• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
LindySez | Recipes
  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About/Contact
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Techniques
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About/Contact
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Techniques
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light

    Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light

    Published: Jan 29, 2016 · Modified: Jun 9, 2022 by Linda Baker · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This recipe for Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light combines the flavors from your favorite Buffalo chicken wings and puts them into a perfect low-fat, better for you, salad. Great use of left-over rotisserie chicken, or poach a breast or two up fresh - perfect for a simple lunch or dinner.

    Buffalo chicken on butter leaf lettuce in a red bowl.

    The Story of Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light

    I love Buffalo chicken wings.

    There's a vicarious thrill sucking that tender meat off the bone, with the spicy sauce tempered with a blue cheese dip.

    But as is sometimes the curse of being a food blogger, FitBit user, at 103 calories and 7.1 grams PER wing, I decided not to do that so much anymore.

    Nope.

    Can't eat just one wing and be happy.

    I love rotisserie chicken. Whether I make it myself, or, on those crazy nights when I just don't have time and buy it at the store.

    And in most (all) cases, I have left-over chicken...which I love to use to make an easy BBQ Chicken Sandwich. At only 385 calories, including bun, and 13g of fat, it makes a pretty satisfying use of turning leftovers into a deliciously simple meal.

    Going back into the way-back machine, I remember a BBQ Chicken Salad they use to serve at Red Robin.

    Mounds of lettuce with cheddar cheese, bbq chicken, doused in a heavy amount of ranch dressing, and topped with fried thin onion rings.

    OMY that was good. Of course not knowing then what I know now about The Good, Bad and Ugly Truth about Salads  I was probably eating the equivalent of  20 of those yummy Buffalo chicken wings.

    Toss up on which would be more satisfying.

    "And so I thought…why not mix them both together? Like chocolate and peanut butter, it's a perfect match"

    So how to make all this better?

    Why not mix them together?

    Like chocolate and peanut butter, it's a good mix.

    Buffalo chicken Salad

    For this Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light, I used left-over rotisserie chicken, but if you don't have any, you could easily poach a breast or two.

    To poach; bring enough salted water to a simmer over medium heat (you can add extra flavor to the water if you desire, peppercorns, bay leaf, lemon.)

    But since the meat is going into BBQ sauce anyway, that's about all the fuss I would do); add the chicken breasts and simmer, slowly, do not BOIL or you have tough breasts, for 10 minutes, turning once.

    Cover the pan and allow to sit in the hot water for 10 minutes more. Check to make sure the thickest part of the breast is white, if not, close the lid and let it sit a couple of minutes more.

    Whatever you use, allow it to just cool enough to handle, then shred it and then put it into the BBQ sauce to get well coated.

    The BBQ sauce I use is Lindy's Favorite BBQ Sauce, which, while it does already contain Tabasco, I admit I do add a little additional kick to it. After all, Buffalo Wings are about their heat.

    So a bit more tabasco, a dash of cayenne pepper. Yeah, that works.

    This is a pretty "hefty" salad so I like to use a combination of hearty romaine hearts and mixed spring lettuces.

    You could use all romaine, but I wouldn't use all spring, they are too soft and will bruise.

    So if choosing one or the other, choose romaine.

    I like the celery in my Buffalo Chicken Salad. Carrot? Not so much.

    But if you do like carrot with yours, feel free to add some shredded carrot. It is, after all, a part of the whole Buffalo wing experience.

    Then, in the spirit of keeping this on the low-fat side, I dress it with my Quick Low-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing, 5 minutes, 63 calories, 5g fat...with the additional blue cheese sprinkles - add 110 calories per 3 tablespoons.

    But you're only going to use one (1 tablespoon) of crumbles... right?

    Right.

    buffalo chicken salad

    Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light (Right)

    Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light

    LindySez
    Buffalo Chicken Salad-Done Light brings you all the flavor of your favorite snack, without the nasty calories. Perfect for an easy lunch or dinner.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Lunch, Main Course, Salads
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 servings
    Calories 341 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 ounces shredded chicken I'm using left-over rotisserie chicken but you could poach a chicken breast if you don't have left-over
    • ½ cup Lindy's Favorite BBQ Sauce or your favorite bottled BBQ sauce*
    • 4 - 6 tablespoons Quick Low-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing or your favorite from a jar But WHY?
    • 6 cups mixed greens I like to use a combination of romaine and mixed baby lettuces
    • 2 ribs celery sliced thinly on the diagonal
    • 2 green onions sliced thinly on the diagonal
    • Additional bleu cheese crumbles for topping optional
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
    • Additional cayenne pepper and/or tabasco sauce, to taste, if desired

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the shredded chicken and bbq sauce in a sauté pan and heat until hot and well combined. Turn off the heat and allow to sit as you prepare your salad ingredients. You want the meat to be warm, but not hot.
    • In a large bowl combine the salad greens, celery, onions, and dressing. Toss well to combine. Place into individual serving dishes; top with chicken mixture and additional blue cheese crumbles. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Notes

    LindySez - If using a commercially prepared bbq sauce that does not have some tabasco in it (heat) add some or add some cayenne pepper to give it a kick.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingSodium: 366mgFiber: 6gCholesterol: 73mgCalories: 341kcalPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gFat: 16gProtein: 27gCarbohydrates: 12g
    Keyword low-fat, salad, spicy buffalo chicken salad
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Related

    « Better than Boxed Homemade Buttermilk Waffles
    Chorizo and Eggs with Crispy Tortilla »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lindy.

    I am a home-trained chef who loves to cook and eat delicious food. As I like to say, "Life is too short to eat mediocre food". And I find too much food out there is mediocre. I don't think good food needs to be fussy, or difficult to prepare. Most of my recipes are fresh, quick, easy, and tasty while keeping both calories and fats in check. 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • The Best Hormel Chili No Beans Copycat Recipe
    • Slow Cooked Oven Baked Spaghetti Sauce
    • A Quick No Knead Crusty Rye Bread
    • Recipe for the Best Original Der Wienerschnitzel Chili Sauce
    • Easy Sweet Tart Homemade Applesauce
    • Just the Beginnings Chicken Soup
    • Hasenpfeffer (German Style Wine Braised Rabbit)
    • Red Wine Rosemary Risotto
    • Sauerbraten My Way
    • Sole with a Light Creamy Shrimp Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2020 Lindy Sez