Football season is finally here and this recipe is a “salad spin” on game day food. (Nothing gets me in the mood to do research for my fantasy football league teams more than some game day food - but made healthy-ish).
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Football season is finally here and this buffalo chicken salad recipe is a “salad spin” on game day food. (Nothing gets me in the mood to do research for my fantasy football league teams more than some game day food – but made healthy-ish).
Beer battered fried chicken is diced and served with a vinegar and oil-based homemade buffalo sauce as a light dressing. The buffalo chicken salad is tossed with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, celery, carrots and blue cheese – all the fixings included in a typical buffalo wing setup. The herbs included in the salad are also the main elements included in a classic buttermilk ranch dressing. While the beer batter doesn’t stick to chicken as well as other types of breading, it doesn’t matter because it still adds a crunchy element to this salad.
Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. As you fry the chicken, it remains tender and doesn’t dry out like a lean meat typically would. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also be swapped in.
Beer – I recommend using a lighter beer like a lager in this recipe. It will flavor the batter so you don’t want anything with too many overpowering flavors.
Blue cheese – Blue veined cheeses have a characteristic sharp, salty flavor and creamy texture. They complement the acidic buffalo sauce and crisp lettuce. If you aren’t a big fan of blue cheeses try this recipe with Gorgonzola dolce, which is a young, milder and creamy variety of the cheese.
Cherry Tomato – Cherry tomatoes are a small, juicy variety of tomato with a thicker skin. They are much sweeter than other varieties of tomatoes.
Buffalo sauce – I love making my own buffalo sauce because it only requires a few ingredients that should already be in any well-stocked kitchen but in a pinch any store-bought sauce will do.
How to Make Beer-Battered Fried Chicken
Make the beer batter. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and beer until a batter forms. It should be the consistency of pancake batter. In a large, heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet, add enough oil to reach 1” up the pan. Heat oil to 350ºF.
Fry the chicken. Dip the strips of chicken in the batter, working one at a time, letting any excess batter drip off before placing it into the oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Continue with the remaining chicken.
Make the buffalo sauce. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the butter, olive oil, hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire and garlic until combined. Set aside until ready to use.
Add the lettuce to a large salad bowl. Add the romaine to a large salad bowl with the tomatoes, celery, and carrots and toss to combine.
Chop the chicken and toss in buffalo. Chop the chicken into cubes and add to the bowl and toss with ½ cup of the buffalo sauce, adding more if needed.
Assemble and serve. Add the blue cheese, parsley, dill and chives and toss once more. Divide among bowls and serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
For a quick weeknight dinner the homemade fried chicken can be foregone for a favorite fast food or grocery store fried chicken.
Try adding some slices of avocado to this buffalo chicken salad.
How to Reheat Fried Chicken
Reheat and re-crisp with a quick broil in the oven or heating in an air fryer before chopping it up to add to the salad. For the oven, heat oven to broil on high and arrange the chicken in an even single layer on a baking sheet. Broil until crispy, about 2 minutes. Flip and repeat. To reheat in an air fryer, preheat it to 400ºF (200ºC) then cook for about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through until heated through and crispy.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this buffalo chicken salad recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and beer until a batter forms. It should be the consistency of pancake batter. In a large, heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet, add enough oil to reach 1” up the pan. Heat oil to 350ºF (180ºC).
Dip the strips of chicken in the batter, working one at a time, letting any excess batter drip off before placing it into the oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Continue with the remaining chicken.
For the buffalo sauce:
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the butter, olive oil, hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire and garlic until combined. Set aside until ready to use.
For assembly:
Add the romaine to a large salad bowl with the tomatoes, celery, and carrots and toss to combine.
Chop the chicken into cubes and add to the bowl and toss with ½ cup of the buffalo sauce, adding more if needed.
Add the blue cheese, parsley, dill and chives and toss once more. Divide among bowls and serve immediately.
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