Buffalo Chicken Salad

My motto is no more boring salads. It's been our mission to make the flavorful filling, and crisp salads, like our grilled peach salad and grilled zucchini salad, that pack in nourishing vegetables.

A salad delivers greens, protein, fiber, and fat, all the components of a well-balanced, healthy meal. I grew up thinking I had to eat a salad to be healthy. But now that I come up with my own. Especially when it involves crispy chicken and creamy dressing.

Everyone is buffalo chicken obsessed around here. Our healthy buffalo chicken dip is one of the most popular recipes on our website and ever since publishing it we keep iterating on all of the buffalo chicken recipes like buffalo chicken pasta, buffalo chicken meatballs, and buffalo chicken zucchini boats. You get the point. And so the streak continues with this healthy buffalo chicken salad. It's like healthy boneless buffalo wings on top of a bed of your favorite salad toppings.

Here's Why You'll Love this Buffalo Chicken Salad

I used the crispy cornflake chicken from our hot honey chicken tenders as the base for this recipe and coated them in buffalo sauce. They're dredged in a gluten-free flour, egg, and cornflake mixture and then baked to tender, juicy perfection. While the chicken is baking, assemble the salad and make the dressing. It makes this a quick (20 minutes or less) meal.

• Well balanced with the spice from the chicken and cooling creamy dressing.
• Crispy chicken that happens to be gluten-free, like our crispy chicken salad—but with buffalo sauce!
• Full of fresh veggies that will make you feel good.
• Fiber and fat will keep you full thanks to avocado in the salad and dressing.
• Great for lunches and dinners, and even better for meal prep! The chicken is great cold in the salad, so no reheating necessary.

Key Ingredients + Why You Need Them

Here are the main ingredients in this buffalo chicken salad recipe. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full recipe and exact measurements.

Start by preparing the dredging station for the crispy buffalo chicken. Place 3 medium bowls next to a parchment lined baking sheet. Fill one with the flour and spices, one with beaten eggs and the last with the crush corn flakes.

Place the chicken tenders in the flour mixture and turn to coat them, then place them in the egg to fully coat both sides too. Transfer them to the cornflake mixture, turning to coat completely, and arrange the chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with all of the chicken tenders and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F, leaving 5-10 degrees for carryover cooking.

While the chicken is cooking, assemble the salad. Add the shredded romaine and cabbage to a large bowl and stir to mix. Top it with chopped celery, red pepper, shredded carrots, red onion, and avocado.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and immediately cover it in buffalo sauce. Turn it in the sauce a few times to coat it then add the chicken on top of the salad. You can also dice the chicken into cubes and serve it that way.

Finish with crumbled blue cheese, if using, thinly sliced green onion, and chopped chives. Drizzle the salad with the creamy avocado ranch dressing or serve the salad and have individuals dress it separately.

Expert Tips

1. Start with good quality chicken tenders: Choose chicken tenders that are firm to the touch and free of any bruises or discolorations.
2. Use a well-seasoned breading mixture: A mixture of flour, cornflakes and spices will help the chicken develop a crispy crust.
3. Serve the salad with a creamy dressing: A creamy dressing, such as ranch or blue cheese, will help balance out the spiciness of the buffalo sauce and add flavor to the salad.
4. Garnish with fresh herbs: Fresh herbs, such as chives and green onion, can add a burst of flavor and color to the salad. Definitely worth the add to set this salad apart.
5. Use an instant read thermometer: this is always helpful when cooking protein! Overcooked chicken is chewy and tough. Cook it perfectly for a juicy tender chicken.

Recipe Variations & Modifications

Make them lettuce wraps: swap the bowl for a wrap! Use butter lettuce instead of romaine and place the buffalo chicken inside it with all of the fresh veggies and toppings. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!

Fresh greens: try another green, like spinach or arugula, or a mix of them all.

More veggies: use up whatever veggies you have left in the fridge, you can't go wrong with ingredients like snap peas, shredded brussels sprouts, chopped broccoli or green peppers.

Quick chicken: grab a rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken, and toss it with your favorite wing sauce.

Don't like bleu cheese crumbles? Skip it all altogether or try another cheese like cheddar or feta.

Use store-bought dressing: swap the avocado ranch for a blue cheese dressing, classic ranch dressing, or dairy-free ranch dressing (we like Primal Kitchen), if needed.