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thehungryhungryhiker

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Ranch Dressing
  • ½ cup avocado oil mayo check labels for Whole30, I use Sir Kensington's
  • ½ lemon, juice from
  • 1 + ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried dill
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • sea salt to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • unsweetened almond milk to thin out dressing if needed
Buffalo Chicken Tenders
  • 6-8 chicken tenders, thick white tendon cut off with kitchen shears
  • sea salt to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk check labels for Whole30
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot divided
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • ¼ cup tapioca flour/starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • avocado oil spray
Salads
  • 5 ounces mixed greens of choice
  • ½ English cucumber roughly chopped
  • 12 cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 2 stalks green onions sliced into small coins, white parts discarded
  • 1 avocado sliced

Equipment

  • Air fryer

Method
 

  1. Make the Ranch Dressing: add all of the dressing ingredients except the almond milk to a small bowl and whisk with a fork to combine. Taste to see if more salt or pepper is needed. If the dressing is too thin for your liking, add a little more mayo. If it's too thick, add a little unsweetened almond milk, 1 tsp at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Line the insert of your air fryer with parchment paper, using scissors to fit the paper to the basket if needed.
  3. Make the Buffalo Chicken Tenders: lay the tenders out on a flat surface and pat with a paper towel to get the chicken as dry as possible. When dry, season on both sides with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. Set aside.
  4. Get out two shallow bowls. Crack the eggs into the first bowl and whisk with a fork. Whisk in 1 tbsp almond milk and 2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot. To the second bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Whisk with a fork until combined completely.
  5. Take a chicken tender and dredge it in the egg mixture, shaking off the excess. Dredge the chicken tender in the almond flour mixture next, again shaking off the excess. Place the chicken tender in the insert of the air fryer. Repeat with the remaining chicken tenders. Once the chicken tenders are all in the basket, spray the tops of each generously with avocado oil spray.
  6. Air fry at 360° F for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the tenders over. Spray again with avocado oil. Air fry at 360° F for 6 minutes more, or until cooked through completely. Remove from air fryer to let cool.
  7. While the chicken air fries, prepare the salads. Add a handful of mixed greens to each bowl. Distribute the cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and celery evenly among the bowls.
  8. Brush the chicken tenders with the remaining ¼ cup of Frank's Red Hot, on one or both sides of the chicken. Place 1-2 chicken tenders on the top of each salad. Garnish with green onions and sliced avocado. Drizzle with Ranch Dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!