If you’ve been on our site before, you’ve probably noticed that we’re big fans of buffalo chicken-style recipes. But it has been awhile since we shared a new one, and recently I found myself absolutely craving a buffalo chicken chopped salad.
So I set out to develop one that has all the bold, tangy flavor of buffalo chicken, but in a light and refreshing grilled salad that’s perfect for warm weather meals.
As I was testing this recipe, my family of four devoured it on one of our busy sports-filled weeknights. I also loved enjoying leftovers for my packed lunches (yes, I do still pack my lunches, even though I work from home. I find that I’m less likely to skip lunch and more likely to get a nutritious one when I do that!)
Recipe Highlights
I’m going to be making this grilled salad all summer long, and here’s why:
- This recipe can be made in a total time of less than 30 minutes, start to finish – woohoo!
- I love to serve it family-style in a large mixing bowl so everyone can take what they want, and then any leftovers get packed away for my lunches!
- Think of this like buffalo wings by in salad form, which means you’re getting so many great nutrients, like fiber and antioxidants, in addition to protein
- I fell in love with the variety of flavors and textures you get in this salad from the crispy fresh veggies to the tangy blue cheese crumbles, tender chickpeas, and creamy ranch dressing
What I Used and Learned While Testing
- I used and really like this buffalo sauce from Whole Foods. If you’re a little “spice shy” then this Primal Kitchen mild buffalo sauce is also a great option, because it packs great buffalo flavor without so much heat.
- To speed up the chopping of the veggies and the chicken, I love this food chopper for making this salad recipe!
- For make-ahead lunches, store the dressing and the roasted chickpeas in separate containers to add to the salad just before eating, because no one likes soggy lettuce! This is my go-to salad container when packing lunches. I love that it’s glass and has a divided tray for salad toppers, a fork, and a dressing container all built right in.
- The crunchy chickpeas are one of my favorite parts of this salad. They add fiber and crunch and act somewhat like a crouton, only better, in my opinion. So don’t skip them!
Flavor Variations
In the recipe card below, I give you the salad ingredients I used, but there’s really no right or wrong way to make this recipe. Feel free to experiment with different mix-ins and what you have on hand!
Here are some of the ways I’ve strayed from the main recipe that are also good:
- For a dairy-free version, I used our homemade Paleo ranch dressing and left out the blue cheese
- My husband suggested adding some crumbled bacon, which was super tasty!
- I “beefed up” the extra seasonings in the chicken one time, by adding a ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder
- I stuffed the entire salad leftovers into tortillas for lunch, and it was divine! You could also try it in lettuce wraps for a low-carb option
- Since I love spice, I tend to add an extra drizzle of hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce like Frank’s red hot sauce over top
- Instead of the ranch, you could use blue cheese dressing or Greek yogurt-based dressing
- If you have them on hand, feel free to throw in extras like diced tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions
Make Ahead Options
OK, since this is a fresh salad, it’s best to serve it right after you make it. But since we’re all strapped for time, I found some easy ways to do some meal prep that doesn’t compromise the textures or result in soggy ingredients in our buffalo chicken salad.
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Store the marinated grilled chicken in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Chop and combine the veggies, and store them in a third container for 1-2 days.
- When you’re ready to eat, combine all the ingredients, toss the salad, and enjoy!
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Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad
If you love buffalo wings, this is the salad for you. Our chopped buffalo chicken salad is crazy flavorful, fresh, high in protein and fiber, and easy to make, too! We like the grill the buffalo-marinated chicken, but we provide directions for several different ways you can cook it.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce + 1 tablespoon water)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 ¼ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup ranch dressing of choice
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 medium English cucumber, diced (~2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (~1 cup)
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced (~1 cup)
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ½ cup roasted chickpeas (we like Biena Sea Salt)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (or preheat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat on the stove).
- While the grill is heating, in a shallow wide bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce, the coconut aminos, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken to the same bowl and toss to coat on all sides. Set aside to marinate while the grill finishes heating.
- When the grill is hot, place the marinated chicken over indirect heat and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165℉ is reached. If using a skillet on the stove, cook for the same amount of time. Total cooking time for both methods will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. See more chicken cooking methods in the Notes section below.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the ranch dressing and the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of buffalo sauce (use more or less sauce to adjust for taste and heat preference). Set the sauce aside or refrigerate until ready to eat.
- When the chicken has reached temperature, remove it to a clean plate and allow it to cool slightly before cutting into bite-size cubes. Note: You can do this step ahead of time and store the cooked and cubed chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use (up to 3 days).
- To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, cucumber, carrots, celery, red onion, blue cheese crumbles, the cubed chicken, and the prepared dressing. Toss well to coat the ingredients.
- Before serving, sprinkle 2 tablespoons roasted chickpeas over each serving.
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Notes
Use any favorite buffalo sauce, or make your own. We like this buffalo sauce from Whole Foods. And this Primal Kitchen mild buffalo sauce is also a great option, if you prefer less heat.
If you don’t want to grill the chicken or cook it on the stovetop as directed in the recipe above, you can also bake it, broil it, or air fry it. Here’s how:
Baking directions: Preheat oven to 425℉. Place the marinated chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet that has been misted with cooking spray. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink (or registers 165℉ on an instant-read thermometer).
Broiling directions: Position the top rack 6 inches below the broiler element. Place the chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet that has been misted with cooking spray. Broil for 7-9 minutes on each side (14-18 minutes total cooking time) or until cooked through and no longer pink in the thickest part. Chicken should reach 165℉.
Air Fryer directions: Preheat the air fryer to 375 ℉. When hot, mist the basket of the air fryer with cooking spray and arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer. Air fry for 6 minutes, then flip the chicken over and continue to air fry for another 6-7 minutes or until cooked though and no longer pink in the thickest part.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the salad
- Calories: 476
- Fat: 24 g
- (Sat Fat: 7 g)
- Sodium: 945 mg
- Carbohydrate: 24 g
- (Fiber: 7 g
- Sugar: 10 g)
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
Dietary
Yes, just be sure to drain any liquid, and toss it with buffalo sauce and coconut aminos. Then, skip the grilling, and add it directly to the salad. You can also substitute shredded chicken such as rotisserie chicken to keep prep quick and easy.
I like to round out the nutrition by pairing this buffalo chicken salad recipe with a side of cornbread muffins, sourdough, baked sweet potatoes, or dinner rolls.
Try substituting crispy tortilla strips or croutons. Or, just omit them.
Yes, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop, bake it, broil it, or cook it in the air fryer.
See the Notes section of the recipe card for directions for all of these alternative cooking methods. Keep in mind: the total cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts you’re using. An instant-read thermometer is helpful for determining when the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165℉.
The photos in this blog post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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I am LOVING ALL your recipes and love to print them out. Everytime I try to print, the image of the recipe never prints with it, even when I have it selected to print. Seems to only happen with your recipes and I can’t figure out why! Any idea?
Hi Brooke! I’m sorry to hear you’re not able to print the recipe image. I have not been able to replicate the issue using Safari or Chrome with my printer. I would, however, suggest trying another browser and double-checking your print settings. Some printer programs automatically exclude photos when you choose ‘Draft’ or a mode designed to conserve ink.
Second week meal prepping this AMAZING salad. It’s the dressing and the chickpeas that added some life in the weekly salad doldrums. The little bit of blue cheese and Wowzers a real delicious mouthful. Thank you for making lunch fun again. My daughter and husband rated this, 5 big stars.
Awesome!!