Buffalo Chicken Salad

Buffalo Chicken Salad is so simple and absolutely bursting with flavor!

My husband Z looked at me the other day and said, “You know that salad you made in a jar the other day? Can you make that again?”

That, my friends, is how you know you have a winner.

Mason Jar Salad Alternatives

Now, surely you don’t have to store this Buffalo Chicken Salad in a Mason jar. You can definitely serve it in a big bowl skip the jar altogether. Do what makes the most sense for you!

I paired this with a Homemade Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing that uses mayo as the base. Scroll down to see that recipe.

How To Make Buffalo Sauce

To make the buffalo sauce, I used Frank’s Red Hot as the base. It’s just cayenne peppers, white vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder. On its own, it’s a bit salty, so check the seasoning before you salt and pepper the final dish.

Buffalo chicken aficionados will quickly notice that I stripped down the buffalo sauce ingredient list. Don’t worry: This Buffalo Chicken Salad has plenty of flavor!

Simple Substitutions For This Buffalo Chicken Salad

You can use any greens as the base of this Buffalo Chicken Salad. We don’t eat iceberg lettuce a ton, but I like it in this dish because it’s crispy. If you’re not into it, use whatever salad greens you like. This would be great on butter lettuce or chopped up romaine.

As for toppings, experiment! Instead of the green onions, some very thinly sliced red onion would be super tasty. Toss on a hard-cooked egg, crispy bacon, or even some extra veggies. It’s up to you!

Which Dressings Go With Buffalo Chicken Salad?

Feel free to use whatever dressing you like to complement this Buffalo Chicken Salad. Traditionally, buffalo chicken is served with blue cheese dressing, but that’s pretty hard to make dairy-free.

Instead, I paired it with a dairy-free jazzed up version of ranch.

Buffalo Chicken Salad (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Chicken, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 386 kcal

Author: Steph Gaudreau

Buffalo Chicken Salad is so simple and absolutely bursting with flavor! It's perfect for packed lunches or quick dinners on any weeknight! Paleo, gluten-free, and whole30 friendly.

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Ingredients

For the Buffalo Chicken:

• 1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless*
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot)
• 1 tbsp ghee melted
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Pinch cayenne pepper

For the Salad:

• 4 cups iceberg lettuce chopped or small bag mixed greens
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes quartered
• 1/2 cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, quartered
• 4 green onions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• Optional toppings: sliced celery sliced avocado, crispy bacon, etc.
• Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing see the recipe below, optional

Instructions

1. You can cook the chicken however you’d like. It would be great pan-fried or grilled, but here’s a method for poaching that results in moist, shreddable chicken: Lay the chicken breasts flat in a large, high-sided skillet. Add generous pinches of salt and pepper. Add water until it just covers the chicken. Cover the skillet, and bring the water to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Poach the chicken for about 15 minutes or until completely cooked through, then move to a plate to cool. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred or dice it.
2. While the chicken is cooking, make the buffalo sauce. In a small bowl, combine the hot sauce, ghee, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. When the chicken is cooked, toss it with the buffalo sauce.
4. If making the salad in a bowl, layer the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and green onion as the base. Then arrange the chicken on top. Serve with your dressing of choice.
5. If making the salad in Mason jars, layer the chicken on the bottom, followed by the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and green onion in quart-sized Mason jars. Store the dressing separately until ready to use.

Recipe Notes

My recipes are all in a meal planner. Check it out!

Nutrition Facts

Buffalo Chicken Salad (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 386 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Cholesterol 164mg55%

Sodium 1089mg45%

Potassium 1511mg43%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 51g102%

Vitamin A 1710IU34%

Vitamin C 63.1mg76%

Calcium 78mg8%

Iron 2.9mg16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 441 kcal

Author: Steph Gaudreau

Store-bought ranch dressing is either packed with unhealthy industrial seed oils or—in the rare case it’s made with good oils—hugely expensive. It’s too bad because homemade ranch dressing literally take 2 minutes to make and serves as a creamy, dreamy base to a myriad of dressings and sauces.

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayo (homemade or a brand with clean ingredients)
• 1-2 tbsp coconut milk full fat
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, 1 tablespoon of the coconut milk, lemon juice, parsley, chive, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well until completely combined. Check the salt level and add sea salt to taste.
2. If the dressing is too thick, add more coconut milk one teaspoon at a time until it’s to your desired consistency.
3. Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

My recipes are all in a meal planner. Check it out!

Nutrition Facts

Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

Amount Per Serving

Calories 441 Calories from Fat 405

% Daily Value*

Fat 45g69%

Saturated Fat 9g45%

Cholesterol 23mg8%

Sodium 365mg15%

Potassium 185mg5%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 3365IU67%

Vitamin C 35.5mg43%

Calcium 40mg4%

Iron 1.2mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Do you love this Buffalo Chicken Salad as much as my husband? Leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

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