Description
This Honey Hot Chicken Salad is a vibrant, flavorful dish combining tender cooked chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy honey garlic and buffalo wing sauce with fresh romaine lettuce, crisp vegetables, and creamy ranch dressing. Perfect for a quick, satisfying lunch or light dinner, it offers flexibility with ingredient substitutions and serving options.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Mixture
- 2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and diced
- ¼ cup Honey Garlic Sauce
- ¼ cup Buffalo Wing Sauce or plain hot sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)
Salad Base
- 2 heads Romaine Lettuce, chopped and washed
- 3-6 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing or any dressing of choice
- ½ medium Red Onion, diced
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper, diced
- ½ large Cucumber, diced
- Cheese, shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: In a small bowl, combine the cooked and diced chicken with honey garlic sauce and buffalo wing sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat the chicken evenly in the sauces.
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a separate large bowl, toss the chopped romaine lettuce with your choice of dressing until well coated.
- Assemble the Salad: Divide the dressed lettuce between two large plates or bowls. Top the salads with diced red onions, red bell pepper, cucumber, shredded cheese if using, and the honey hot chicken mixture.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the salad right away to enjoy the crisp textures and balanced flavors at their best.
Notes
- Homemade honey garlic sauce and buffalo wing sauce are highly recommended for best flavor.
- Any cooked chicken variety works well—try chicken tenders, thighs, whole roasted chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even leftover turkey.
- To make this salad vegan, substitute the chicken with crispy tofu, use a creamy vegan dressing, and omit the cheese.
- The salad can also be used as a sandwich filling in a tortilla wrap or toasted hoagie roll for variety.
- Adjust the hot sauce quantity based on your spice preference; reduce or omit for mild flavor or switch to a hotter sauce for more heat.
- The assembled salad does not store well; prepare ingredients ahead individually and assemble fresh before serving.
- For a different twist, substitute honey garlic sauce with homemade teriyaki sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad bowl
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
