Buffalo Chicken Salad
This Buffalo Chicken Salad is the ultimate comfort food makeover, delivering all the bold, spicy flavors of classic wings without the heavy breading. Tender boneless chicken breasts are marinated in fiery Durkee’s Red Hot Sauce, baked until juicy, and then torn into shreds to capture every drop of flavor. The heat of the chicken is perfectly balanced by a rich, tangy homemade blue cheese dressing made with sour cream, mayonnaise, and fresh lemon juice. Crisp celery adds a satisfying crunch, while Saga Blue cheese provides a sharp, creamy counterpoint. It’s a vibrant, hearty dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a casual lunch that packs a punch. Serve it over crisp lettuce or enjoy it as a standalone bowl for a meal that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying.
Description
This Buffalo Chicken Salad is the ultimate comfort food makeover, delivering all the bold, spicy flavors of classic wings without the heavy breading. Tender boneless chicken breasts are marinated in fiery Durkee’s Red Hot Sauce, baked until juicy, and then torn into shreds to capture every drop of flavor. The heat of the chicken is perfectly balanced by a rich, tangy homemade blue cheese dressing made with sour cream, mayonnaise, and fresh lemon juice. Crisp celery adds a satisfying crunch, while Saga Blue cheese provides a sharp, creamy counterpoint. It’s a vibrant, hearty dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a casual lunch that packs a punch. Serve it over crisp lettuce or enjoy it as a standalone bowl for a meal that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup Durkee's Red Hot Sauce
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Saga Blue cheese, crumbled
- to taste salt and pepper
Directions
- 1 Marinate the chicken breasts in Durkee's Red Hot Sauce overnight in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to penetrate deeply.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).- 3
Remove chicken from marinade and place in a baking dish. Discard excess marinade.- 4
Bake the chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through with no pink remaining.- 5
While the chicken bakes, prepare the dressing. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped green onions, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.- 6
Let the dressing sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight) to allow the flavors to meld and the texture to set.- 7
Once the chicken is cooked, let it cool slightly, then tear it into bite-sized pieces.- 8
Drizzle additional hot sauce over the chicken if a spicier flavor is desired.- 9
In a large bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the chopped celery and the prepared blue cheese dressing.- 10
Fold in the crumbled blue cheese gently to distribute throughout the salad.- 11
Serve immediately.NoteFor a richer dressing, let the blue cheese crumbles sit in the fridge overnight before mixing into the dressing.
This salad can be prepared ahead of time; store the dressing and chicken separately in the refrigerator and combine just before serving to maintain crispness.
Substitute Saga Blue with Gorgonzola or Roquefort if preferred.
buffalo chicken, chicken salad, blue cheese dressing, spicy chicken, healthy lunch, hot sauce chicken, celery salad, quick dinner, meal prep, comfort food, light meal, protein salad - 2