Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad

# Components:

→ Buffalo Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)

02 - 1/4 cup hot sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

05 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Salad

06 - 2 large hearts of romaine lettuce, finely chopped

07 - 2 celery stalks, diced

08 - 1/4 small red onion, finely diced

09 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

10 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

11 - 1/4 cup shredded carrots

→ Dressing

12 - 1/3 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing

13 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce

# Method:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces and toss with hot sauce until evenly coated.

02 - In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots. Add the buffalo chicken and gently toss to distribute evenly.

03 - Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the salad. Drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing and add extra hot sauce if desired. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

Everything gets chopped small so every forkful is balanced with chicken, crunch, and tangy cheese.
The buffalo heat is adjustable, so you control how much kick you want without losing the creamy, cooling contrast.
It comes together in half an hour and feels way more exciting than plain grilled chicken over greens.
Leftovers hold up surprisingly well for next-day lunches if you keep the dressing separate.

02 -

Let the chicken rest after cooking or it will leak juice all over your salad and make the greens soggy and sad.
Toss the chicken with the hot sauce while it is still warm so the sauce absorbs instead of just sliding off.
Chop the romaine as small as you can stand, because big lettuce leaves make this salad clumsy and hard to enjoy.

03 -