Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad
This grilled buffalo chicken is smoky, saucy, and the perfect topping for a crisp summer salad with all the fixings. Top with blue cheese crumbles, turkey bacon, and tortilla strips for a perfect crunch in every bite!
I had planned to make a grilled chicken caesar salad, but my hubby asked for buffalo chicken and he asked if there was any way to make it healthy. So often buffalo chicken means deep-fried wings or chicken slathered in buffalo sauce, but I made it healthy by grilling the chicken then basting it with buffalo wing sauce.
Take advantage of hot deals on blue cheese crumbles, Sweet Baby Ray’s buffalo wing sauce, fresh Colorado Romaine Lettuce, boneless chicken breasts, and cucumbers at Safeway to add this salad to your weekly meal rotation.
It’s healthy-ish, incredibly flavorful, and perfect for the summer when you want to keep the meals light and the grill hot!
Ingredients
- chicken breasts
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- buffalo wing sauce
- Romaine lettuce
- cherry tomatoes
- avocado
- tortilla strips
- turkey bacon
- red onion
- carrots, shredded
- blue cheese
- English cucumber
- dressing of your choice – either blue cheese or ranch
Add these items to your Safeway shopping list for grocery delivery or pickup, here or by clicking the buy now button below.
How to Grill Chicken Breasts Perfectly
One of the challenges of grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts is that their thickness varies from end to end. To remedy this, you’ll need to cut it or pound it to an even thickness before you grill.
Step 1: Cut the chicken breast lengthwise so that it’s the same thickness from top to middle to bottom (aim for 1/2 an inch). I’m typically able to get 3 1/2″ slices out of a single breast.
Step 2. Season the chicken by drizzling or brushing the chicken with olive oil and paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides, allowing the flavors to seep into the chicken.
Step 3: Heat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates with an oiled paper towel. Once the grill is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes on the first side, then flip.
Step 4. Brush with buffalo sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes and flip one more time, basting with more buffalo sauce. The chicken will be done when a thermometer reads 165°. It’s typically done around 12 minutes total grill time when it’s 1/2 inch thick. Don’t overcook the chicken because it will become dry and tough.
Lastly, LET IT REST before slicing
When you let the chicken rest, the juices get incorporated back into the meat allowing for juicy, tender chicken every time. The residual heat from the resting process also cooks the chicken to the perfect internal temperature of 165°. Also – if you start with thin, evenly cut, or pounded chicken, it cooks through quickly and evenly.
How to Make a Buffalo Chicken Salad
While the chicken is grilling, cook the bacon and prep your salad. Cut the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and cucumber and place on a large platter, or in individual bowls.
Top with creamy blue cheese crumbles and shredded carrots.
Once the bacon is cooked, use a sharp knife to cut it into pieces to sprinkle over the salad.
Once the chicken is done resting, baste with more buffalo sauce, then slice the chicken over the salad. Top with your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts sliced 1/2" inch thick for 6 slices
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
- Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips
- 6 strips turkey bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup blue cheese
- 1/2 English cucumber sliced
- dressing of your choice - either blue cheese or ranch
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise so that it’s the same thickness from top to middle to bottom (aim for 1/2 an inch).
- Season the chicken by drizzling or brushing with olive oil and the paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides, allowing the flavors to seep into the chicken.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates with an oiled paper towel . Once the grill is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 5 minutes on the first side, then flip.
- Brush with buffalo sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes and flip one more time, basting with more buffalo sauce. Chicken will done when a thermometer reads 165°.
- Lastly, LET IT REST before slicing
- While the chicken is grilling, cook the bacon and prep your salad. Cut the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and cucumber and place on a large platter, or in individual bowls. Top with creamy blue cheese crumbles and shredded carrots.
- Once the bacon is cooked, use a sharp knife to cut it into pieces to sprinkle over the salad.
- Once the chicken is done resting, baste with more buffalo sauce, then slice the chicken over the salad. Top with your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Additional Summer Salad Recipes
Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Kale Salad With Salmon, Avocado, Almonds & Apricots
Strawberry Watermelon Salad With Tomatoes and Mint
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