong
Go back