Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad (Print Version)

Zesty salad with finely chopped romaine, spicy buffalo chicken, crisp celery, and creamy blue cheese. Quick and flavorful.

# What You'll Need:

→ Buffalo Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces)
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

# How to Make It:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
02 - Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl and toss with hot sauce until evenly coated.
03 - In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots. Add the buffalo chicken and gently toss to distribute evenly.
04 - 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.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • You get all the bold, tangy flavors of buffalo wings without the heaviness of deep frying
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something youd order at a trendy bistro
  • The combination of textures, from creamy blue cheese to crisp celery, makes every bite exciting
02 -
  • The chicken needs to rest before cutting, otherwise all those delicious juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat
  • Don't dress the entire salad if you're planning to have leftovers, or you'll end up with soggy leftovers the next day
  • The key to restaurant-style chopped salad is cutting everything into uniform, bite-sized pieces so you get a little bit of everything in each forkful
03 -
  • A cast iron skillet gives the chicken the best sear and helps create those little crispy bits everyone fights over
  • Let your hot sauce and butter mixture cool slightly before tossing with the chicken so it thickens and clings better
Go Back