Buffalo Chicken Nugget Salad (air fried chicken nugget salad)
This easy Chicken Nugget Salad starts with air-fried chicken nuggets tossed in Buffalo sauce and is ready in five minutes! A main course salad for 1 or as many as you want. Uses copycat Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets.
Servings 1
Equipment
- air fryer (not required but helpful!)
Ingredients
For the Buffalo chicken
- 5-7 frozen chicken nuggets I use Just Bare from Costco
- ⅛ cup Buffalo sauce I use Frank's Red Hot
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the salad
- 2 cups chopped lettuce butter, romaine or more
- ½ cup chopped cucumber
- ¼ cup sliced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Mascarpone Ranch Salad Dressing recipe here
- optional toppings see notes
Instructions
FOR THE BUFFALO CHICKEN
Using an Air-fryer
- Heat an air-fryer to 400° and place the frozen chicken tenders in the basket. Set the time for 5 minutes.5-7 frozen chicken nuggets
Using a conventional oven
- Cook the chicken nuggets according to the package directions. Proceed with the recipe as follows.
- Combine the hot sauce with the melted butter in a medium bowl and toss with the chicken until well-coated. Set aside.⅛ cup Buffalo sauce, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Meanwhile prep and chop the salad ingredients starting with all the veggies.2 cups chopped lettuce, ½ cup chopped cucumber, ¼ cup sliced red onion, ¼ cup chopped celery
- Assemble the greens first and then the veggies in a serving bowl.
- Top the salad with the Buffalo chicken and sprinkle with the two cheeses.¼ cup crumbled blue cheese, ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Toss with the dressing or serve it on the side. Also so good with my Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing!Mascarpone Ranch Salad Dressing
Notes
Optional ingredient ideas:
- bacon
- sunflower seeds or shelled pistachios
- hard-boiled egg
- avocado
- sesame sticks
- spinach
- jicama
- pickled jalapenos
