This Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe is a healthy, simple twist on the classic appetizer. Tender buffalo chicken bites on a bed of fresh lettuces and vegetables, finished with a homemade 4‑ingredient blue cheese dressing.
Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe
This Buffalo Chicken Salad is full of bold flavor and makes an easy, satisfying meal. Start with a base of leafy greens, add colorful seasonal vegetables for crunch and freshness, then top with baked buffalo chicken bites. Finish with a creamy homemade blue cheese dressing for a balanced, nourishing plate.
Is Buffalo Chicken Salad healthy?
Buffalo chicken originally used wings, which are higher in fat, but today many cooks use breast or thighs. Choose the cut you prefer: wings for a traditional experience, or boneless breast or thigh pieces for a leaner, salad-friendly option. Placing buffalo chicken over a large bed of vegetables makes this a healthier way to enjoy that spicy flavor.
Making your own buffalo wing sauce and blue cheese dressing gives you complete control over ingredients and quality. Many store-bought sauces include thickeners and low-quality oils; a simple homemade wing sauce can be made with just a few clean ingredients.
Ingredients
- Lettuces: A mix of romaine and butter lettuce works well, though any greens you have will do.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and green onions add texture and flavor.
- Buffalo wing sauce: Use a clean, additive-free sauce or make a simple 4‑ingredient sauce at home.
- Chicken: Boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Blue cheese dressing: Homemade dressing is quick to make and tastes best.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Salad
Step 1 — Chicken: Marinate the chicken in buffalo wing sauce for 2 hours or overnight for best flavor. If short on time, toss the chicken with sauce just before cooking. Bake on a sheet at 425°F (220°C) until cooked through (about 12–15 minutes), or cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until done.
Step 2 — Dressing: Combine mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, blue cheese crumbles, lemon juice, salt, and optional parsley and garlic in a jar. Blend with an immersion blender for a smooth dressing, or finely mince the parsley and stir by hand.
Step 3 — Salad assembly: Roughly chop the lettuces and combine with the prepared vegetables. Toss with the blue cheese dressing or drizzle it on top. Arrange the buffalo chicken over the salad and sprinkle additional blue cheese if desired.
Tips & Common Questions
Can I use store-bought sauces and dressing?
Homemade is recommended for the cleanest flavor and ingredient control. If using store-bought, choose the cleanest options available.
Can I meal prep this salad?
Yes. The chicken and dressings store well in the refrigerator (chicken up to a week, dressings several days). Prep vegetables in airtight containers for up to 48 hours; keep tomatoes separate until serving to avoid sogginess.
Which chicken cut is best?
Boneless thighs are flavorful and juicy; breasts are leaner and work well too. Avoid bone-in wings for salads unless you prefer the classic wing experience.
Is marinating necessary?
Marinating for a couple of hours improves flavor, but if you’re pressed for time you can toss the chicken in sauce and cook immediately.
What to serve with the salad?
The salad is a complete meal on its own, but if you want a heartier side, serve sweet potato fries or a baked potato. You can also increase the chicken portion for extra protein.
Printable Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 cup buffalo wing sauce, divided
Salad
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 head butter lettuce, chopped
- 2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 6 green onions, sliced
- 1 ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
Blue Cheese Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 6 fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves (optional)
Instructions
Buffalo Chicken
- Marinade chicken in ⅔ cup of buffalo wing sauce for 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Spread chicken on a sheet in a single layer and bake 12–15 minutes or until cooked through.
Blue Cheese Dressing
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and blend with an immersion blender if using parsley. Alternatively, finely mince parsley and stir everything together.
Salad
- Combine the chopped lettuces and vegetables, toss with dressing or drizzle on top.
- Top with buffalo chicken and additional blue cheese crumbles if desired.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken enhances the flavor, but if short on time, toss the chicken with sauce and cook immediately in a pan.
- This salad yields generous portions—works as a main for about 5 people or a side for 8. Nutrition information is based on 8 servings.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 10 g |
Protein: 23 g |
Fat: 34 g |
Sodium: 1535 mg
Nutrition estimates are provided for convenience and should not replace professional dietary advice.
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