Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad – classic caesar salad gets a spicy twist. Crisp romaine lettuce is tossed with homemade caesar dressing and topped with saucy buffalo chicken. A favorite for lunch and hearty enough for dinner.
Chicken Caesar salad is one of my all-time favorite dishes. Caesar salad is all about the dressing. The perfect dressing must be creamy and thick enough to coat the lettuce. And it must have a nice punch of lemon. The acidity is crucial in balancing the richness of the dressing.
Add spicy chicken to this classic salad, and you have Buffalo Chicken Caesar salad. Perfect for lunch and substantial enough to serve for dinner.
(Another wonderful lunch is my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad – a delicious mash-up of caesar and pasta salads).
Caesar dressing
This dressing uses mayonnaise as the base – no raw eggs. Anchovies are typically found in Caesar dressing, but they are completely optional. They provide a delicious salty and briny flavor. I like using anchovy paste because it incorporates smoothly. When I made this salad, I was out of anchovy paste, so I omitted it. (You can see I didn’t include it in the picture above.)
Simply whisk the ingredients together in a bowl or shake in a mason jar. This recipe yields approx 1 1/2 cups of dressing. Save the extra to enjoy on other salads. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Spicy chicken
The sauce comes together with just three ingredients: store-bought buffalo wing sauce, brown sugar, and butter. I like to balance the spice in the sauce with a touch of sweetness.
Toss the cooked chicken breasts in the sauce before slicing and adding to the top of the salad.
Preparation
- Clean romaine lettuce. Keep it chilled until you are ready to assemble the salad.
- Make the dressing. This can be done in advance since the dressing keeps well for several days.
- Cook the chicken. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides and transfer to the oven to finish cooking. You can also grill the chicken. Use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- Mix up the buffalo sauce. Add the sauce, butter, and brown sugar to a small saucepan and heat until the butter is melted and the sauce is warm.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce and then slice.
- Toss the lettuce and croutons with the dressing in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to serving plates and top with the sliced chicken.
- Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and blue cheese crumbles.
Equipment
Salad spinner | Mixing bowls | Measuring cups and spoons | Juicer | Whisk | Skillet | Instant-read thermometer | Butter warmer (small saucepan)
More buffalo-spiced recipes to try
- Buffalo Cheese Dip
- Blue Cheese-Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Burger
- Buffalo Cauliflower Naan Wrap
This classic salad gets a spicy twist with saucy buffalo chicken.
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard (or Dijon)
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste (Optional)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 medium lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup croutons
- 1/4 cup Blue cheese crumbled
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (or light brown)
- 1 tablespoon butter
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In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk or shake to combine. Set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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Preheat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
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Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. The amount of time will depend on the thickness of the chicken. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
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While the chicken cooks, add the buffalo sauce, brown sugar, and butter to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the butter melts and the sauce is heated through.
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Toss the chicken in the sauce and then slice.
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Add the romaine lettuce and croutons to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing as needed. Transfer to two plates or bowls.
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Top each salad with one sliced chicken breast. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and blue cheese. Serve immediately.
To clean romaine lettuce, cut off the core end. Slice the lettuce cross-wise in one-inch pieces. Add the lettuce to a salad spinner and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Spin dry and chill.
Thanks for sharing!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. You can post a photo on Instagram tagging me @mycasualpantry using hashtag #mycasualpantry. I love to see what you are making.
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