Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado Ranch
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This grilled buffalo chicken salad ticks all the boxes: it's smoky, crisp, tangy, creamy, and spicy! Charred and juicy grilled chicken is slathered with an easy-to-make, fiery buffalo sauce, hosted in a bed of crisp lettuce and vegetables, and drizzled with a delicious avocado ranch dressing. You won't want to eat anything else!
For more buffalo goodness, make buffalo chicken tacos or buffalo turkey meatballs!
This buffalo grilled chicken salad is hearty and delicious! It's also good for you, made with fresh veggies, lean protein, homemade ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce. The refreshing and creamy avocado ranch dressing offsets the fiery buffalo sauce, creating a perfectly balanced bite full of contrasting flavors and textures. It's ideal for potlucks, entertaining, as a side dish, or as a lunch or dinner!
Ingredients notes
The secret of what makes this grilled buffalo chicken salad recipe so incredible is the range of contrasting flavors and texture. These are the ingredients you need:
- Avocado ranch dressing: Avocado, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, fresh dill, spring green onion, salt, and pepper.
- Buffalo chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cooking oil, salt, butter, Louisiana-style hot sauce, white vinegar, worcestershire sauce, and salt
- The salad: Romaine lettuce hearts, avocado, bell pepper, radishes, tomatoes, diced red onion, and pumpkin seeds.
How to make grilled buffalo chicken salad
There are a few elements to this salad: the avocado ranch dressing, the buffalo chicken, and the salad itself. However, each element is super easy to whip up. This is how it's done:
- Make dressing: Add all of the avocado ranch dressing ingredients to a blender and press the button until your dressing is smooth. Set it aside to let the flavors meld.
- Grill chicken: Heat up the grill and throw your chicken, seasoned with salt , down for several minutes a side. When it's done, cut it into bite-size pieces.
- Make buffalo sauce: While the chicken sizzles, make the delicious buffalo sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, let it cool slightly, and then toss the chicken chunks in the buffalo sauce so they become coated.
- Assemble: Place all of the salad ingredients in a bowl, add the buffalo chicken, and pour the avocado ranch over the top. Toss, and enjoy!
Variations
The contrasting flavors of the buffalo sauce and creamy avocado ranch means you can throw pretty much anything else in there, and it'll still taste just great. Add some more vegetables, sprinkle in some cheese, add some nuts for some crunch, or wrap everything up in a tortilla. Here are some tips:
- Additional vegetables: Add some sliced celery, florets of broccoli or cauliflower, cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, or grated carrot.
- Cheese: Sprinkle in some blue cheese crumbles or feta.
- Blue cheese dressing: On that note, you could also swap the dressing for a blue cheese dressing to mix things up.
- Toppings: Nuts, like walnuts or almonds or sunflower seeds add a delicious crunch. You can also make some lemon pepper croutons.
- Vegetarian salad: If you don't have chicken on hand or have a guest who is vegetarian, you can make crispy tofu or roasted cauliflower and toss it in the buffalo sauce, too.
- Wrap it up: A great idea for leftovers is to fill up a whole wheat wrap and drizzle the avocado ranch dressing over it before wrapping it up!
What to serve with grilled buffalo chicken salad
This grilled buffalo chicken salad is so packed with delicious flavors, you won't be craving much else. You've got smoky, tangy, spicy, creamy, and crisp, all in one bowl. It works as an appetizer to open a dinner of grilled goods but can also be a shining standalone meal.
Serve your buffalo chicken salad beside grilled mushrooms, buffalo corn on the cob, grilled mini peppers, or a delicious grilled potato salad. Pair it with another American classic, a creamy, four cheese mac and cheese!
Recipe FAQs
Can I make the avocado ranch dressing ahead of time?
This avocado ranch dressing is so good that it even has its own post! You can certainly make it ahead of time and store it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for 4-5 days.
I don't have a grill, can I still make this recipe?
You can! Preparing it on the grill creates a delicious smoky, charred flavor, but if you don't have a grill, you can use a grill pan or skillet on the stovetop or bake the chicken in the oven.
Can I store leftovers?
Once the salad is tossed in the dressing, it will go limp if stored in the fridge overnight. It's safe to eat, but it likely won't be your favorite. If you think you'll have leftovers, keep the salad, dressing, and chicken separate. All three keep well in your fridge.
Can I use another cut of chicken, or other protein sauce?
Of course! Feel free to use any cut of chicken you prefer, like chicken breast, or substitute with another protein source, such as shrimp or crispy tofu, for a vegetarian option. Be aware that cooking times and methods will vary depending on what you choose.
Which hot sauce do you recommend?
We recommend a Louisiana-style hot sauce. One of the more commonly known brands is Frank's RedHot, but you can use any hot sauce brand you enjoy. Louisiana-style hot sauces are made with cayenne peppers, so they have a distinctive flavor.
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Avocado Ranch Dressing
- 1 large avocado
- Ā¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- 1 sprig green onion (green part only)
- A generous pinch of salt and pepper
- Ā¾ ā 1 cup water (start with Ā¾ cup)
Buffalo Chicken
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Ā½ teaspoon salt
- Ā¼ cup butter
- Ā¼ cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 3-4 drops of Worcestershire sauce
- A pinch of salt
The Salad
- 3 romaine hearts (chopped)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 1 bell pepper (diced)
- A handful of radishes (sliced)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- Ā¼ cup diced red onion
- Ā¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Instructions
- Add all the avocado ranch dressing to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if you would like a thinner dressing. Set the dressing aside to let the flavors meld.1 large avocado, Ā¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon fresh dill, 1 sprig green onion, A generous pinch of salt and pepper, Ā¾ ā 1 cup water
- Preheat your grill to medium-high. Toss the chicken thighs in the oil and Ā½ teaspoon of salt and grill for 7 minutes per side.8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, Ā½ teaspoon salt
- To make the buffalo sauce, add the butter, hot sauce, white vinegar, WorcestershireĀ sauce, and salt to a small pan over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, whisk and set it aside.Ā¼ cup butter, Ā¼ cup Louisiana-style hot sauce, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 3-4 drops of Worcestershire sauce, A pinch of salt
- Cut the grilled chicken into 1-inch chunks. Add them to the buffalo sauce and toss to coat.
- Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, add the buffalo chicken, and pour the avocado ranch dressing over the top. Toss and serve right away.3 romaine hearts, 1 avocado, 1 bell pepper, A handful of radishes, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, Ā¼ cup diced red onion, Ā¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our summer recipes!
This is the best buffalo chicken salad I’ve ever tried! I was looking for a healthier version of the one I usually make and am so happy I found yours..That avocado ranch is delicious!
I’m so happy to hear you liked it as much as we do!!