“It’s yummy!” This is what I got from my husband when I asked him what to write about Buffalo Chicken Salad. And quite plainly put, it is just that, yummy. It’s also very low in carbs and pretty darn healthy. So, when I am looking for a quick lunch that I can pull together in under 15 minutes, I take a little help from my pantry and my freezer!
This is a simple and quick lunch that is filling and super easy!. I keep my freezer stocked with organic individually wrapped chicken breasts. These are great because all I have to do is toss the sealed packages in a bowl of warm tap water and they are defrosted in under 10 minutes. Then I am not having to work with an entire package of chicken every time I want to whip something up!
Two other pretty important pantry staples in this recipe are my buffalo wings sauce. Now, anybody can make buffalo sauce. All it is is hot sauce and melted butter. That being said, I buy the bottle because sometimes I just feel like skipping that step. Also, blue cheese dressing. This recipe is a bit more complicated and honestly, when you’re trying to put a meal on the table in under 15 minutes, a well made dressing is the way to go. Plus, you can skip having to buy blue cheese and constantly wondering if its supposed to be blue or if new blue has developed!
OK… so those are my tricks for this recipe, let me take you through it:
Slice up your chicken breasts… I use one breast for my husband and I to both eat a good hearty salad. If you like two, then use two.
I brown both sides of the sliced chicken getting some good caramelization on both sides. This takes about 4-5 minutes per side.
While the chicken is browning, I like to wash and run my mixed greens through a salad spinner.
Dice up one stalk of celery.
Wash and dry some grape tomatoes.
Toss the celery, tomatoes and mixed greens together. (All of it should be dry at this point)
This is the buffalo sauce I like to use.
Once the chicken is completely cooked through and nicely browned on both sides. Add in sauce. I do this right in the pan. You can transfer to a bowl if you are worried about scratching your pan. (I like less dishes)
Once the chicken is dredged in the sauce, take two forks and shred the chicken right in that sauce. This will allow all the cooked chicken to get coated in sauce.
And with that, the star of this meal is ready! This is what you will be left with after shredding.
Here is my favorite blue cheese dressing… I like the chunky kind so that I don’t need to deal with blue cheese as I mentioned.
Now build your salad. Your greens are already mixed with your celery and tomatoes (If you like, you can add in carrots here too) drizzle with dressing, and then top with chicken. (if you are not trying to keep it low carb, some croutons would be nice here as well)
Enjoy!
Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Salad:
(serves 2)
1 large chicken breast, sliced
2 Tbl. olive oil
1/2 c. Buffalo Wing Sauce
4 cups mixed greens, washed and spun dry
2 stalks of celery, chopped
10 grape tomatoes, washed and dried
1/2 c. blue cheese dressing
kosher salt
Directions:A quick 15 minute, low-carb, gluten-free meal!
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Place sliced chicken in skillet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Brown on both sides, about 4- 5 mins. cooking through.
Turn off heat. Add in buffalo sauce. Shred chicken.
Mix greens together with celery and tomatoes. Assemble salad with dressing and top with chicken.
Enjoy!