An Awesome Buffalo Barbecue Chicken Salad with all the Toppings!

Warm weather means it’s officially salad season. This Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad recipe makes two large (entree-sized) salads, but can easily be doubled or tripled if needed. It’s so delicious, and easy to make! It’s an easy summer dinner idea that is on repeat at our house.

There’s a couple of things that set this salad recipe apart from the rest.  There’s the awesome buffalo barbecue sauce, which gives a nice, subtle sweetness to the typical hot sauce.  Then there’s the greek yogurt caesar dressing.  It’s not mandatory, but it’s honestly delicious with this salad.  We use it every. single. time.  You can easily use your favorite store-bought caesar dressing if you prefer, though!

What’s in the Buffalo Barbecue Sauce?

• hot sauce (I use Frank’s)
• spicy barbecue sauce (I use Gate’s extra spicy – it’s a KC BBQ sauce, so it still has a little sweetness)
• melted butter
• garlic powder
• freshly cracked black pepper

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small sauce pan.  Add the other ingredients, and mix to combine.  Toss slices or chunks of grilled chicken (or rotisserie chicken) in the sauce, and serve it over chopped romaine or spring mix.

What Toppings do I need for a Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad?

You can be super creative with your toppings, and of course use your favorites! I recommend:

• quartered cherry tomatoes
• shredded carrot
• chopped red onion
• chopped green onion
• blue cheese crumbles (OR shredded sharp cheddar!)
• sliced jalapeños (if you like extra heat)

Other Topping Ideas!

Toppings totally make a salad, and your favorite flavors and textures are key to making it the best it can be!  Here are a few other ideas for you – just pick what you love, and you can’t really go wrong!

• crumbled bacon
• sliced avocado
• grilled (or caramelized onions)
• sliced radish
• chopped celery
• pickled jalapeños

Seriously, make it your own.  But the sauce is the star of the show, and it goes well with any of the toppings above!

What Caesar Dressing is Best?

We love this greek yogurt caesar dressing on these salads.  It’s easy to make, and it’s a lightened up version of the typical caesar dressing.  You can make this dressing the day before the salads, and it will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  If you’re not a fan of caesar dressing, just use your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing instead!

One of my favorite ways to make a salad is to put all of the ingredients into a large container with a lid, add the dressing, and tightly seal it shut.  Then I shake it to combine everything.  It’s the best way to get a lot of flavor in every bite. 🙂

If you make this salad, show me on Instagram! Tag #aflavorjournal so I can see your awesome creation.  Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions.  Enjoy!

xx Sara