Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad with Pita Chips
Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad with Pita Chips is a quick high protein salad with chicken, buffalo ranch dressing, vegetables, and crisp pita chips.
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 5 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce finely chopped
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast shredded or diced
- ¾ cup celery finely chopped
- ¾ cup carrots finely chopped
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ⅓ cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles
For the Buffalo Ranch Dressing:
- ¼ cup light ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoon buffalo wing sauce
- 2 tablespoon plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Pita Chips:
- 2 large pita breads
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Pita Chips:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the pita breads on a cutting board. Cut around the outer edge of each pita bread to separate the top and bottom layers.
- Cut the 4 thin pita circles into triangles and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Brush the pita triangles lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the pita triangles with garlic powder and salt.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly toasted and crisp around the edges. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, set aside to cool slightly.
For the Salad:
- In a small bowl, add ranch dressing, buffalo wing sauce, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped lettuce, chicken, celery, carrots, green onions, and blue cheese crumbles.
- Pour the buffalo ranch dressing over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated.
- Serve right away with pita chips, celery sticks, or tortilla scoops.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Chop the lettuce small - Finely chopped lettuce makes the salad easier to scoop with pita chips. Use dry lettuce - Wet lettuce can thin the dressing and make the salad soggy. Add dressing right before serving - Toss the salad with dressing right before serving to keep the lettuce crisp. Adjust the heat - Use more or less buffalo sauce based on how spicy you want the dressing. Use cooked chicken that is chilled or room temperature - Hot chicken can soften the lettuce too much.Storing
Store the salad without dressing - Place the chopped lettuce, chicken, celery, carrots, green onions, and blue cheese in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store the dressing separately - Place the buffalo ranch dressing in a covered container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Stir before using. Store the pita chips separately - Place cooled pita chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not store the fully dressed salad for long - Once the dressing is added, the lettuce will soften. Serve the dressed salad right away for the best texture.Nutrition
Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 29gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 897mgPotassium: 542mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 4716IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 2mg
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