Zesty Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

A bowl of salad with shredded meat, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and crumbled cheese, with a fork resting inside.

Zesty Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

This zesty chicken salad with blue cheese dressing is creamy, bold, and filling enough to stand on its own. Crisp vegetables, juicy chicken, and rich dressing come together for a salad that works just as well for dinner as it does for lunch.

Course Salad, Salads, Side Dish, Sides

Cuisine American, International

Keyword bacon, blue cheese crumbles, blue cheese dressing, creamy, dressing, iceberg, lettuce, onion, recipe, romaine, salad, tomato, vinegar, wedge, wedge salad

Prep Time 10

Servings Servings

Calories 228kcal

Author Zuzana Paar

Equipment

Ingredients

4 Cups Mixed Greens fresh
2 Cups Cooked Chicken shredded
1/4 Cup Hot Pepper Sauce
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half
1/2 Cup Cucumber chopped
1/2 Cup Celery thin slices
1/4 Cup Crumbled Blue Cheese

Dressing

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep and set out the shredded chicken, hot sauce, veggies, blue cheese, oil, vinegar, and seasonings. Slice the celery, halve the tomatoes, and cut the cucumber so everything is ready to assemble.
Mix the shredded chicken with hot sauce until fully coated. Let it sit briefly so the flavor absorbs.
Add salad greens to a large bowl, top with celery, tomatoes, and cucumber, then add the buffalo chicken and blue cheese.
Whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently just before serving. Serve chilled for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

Use chilled ingredients for extra crunch: Keeping your veggies cold before tossing the salad makes everything taste fresher and crispier. You can add romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce for extra crunch, red onions, or avocado.
Crumble the blue cheese yourself: Make blue cheese crumble, breaking it up from a block keeps the flavor rich and creamy.
Balance the bold flavor: If blue cheese is too strong, mix it with a little plain yogurt or sour cream to mellow it out.
Toss just before serving: This keeps the salad from getting soggy and helps the dressing coat everything evenly without wilting the greens.

Nutrition