Description
Honey Hot Chicken Salad is a flavorful and spicy salad featuring tender cooked chicken tossed in a honey garlic and buffalo wing sauce, served over fresh romaine lettuce with crunchy vegetables and creamy ranch dressing. It’s a quick and easy meal perfect for lunch or dinner, with options to customize the heat level, protein, and dressing to your preference.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 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
- 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 Chicken Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the cooked and diced chicken with honey garlic sauce and buffalo wing sauce. Toss thoroughly until the chicken is fully coated and evenly mixed with the sauces.
- Prepare Salad Base: In a separate large bowl, toss the chopped romaine lettuce with your choice of 3 to 6 tablespoons of ranch dressing or another preferred dressing, making sure the lettuce is evenly coated.
- Assemble Salad: Divide the dressed lettuce between two large plates or bowls. Top each with diced red onions, red bell pepper, cucumber, shredded cheese if using, and finally the honey hot chicken mixture.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the crisp freshness of the vegetables and the warm spicy chicken. For best results, assemble just before eating as the salad does not hold well over time.
Notes
- Homemade honey garlic sauce and buffalo wing sauce are highly recommended for best flavor.
- Any cooked chicken can be used, including chicken tenders, thighs, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even leftover turkey.
- Make it vegan by substituting chicken with crispy tofu, using a vegan creamy dressing, and omitting cheese.
- This salad also works well as a filling for sandwiches, such as in a tortilla wrap or toasted hoagie roll.
- Adjust the spiciness by varying the amount or type of hot sauce to suit your heat preference.
- To prepare ahead, store all ingredients separately and assemble the salad just before serving to avoid sogginess.
- If you prefer, you can substitute the honey garlic sauce with homemade teriyaki sauce for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad (approx. 400g)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
