This upgraded Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad is bold, refreshing, and ready in a flash. It combines spicy buffalo-coated chicken with a crunchy, colorful mix of veggies and a cool, tangy dressing—delivering that hot-and-cold sensation that hits the spot every single time.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy: 20-minute meal with minimal prep

• Customizable heat level: Go mild or wild with your buffalo sauce

• Layered textures: Crunchy celery, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes

• Meal prep-friendly: Keeps beautifully when stored properly

Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad

Buffalo chicken lovers, meet your new favorite salad. This isn’t just a pile of greens with a little hot sauce tossed on top—it’s a full-bodied, flavor-packed meal that satisfies your craving for something spicy, crunchy, and satisfying.

When you’re short on time but still want to eat well, this salad comes to the rescue. It’s perfect for weeknights, game nights, or even work lunches when you want something exciting and hearty.

It starts with simple cooked chicken, either grilled, baked, or pan-seared. Toss it with your favorite buffalo sauce, and suddenly, you’ve got a protein that’s anything but basic.

The salad base is a rainbow of color and texture: crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, fresh cucumber, crunchy celery, and shredded carrots. Toss in creamy avocado and crumbled cheese, and you’ve got bite after bite of flavor contrast.

Buffalo sauce delivers heat, but what makes this salad work is balance. Cooling ranch with a hint of blue cheese calms the spice without masking it. If you prefer a lighter touch, a yogurt-based ranch or even a lemon vinaigrette would work too.

Everything is chopped small, so you get a little bit of everything in every forkful. That’s the power of a chopped salad—it’s like a flavor party in every bite.

This salad is also a great way to use leftover chicken. Got some grilled or rotisserie chicken in the fridge? Toss it with the sauce and go. Minimal effort, maximum impact.

Even better? You can prep everything ahead. Chop the veggies and cook the chicken in advance. Keep the dressing on the side, and you’re dinner-ready in minutes.

For added flair, you could include crumbled tortilla chips, pickled onions, or even roasted chickpeas for crunch. Make it your own.

This recipe skips the deep fryer but still delivers that classic buffalo flavor. It’s lighter, faster, and way more satisfying than takeout wings.

Not a fan of blue cheese? Swap it out for feta, or skip it entirely. Want more protein? Double the chicken and make it a meal-sized portion.

It’s also incredibly kid-friendly—just tone down the heat for little ones. You can even serve the components deconstructed so everyone builds their own plate.

Need a low-carb option? Ditch the carrots and tomatoes, and pile on extra greens. Craving something more filling? Add a slice of whole grain bread or wrap it all in a tortilla.

In short: this salad is flexible, fast, and fire. It’s everything you love about buffalo wings—just way fresher, healthier, and easier to clean up after.

Servings

Serves 4

Time

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Cook Time: 10 minutes (or use pre-cooked chicken)

• Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (adjust to taste)

For the Salad:

• 1 large head of romaine or iceberg, chopped

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1 cucumber, chopped

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese

For the Dressing:

• 3/4 cup ranch dressing

• 1/4 cup buffalo sauce

• 1/4 cup crumbled cheese (blue or feta)

Instructions

1. Prepare Chicken:
   Toss warm or room-temp cooked chicken with buffalo sauce in a bowl until fully coated.

2. Chop the Veggies:
   In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado.

3. Mix the Dressing:
   In a small jar, shake together ranch, buffalo sauce, and crumbled cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Assemble the Salad:
   Add buffalo chicken to the chopped veggies. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.

5. Serve:
   Serve immediately or store components separately and assemble just before eating.

Tips

• Use rotisserie chicken to save time.

• Add chopped hard-boiled egg for extra protein.

• If meal-prepping, store dressing and avocado separately to keep fresh.