Salad? On New Year’s Day? Surely, we jest! It’s a day for indulging right before we all start on our resolutions! But this isn’t any salad; this is New Year’s Day Salad! This is the perfect compromise between indulgence and healthy eating. Spicy and rich buffalo chicken tends to always make people happy, no matter how it is served, and a creamy and zesty homemade ranch dressing makes the chicken all the better! All of this atop a nutritious, garden-fresh salad sounds like the perfect way to start the new year on the right foot. Ring in a new you with New Year’s Day Salad!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup parsley, freshly chopped
- 2 tablespoons dill, freshly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives, freshly chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- cayenne pepper, to taste
For the salad:
- 4 cups romaine, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 Persian cucumber, cut into half-moons
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, combine the buffalo sauce, the honey, the lime juice, the garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the onion powder.
Step 2 –Season the buffalo mixture with the salt and the pepper.
Step 3 –Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade.
Step 4 –Add the chicken to the remaining marinade, tossing to coat.
Step 5 –Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Step 6 –In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
Step 7 –Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting as much of the marinade drip off it as possible, and add the chicken to the hot oil.
Step 8 –Cook until the chicken is golden on both sides and cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 6-8 minutes per side.
Step 9 –Place the chicken on a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Step 10 –Slice the chicken into strips.
Step 11 –In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, the sour cream, and the buttermilk.
Step 12 –Add the minced garlic, the parsley, the dill, the chives, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, the remaining onion powder, and the cayenne pepper to the mayo mixture, whisking to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 13 –In a large bowl, toss together the romaine, the spinach, the celery, the carrots, the cucumber, the avocado, the red onion, the tomatoes, and the blue cheese crumbles.
Step 14 –Top the salad with the chicken and drizzle with the dressing.
Step 15 –Serve immediately.
