Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

I adore Chicken Salads of any kind and I think one of my absolute favorites has to be Buffalo Chicken Salad. With its rich and creamy blue cheese dressing, combined with the moist and juicy, spiced grilled chicken, as well as plenty of crisp fresh vegetables, this salad always goes down very well with everyone I serve it to.

It does require marinating the chicken for two hours minimum (overnight is preferred) but, once you have done that, assembling the salad goes very quickly. I love the rich and creamy homemade blue cheese dressing. I call it tangy perfection.

If you get everything together ahead of time, you can refrigerate all of the ingredients in separate airtight containers as well, making for a really quick supper, ready to throw together at the last minute. (I would not peel or slice the avocado until just before serving in that case.)

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

It seems like a really long list of ingredients, but I have broken them down into three sections, the chicken, the salad ingredients, and the dressing.

HINTS AND TIPS TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

If you follow my hints and tips there is no reason why you can’t make this the most delicious salad ever!

1. Read through the recipe several times to help familiarise yourself with any ingredients and equipment you will need. For instance, with this recipe, the chicken needs to be marinated prior to actually beginning the recipe.
2. Gather all of the ingredients you will need prior to beginning. This can help to prevent you from leaving out something integral to the recipe.
3. Buy the best chicken meat that you can afford. I like to use free-range chicken, and corn-fed if possible. I, personally, think it tastes better. At the end of the day, you need to make the best choices for yourself.
4. If you really want to bring out the flavours of the spices used, you can toast them briefly in a hot skillet, just until they smell very fragrant. This is a simple step but you will really notice the difference.
5. I highly recommend marinating the chicken overnight, but, in a pinch, you can do it for just two hours. Obviously longer is better, as it will impart even more flavour into the chicken. You can control the amount of spiciness with the chicken by the amount of reserved marinade you brush on the grilled chicken as it is resting. More marinade, more spice. The choice is yours.
6. Use the freshest vegetables you have for this salad. Crisp, crunchy, and brightly coloured. Do not feel that you have to stick with my suggestions for these. If you have a vegetable you really like and that you feel would go well with the other ingredients, by all means, add it.
7. To save even more time, you can use a really good quality ready-made Blue Cheese Dressing. I highly recommend making the dressing recipe I have included, however. It is rich, creamy, and delicious. Plus you know exactly what is in it. It also makes a great dip for raw vegetables and crudities.
8. You can assemble the basic salads ahead of time, but don’t grill the chicken or dress until just before you are ready to serve the salads.
9. Bacon, crumbled blue cheese and croutons are all optional. You can use a good quality brand of readymade crouton if you wish, but you can also make your own. It is very simple to do. Just cube stale bread (or even croissants) and toss them together in a bowl with some seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder) and a bit of oil or oil spray. Toast them on a baking tray in a hot oven (425*F) for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and golden brown.

HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

To prepare the chicken:

Step 1

Begin by making the marinade for the chicken. Whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and well combined.

Step 2

Pat your chicken breasts dry and trim any fatty bits from them, discarding. Place them one at a time into a zip lock baggie and pound them gently with a rolling pin until they are about 1/3 of an inch thick.

Step 3

Place them into a non-reactive container. Pour ¼ cup of the marinade mixture into the container, turning the chicken around to coat it well with the mixture. Reserve the remaining marinade for later. Cover the chicken and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or up to 8.

Step 4

When you are ready to make the salad, bring the chicken to room temperature. Preheat your grill to high. Add your chicken breasts, discarding any of the marinade left in the bowl. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes on one side, then for 5 to 7 more on the other side.

Step 5

Remove from the grill, brush with some of the reserved marinade and leave to sit, tented loosely with tinfoil, while you put together the remainder of the salad.

Preparing the salad:

Step 6

Prepare your salad vegetables and arrange them attractively in each of 4 individual pasta bowls. (I chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Slice the scallions on the diagonal. Slice the peeled and pitted avocado into ½ inch slices. Trim and then slice the radishes thinly. Wash, trim and chop the celery into bite sized pieces.) I place the lettuce in the bottom of each bowl and then arrange the vegetables individually on top in a decorative manner.

Preparing the Dressing:

Step 7

Put all of your dressing ingredients into a mini blender and blitz together until smooth.

Assembling the salad:

Step 8

Slice the grilled chicken and arrange it over top of your salad vegetables in the bowls. Drizzle each with a portion of the dressing and garnish as desired. Serve immediately.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SERVING BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

This fabulous salad makes for a beautiful luncheon dish when you are having the ladies over for lunch or a fantastic light supper for when you are wanting to eat lighter foods.

If you are not fond of chicken or wanting a change, you can marinate jumbo shrimp in the marinade and then grill them for something quite delicious and unique.

You can also use the grilled chicken and salad fixings to make a delicious wrap sandwich ready to take with you to work or to school.

Take the lettuce out of the picture and serve all of the other ingredients on top of rice, adding some refried beans for a tasty burrito bowl!

One thing is for sure, no matter how you choose to serve or present this salad, people are really going to fall for it. Moist and spicy perfectly grilled chicken, bursting with delicious flavors along with that fabulously creamy and tangy rich dressing, served on top of your favorite salad fixings. Let’s face it, what’s NOT to fall in love with!

Yield: Serves 4

Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

Print

This tangy and delicious salad always goes down very well. Tangy, spicy grilled buffalo chicken is laid out atop a mix of salad greens and vegetables and dressed with a tangy blue cheese dressing for the win. Do plan ahead as the chicken needs to marinate for at least two hours.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 4 single boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup Frank’s hot wings sauce
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS fresh lime juice
• 2 TBS honey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the salad:

• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 1 cup steamed corn kernels
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and chopped

For the dressing:

• ½ cup good quality mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 TBS crumbled blue cheese
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 tsp dried chives
• ½ tsp dried dillweed
• ¼ tsp each salt and black pepper
• Milk to thin

To garnish: (optional)

• Crumbled blue cheese
• Crumbled crisp bacon
• Garlic croutons

Instructions

1. Begin by making the marinade for the chicken. Whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and well combined.
2. Pat your chicken breasts dry and trim any fatty bits from them, discarding. Place them one at a time into a zip lock baggie and pound them gently with a rolling pin until they are about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place them into a non-reactive container. Pour ¼ cup of the marinade mixture into the container, turning the chicken around to coat it well with the mixture. Reserve the remaining marinade for later. Cover the chicken and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or up to 8.
3. When you are ready to make the salad, bring the chicken to room temperature. Preheat your grill to high. Add your chicken breasts, discarding any of the marinade left in the bowl. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes on one side, then for 5 to 7 more on the other side. Remove from the grill, brush with some of the reserved marinade and leave to sit covered loosely with tinfoil while you put together the remainder of the salad.
4. Prepare your salad vegetables and arrange them attractively in each of 4 individual pasta bowls.
5. Put all of your dressing ingredients into a mini blender and blitz together until smooth.
6. Slice the grilled chicken and arrange it over top of your salad vegetables in the bowls. Drizzle each with a portion of the dressing and garnish as desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 560 excluding additional toppings

Marie

Marie Rayner is a retired Chef, freelance writer, recipe developer, food blogger, and Cookbook author. She makes her home in Chester, UK, where she lives with her husband, Todd, and their much beloved English Cocker, Mitzie. Her motto is “Life is far too short to eat bad food,” and her goal is to share delicious and easy recipes which anyone can enjoy and cook in the comfort of their own home.

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