Zesty chopped salad with buffalo chicken, romaine, celery, and blue cheese
# What You Need:
→ Buffalo Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)
02 - 1/4 cup hot sauce (e.g., Franks RedHot)
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
05 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Salad Components
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 tbsp hot sauce (optional, for extra heat)
# Directions:
01 - Season chicken breasts generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
02 - Transfer cooked chicken pieces to a clean bowl. Pour hot sauce over chicken and toss until evenly coated. Set aside while preparing salad components.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce, diced celery, finely diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and shredded carrots. Toss gently to distribute vegetables evenly.
04 - Add the buffalo-coated chicken to the salad mixture. Gently toss to incorporate without crushing the vegetables.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese evenly over the top. Drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing and additional hot sauce if desired. Toss lightly and serve immediately.
