Buffalo Chicken Salad is an easy and delicious way to enjoy all your favorite buffalo chicken flavors in a fresh, healthy meal! Loaded with tender buffalo chicken, crisp lettuce, crunchy veggies and cheese, this flavor-packed salad is anything but boring. It's fast to make, ready in just 20 minutes and perfect for a satisfying lunch or light dinner!
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I've been cooking since I was 14, and with years of experience in restaurant kitchens and feeding my own family, I've learned how to turn everyday ingredients into delicious meals. My oldest daughter Bailee and I are the buffalo sauce lovers in our house, and this salad is one of our favorites! I've made it countless times with different dressings, but I prefer mine with ranch while Bailee loves her blue cheese. It's a tried and true recipe we enjoy all year long!
Why We Love this Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Comes together in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy days when you need a fast meal.
- The combination of spicy buffalo chicken, crisp veggies and creamy dressing creates a delicious bite every time.
- Packed with protein and fresh vegetables, this salad is a filling meal that won't leave you hungry.
- Customize it with your favorite vegetables, adjust the buffalo sauce to your preferred heat level or switch up the dressing to make it your own.
- Great way to use up leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken for an even faster meal.
Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- Salted Butter
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Buffalo Sauce
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chopped Romaine
- Chopped Iceberg
- Celery
- Red Onion
- Provolone Cheese
- Blue Cheese Crumbles
Substitution Suggestions
- Chicken Breast: Diced chicken thighs will work well too. I really like to use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this super fast.
- Buffalo Sauce: I usually use my homemade buffalo sauce, but you can use your favorite bottled sauce too.
- Cayenne Pepper: This is optional. Use it to reach your desired spice level.
- Lettuce: Use your favorite. I almost always have romaine and iceberg on hand so I use that.
- Celery and Red Onion: Feel free to omit if you don't like them, or add in your own veggies. Some carrot sticks or sliced radishes are also really good in this salad!
- Cheese: Use your favorite cheese! I like provolone best, but my daughter prefers blue cheese crumbles. Use what you like and make it your own!
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
This recipe is a cinch, ready in minutes, and the serving size is perfect for two. I only ever make it for two, since there are only two buffalo sauce fans in my house. This recipe is easily doubled or even quadrupled if needed.
- First, cut up the chicken into bite size pieces.
- Then melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add chicken pieces and season with a little salt and blacker pepper.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring a few times until chicken is fully cooked.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the buffalo sauce. Feel free to add more than 2 tablespoons if preferred, along with a dash of cayenne pepper if you like it extra spicy.
- Stir well to coat the chicken and heat the sauce, then remove from heat.
- Lastly, to assemble the salad, layer the lettuce, buffalo chicken, celery, onion, provolone cheese and your preferred dressing.
- Then eat! Eat it all!
Best Dressing for Buffalo Chicken Salad
Now, let's talk about the best dressing for this Buffalo Chicken Salad because there is a little disagreement in our house! My oldest daughter, Bailee, loves anything with blue cheese, while I am firmly on team ranch. There are very few foods I dislike, but blue cheese is definitely one of them, along with mustard and sauerkraut, but that's a conversation for another day!
I personally think this salad is best served with ranch dressing or a combination of ranch and buffalo sauce for an extra kick of flavor. Bailee, on the other hand, insists that blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing are the only way to go. Both options pair perfectly with the spicy buffalo chicken, so whether you're team stinky cheese or no stinky cheese, you really can't go wrong!
If you love buffalo sauce as much as we do, be sure to try my Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese for another easy, cheesy and flavor packed family dinner!
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- I've had my Rachael Ray pots and pans since my wedding in 2010 and I love them. They've held up great and they're affordable.
- These nestled bowls are great for prepping ingredients.
- A box grater to grate your own cheese. I use mine almost every day!
Tips for Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe
- Don't overcook the chicken. Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so it cooks quickly and stays tender. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Make it even faster by using leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken. Simply warm the chicken with the buffalo sauce before adding it to the salad.
- Prep it ahead! Chop the lettuce and vegetables ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. Keep the chicken and dressing separate until you're ready to assemble the salad.
- Add your favorite toppings like shredded carrots, diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, radishes or extra cheese for even more flavor and texture.
More Easy Chicken Recipes:
- Southwestern Chicken Salad
- BLT Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Chicken Tortellini Salad
- Roast Chicken Cobb Salad
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Chicken Avocado Wraps
Did you make this recipe? Rate it!
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Buffalo Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce, homemade or store bought
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 cups romaine, chopped
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- ¼ cup shredded provolone cheese
- blue cheese crumbles, optional
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the chicken pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring a few times, until chicken in fully cooked.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the buffalo sauce. (Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra spice). Stir to coat the chicken and cook long enough to heat the sauce.
- Layer on two plates: lettuce, buffalo chicken, diced celery and onions, shredded provolone and your favorite dressing.
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