Fried chicken bites tossed in Buffalo sauce are the star of this bar snack-inspired salad. A simple marinade of buttermilk and hot sauce imbues the chicken with flavor and creates a craggy crust. The salad is full of crunch thanks to romaine lettuce, carrots, celery and cucumber, and it gets dressed with blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Make ahead: The chicken can be marinated up to 1 day in advance.
Storage: Refrigerate Buffalo chicken bites separate from the salad for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
Servings: 2–3 (makes about 6 cups)
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (10 ounces), cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk (regular or low-fat)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Cajun pepper hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Fine salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Peanut, vegetable or other neutral oil, for frying
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cups (6 ounces) loosely packed chopped or torn romaine lettuce
- 1 medium carrot, shredded (1/2 cup)
- 2 ribs celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
- 1 to 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing, store-bought or homemade
Directions
-
Step 1
In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, buttermilk and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce to coat. Let marinate for 10 to 15 minutes on the counter, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. (Now is a good time to prepare the salad vegetables and assemble the dressing, if not using store-bought.)
-
Step 2
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper until combined. Have a platter or sheet pan ready nearby.
-
Step 3
Working with a few pieces at a time, remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and toss it in the flour mixture, gently pressing on the pieces to make sure they are coated all over. Shake off any excess, and set on the prepared platter or sheet pan.
-
Step 4
In a large saucepan, Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add enough oil to come 1 to 1 1/2 inches up the sides, and heat until a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer registers 350 degrees. (If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the oil by adding a pinch of flour mixture; the oil is at the proper temperature when it quickly, but not too vigorously, sizzles.) Place a wire rack over a large sheet pan or line a tray with layers of towels, and set it near your work area.
-
Step 5
Working in batches to avoid overcrowding or dropping the oil temperature too much, carefully add the chicken to the oil. Fry until the chicken pieces are cooked through, crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes, occasionally turning with a spider or slotted spoon to promote even cooking and adjusting the heat as needed so the oil stays close to 350 degrees. Transfer the pieces with a spider or slotted spoon to the prepared wire rack or tray, and repeat with the remaining chicken.
-
Step 6
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter with the remaining 1/4 cup of hot sauce until combined. Add the cooked chicken pieces, and toss until evenly coated.
-
Step 7
In a serving bowl or platter, combine the lettuce, carrots, celery and cucumber; top with the chicken and dressing, and serve.
Substitutions
Don’t want to bread chicken? >> Use cooked store-bought popcorn chicken or chicken fingers cut into bite-size pieces, or cooked shredded or diced chicken to skip the frying.
Gluten free? >> Skip the all-purpose flour and double the amount of cornstarch.
Vegetarian? >> Toss 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or one (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed, directly in the Buffalo sauce.
Romaine >> Little Gem, iceberg or other crunchy salad greens.
Persian cucumber >> any other type of cucumber.
