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Chunky Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Crisp Vegetables

Chunky Buffalo Chicken Salad

A cool, creamy chicken salad flavored with Buffalo-style hot sauce, crisp vegetables, and blue cheese. Serve it in lettuce cups, over greens, on toast, or with celery and carrot sticks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Salad
  • 3 cups Cooked chicken, cooled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 1/4 cup Buffalo-style hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup Finely diced celery
  • 1/4 cup Finely diced carrot
  • 2 tablespoons Finely chopped green onion or red onion
  • 1/3 cup Crumbled blue cheese, plus more for garnish
Seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. If using raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, poach or bake approximately 1 1/4 pounds until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Cool the chicken completely, then cut it into 1/2-inch chunks; leftover or rotisserie chicken can be used without additional cooking.
  2. Whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt or sour cream, Buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
  3. Add the cooled chicken, celery, carrot, onion, and blue cheese to the dressing. Fold gently with a spatula so the chicken stays chunky and the vegetables remain crisp.
  4. Taste the salad and adjust the Buffalo sauce, salt, and pepper as needed. Remember that the bottled sauce and blue cheese may already provide plenty of salt.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Spoon the salad over greens, into lettuce cups, onto toasted bread, or serve it with celery and carrot sticks.

Notes

Cool chicken completely before mixing to keep the dressing thick and the vegetables crisp. Store covered in the refrigerator and use leftover salad promptly.