Salad Infused With Buffalo Chicken Flavors

Ingredients

• 1 whole Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp. Butter
• 1/2 c. Louisiana Hot Sauce (Frank's, Etc.)
• Salad Greens: Iceberg, Romaine, Mixed Greens
• 1/2 c. Blue Cheese Dressing
• Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles
• Celery Hearts, Leaves Intact

Directions

Using a sharp knife, carefully halve the chicken breast vertically, creating two evenly sized, thinner pieces. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil and butter. Season both sides of the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper, then pan-fry them until fully cooked, aiming for a golden brown color. Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet and drain any excess fat/oil (without cleaning the pan).

Place the chicken back in the skillet and pour the hot sauce over it, ensuring both sides are coated. Allow the chicken to absorb the sauce off the heat as you prepare the other ingredients. (Keep the skillet off the heat during this step.)

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with a modest amount of salad dressing, just enough to lightly cover it (if the dressing is too thick, thin it with a little milk). Fill two individual bowls with the tossed salad. Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles on top. Thinly slice the chicken (at an angle) and arrange the slices over each salad, dipping them in the sauce again for extra coating if needed.

Finish by adding more blue cheese crumbles atop each salad and serve with celery hearts on the side.

I got inspired by this salad while on an airplane during a packed book tour. Usually, I take breaks between trips, but this time, due to commitments at home, I crammed everything into six days. It was a whirlwind adventure meeting amazing people, but sitting still meant instant sleep. On one flight, I dozed off right after hearing the lunch options: Fish Tacos or Buffalo Chicken Salad. I dreamt about the brilliance of turning beloved Buffalo chicken wings into a crispy salad with tangy dressing. Sadly, I woke up too late to order it, seeing only remnants of the salad on my neighbor's tray. Back home, after brooding over the missed opportunity, I decided to make my own version. It wasn't just about wanting that salad anymore; it became a mission to right that missed chance, a sort of culinary vengeance. Come along with me as I make things right.

Get hold of a chicken breast...

Slice it in the middle, creating a top and a bottom piece. I hope that was clear enough!

Warm up a bit of olive oil in a moderately sized skillet...

Together with a bit of butter...

Cook the chicken on medium-high heat until it achieves a completely golden-brown hue on both sides. I aimed for a slightly "fried" texture, although it won't have the crispy skin like traditional wings.

Once the chicken is finished cooking...

Remove any extra grease and switch off the stove.

Then grab this stuff, previously known to me as Durkee’s Red Hot, but it somehow transformed into Frank’s along the way.

Drizzle some of it directly over both chicken pieces.

Glug, glug…

Flip the chicken to ensure it's fully coated, then set it aside while you prepare the rest.

Were you aware that you can whip up blue cheese dressing by simply taking some ranch dressing from your fridge?

Incorporating crumbled blue cheese...

And then mixing it all together? Well, surprise! You totally can. It's one of those secrets they don't let you in on.

A blend of iceberg and romaine lettuce from a prepackaged bag.

Mixed lettuce from another packaged bag.

My daughter's a fan of bagged salads. She secretly stashes them in the fridge, claiming ownership. Is that typical?

Anyway, use whatever mix of lettuce you prefer. I'd suggest sticking with iceberg/romaine blends for that crisp, cold texture, rather than opting for spring greens.

Drizzle a bit of dressing onto the lettuce...

Don't overdo it! Just a sufficient amount to delicately cover the lettuce. If it's too thick, dilute it slightly with some milk.

Afterward, gently mix it using tongs or your (well-washed) hands. See? It's a light coating with blue cheese crumbles evenly distributed.

Now place the chicken breast pieces on a cutting board...

And cut them into slices.

To plate it, pile the mixed salad in a bowl...

Sprinkle on extra blue cheese crumbles...

Then, place the chicken slices evenly on the top.

I'm content now.

Actually, I'm not quite satisfied. The chicken doesn't have enough sauce or messiness.

I re-dipped the slices into the sauce.

And that did the trick.

Listen. Hear me out. This was incredibly, unbelievably good. Everything I imagined while I was half-asleep and drooling on the plane... and then some.

While I enjoyed the salad, the chicken's sauce gradually melded with the dressing, and whoa, what a burst of flavors! I absolutely adored it.

(Celery hearts on the side, leaves intact. Next time, I might chop the leaves and sprinkle them over the salad.)

Enjoy this, folks. Incredibly delicious and quite enjoyable.