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In this recipe, boneless skinless chicken breasts are lightly dusted with breadcrumbs and baked in the oven or air fryer. Toward the end of the baking time the tops are covered with wing sauce and some shredded cheddar cheese and return to the oven/air fryer to melt the cheese.

More often than not I find that baked ‘naked’ chicken breasts come out on the dry side and rubbery in texture. Lightly dusting the chicken with breadcrumbs seems to act as a barrier that holds the moisture in resulting in moist and tender chicken breasts.

I serve buffalo chicken breasts on a salad with blue cheese dressing.The salad can be personalized to include your favorite lettuce and toppings. The chicken can also be served as a main dish with sides.

Please see the recipe card below for exact amounts and directions.

Ingredient Round Up

  • Chicken breasts
  • Breadcrumbs – I use homemade breadcrumbs from low carb bread that I lightly season.
  • Buffalo wing sauce
  • Shredded fat free cheddar cheese
  • Romaine lettuce or your favorite lettuce
  • Onion
  • Bell pepper – I used red bell peppers.
  • Tricolor tortilla strips or croutons
  • Blue cheese dressing – I used Bolthouse Farms blue cheese dressing.

Sodium Alert: The sodium in this recipe is high due to the buffalo wing sauce. You can eliminate 173 mg of sodium by using Yo Momma’s No Sugar Added Buffalo Wing Sauce or 300 mg of sodium by using Mrs. Taste Buffalo No Sodium Wing Sauce. Links to both products can be found in the ‘Low Sodium/No Salt’ product list under ‘Resources’ in the top menu bar.

Making the Buffalo Chicken Breast Salad

  • Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the skinless, boneless chicken breast. Use your finger to spread the crumbs over the surface. Flip chicken breast over and do the other side. You are looking for a light dusting of crumbs on the chicken.

  • Place the chicken breast in a foil lined pan. Bake in the oven or air fryer.

  • While the chicken breast is baking, prepare the salad. Rinse and dry the lettuce and put on a plate. I tossed the lettuce with blue cheese dressing and then topped it with sliced onion, red bell pepper and tricolor tortilla strips.

  • Remove the chicken from the oven/air fryer when there is 2 min left on the timer.

  • Spread your favorite buffalo wing sauce over the surface.

  • Sprinkle shredded fat free cheddar cheese over the top of the sauce and return the chicken to the oven/air fryer until the cheese is melted.

  • Remove the chicken from the oven/air fryer when the cheese is melted and allow to rest briefly.

  • Depending on the size, place the chicken breast or a portion of it on the salad and serve.

Serving Ideas

  • Buffalo chicken salad can be served for lunch.
  • It can be served for dinner along with a dinner roll or cup of soup.
  • The chicken breast can be served as the main protein of the meal and paired with side dishes such as a baked potato, broccoli, corn on the cob, etc.

WW 3 pt per serving

Buffalo Chicken Breast Salad

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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Resting TIme: 5 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 372kcal

Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 2 5-6 oz breasts or one large 10-12 oz breast
  • 1½ tbsp breadcrumbs - I make my own breadcrumbs from low carb bread
  • 4 tsp of your favorite wing sauce, Franks Red Hot Wings Sauce
  • 3 tbsp fat free shredded cheddar cheese, Kraft
  • 5 c romaine lettuce or your favorite lettuce or spring greens
  • 2 slices onion
  • ½ medium red bell pepper
  • 4 tbsp blue cheese dressing, Bolthouse Farms
  • 4 tbsp tri-colored tortilla strips

Instructions

Making the Chicken Breasts

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉. If you are going to bake the chicken in an air fryer, follow the directions for preheating the small appliance.
  • I pound my chicken breasts to a uniform thickness of ¾ - 1" so they cook evenly. Place the chicken breast inside of a plastic bag or between pieces of plastic wrap and give the top part of the breast a few whacks with a rolling pin until it is flatten and is the same thickness as the bottom portion of the breast.
  • Place the chicken breast on a plate and sprinkle ¾ tbsp of the breadcrumbs over one side of the breast. Use your finger to spread the breadcrumbs lightly and evenly over the top of the breast. In essence, you are dusting the breast with crumbs and not heavily coating it. There will be excess crumbs on the plate.
  • Flip the chicken breast over and sprinkle the rest of the breadcrumbs over the top and use your finger to evenly spread the crumbs over the top.
  • Pick up the chicken breast and dip the side edges in the breadcrumbs that remain on the plate. When you are done , there will still be some breadcrumbs left on the plate.
  • Place the breadcrumb dusted chicken breast in a foil lined baking pan or on a foil lined air fryer tray.
  • Place in the oven or air fryer and bake at 400℉ for 10 min. I have an oven type air fryer and when I cook the chicken breast in it, I place it on the bottom rack.
  • Flip the chicken over at the 10 min mark and bake another 9 - 10 min. Check the internal temperature of the chicken and make sure it is at least 165℉.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven/air fryer and spread the buffalo wing sauce over the top of the chicken and then sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the wing sauce. Return the chicken to the oven/air fryer and bake an additional 2 min to melt the cheese.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven/air fryer when the cheese is melted and let rest for 3 - 5 min.

Preparing Two Salads

  • While the chicken is baking get the salad ready. Rinse the lettuce under running water and pat dry or use a salad spinner if you have one.
  • Divide the lettuce into two portions and place each portion onto a dinner plate. Drizzle 2 tbsp of blue cheese dressing over the top of each salad and toss.
  • Cut the slice of onion in half and separate the rings. Spread the pieces of onion over the top of each salad.
  • Wash the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Cut half of the pepper into strips and then cut the strips in half. Place half of the bell pepper pieces over the top of the salad. Add any other additional toppings you are using to the salad now.
  • Sprinkle the tri-colored tortilla strips over the top of each salad.
  • When the chicken is done resting, place a chicken breast on top of each salad. If you made one large chicken breast, cut it in half and place a half on top of the salad. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The sodium in this recipe is high with a significant portion of the sodium coming from the wing sauce.
To reduce the sodium you can use low sodium wing sauce made by Yo Momma's Food CO. or Mrs. Taste no sodium buffalo wing sauce.
Links to both are in the 'no sodium/low sodium list under 'Resources' in the site menu bar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.5g | Protein: 53.1g | Fat: 9.4g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 692mg | Fiber: 5.9g | Sugar: 3.9g
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