Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad (Printable)

Finely chopped romaine, spicy buffalo chicken, crisp celery, and creamy blue cheese combined for a zesty, flavorful meal in just 30 minutes.

# Ingredient list:

→ 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, optional for extra heat

# How-to:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss cooked chicken with hot sauce in a bowl until evenly coated.
02 - In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots. Add buffalo chicken and gently toss to combine. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the top.
03 - Drizzle the salad with ranch or blue cheese dressing and add extra hot sauce if desired. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between hot spiced chicken and crisp cold vegetables makes every bite exciting
  • Everything is chopped to the same size so you get all flavors in each forkful
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but feels like restaurant quality food
02 -
  • Letting the chicken rest before cutting keeps it juicy instead of dry
  • The warmth of the chicken slightly wilts the lettuce in the best way making it more flavorful
  • Toss gently so the blue cheese stays in distinct crumbles rather than disappearing into the dressing
03 -
  • Warm your plate before serving to keep the chicken hot longer
  • Mix a little blue cheese into the buffalo sauce for an extra creamy coating on the chicken
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