Description
A crispy and spicy Fried Buffalo Chicken Salad featuring tender chicken strips coated in a flavorful double breading, fried to golden perfection, and tossed in zesty buffalo sauce. Served over a fresh mix of salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion, with optional cheddar and blue cheese for extra richness. Finished with a creamy buffalo ranch dressing, this salad perfectly balances heat, crunch, and freshness for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Fried Buffalo Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or tenders)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for extra richness)
Salad
- 6 cups mixed salad greens (e.g., romaine, arugula, spinach)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped (optional, for crunch)
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
Dressing
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing (or blue cheese dressing)
- 2 tbsp buffalo sauce (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: If using chicken breasts, slice them into tenders or smaller strips. Season both sides with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor before breading.
- Prepare the Breading Station: In one shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. In another bowl, beat the egg and mix with the buttermilk to create an egg wash.
- Coat the Chicken: Dip each piece of chicken first into the flour mixture, coating evenly. Then dip into the egg mixture, followed by another dip into the flour mixture for a double coating to ensure a crispy crust.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Toss in Buffalo Sauce: In a separate bowl, melt the butter if using, then mix with the buffalo sauce. Toss the fried chicken pieces in this mixture ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated for optimal flavor.
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large bowl, combine the mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and celery if using. Add shredded cheddar and blue cheese if desired to enhance texture and taste.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, blend the ranch dressing with buffalo sauce. Adjust the buffalo sauce amount to your preferred level of heat to personalize the dressing’s spiciness.
- Assemble the Salad: Arrange the salad greens and vegetables on plates. Top with the crispy buffalo chicken pieces, then drizzle the buffalo ranch dressing evenly over the top. Garnish with extra blue cheese crumbles or shredded cheddar if desired.
- Serve: Serve immediately while the chicken is still crispy, enjoying the delightful contrast of spicy buffalo chicken with cool creamy dressing and fresh vegetables.
Notes
- For extra heat, add more buffalo sauce to the chicken and dressing.
- Buttermilk can be substituted with regular milk, but buttermilk enhances tenderness and flavor.
- Use vegetable oil with a high smoke point for frying to avoid burning.
- Optional celery adds nice crunch and freshness in the salad.
- Blue cheese can be swapped for feta or omitted for a milder taste.
- Leftover fried chicken can be stored in the refrigerator and refreshed in an oven or air fryer before adding sauce.
- To make it gluten free, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
