Easy Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Salad
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This Crispy Chicken Salad is sure to be your new favorite way to get your greens. Crispy hot honey chicken pieces tossed with fresh veggies, romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing for a hot honey chicken caesar salad you’ll want to eat again and again.
This Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Salad is a vibrant blend of sweet and spicy flavors that will get your tastebuds dancing. Crispy baked chicken is coated in a homemade hot honey sauce with a delicious southern kick.
This colorful salad is topped with a light and zesty dressing that complements the spiced chicken and subtle salad green flavors so well. This salad makes an amazing meal on its own, or pair it with some soup and bread for a truly hearty meal.
Why Try This Hot Honey Chicken Salad
- This hot honey crispy chicken salad is a vibrant blend of sweet and spicy flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.
- Crispy baked chicken is coated in a homemade hot honey sauce for a delicious southern kick.
- This colorful salad is topped with a light and zesty dressing that complements the spiced chicken and salad green flavors so well.
Crispy Chicken Salad Ingredients
Always use fresh ingredients for maximum flavor and best results.
For the Chicken:
- Chicken cutlets
- Buttermilk
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cornflakes – you will want these crushed, but not powdery
- Cornstarch – rice flour will also work
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Hot sauce – use your favorite brand. I love Frank’s Original hot sauce
- Butter – I use salted butter
- Chili flakes
For the Salad:
- Romaine lettuce – chopped
- Lemon – fresh is best
- Parmesan cheese – grated
- Cherry tomatoes – pick bright juicy tomatoes
- Cucumber – you can leave the skin on or remove it with a vegetable peeler
- Caesar dressing
- Croutons – optional
Equipment Needed To Make
- Large bowl
- Shallow bowl
- Baking sheet
- Microwave safe bowl
- Serving bowl
Substitutions & Variations
- You can sub other types of lettuce for this salad.
- Grape tomatoes will work in place of cherry tomatoes
- You can experiment with different types of your favorite dressings
- You can cook the chicken in an air fryer instead of baking in the oven.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Salad
This is a short version of the directions. Follow the full instructions found in the recipe card below for best results.
Step 1 – Prepare the chicken marinade mixture & marinate chicken.
Step 2 – Prepare chicken coating.
Step 3 – Dip the chicken pieces one by one.
Step 4 – Place on lined baking sheet.
Step 5 – Bake as directed.
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Step 6– Make the honey hot sauce
Step 7 – Add sauce to cooked chicken
Step 8 – Assemble the salad and enjoy.
Air Fryer Instructions
Air frying is a great alternative to deep frying—less oil, less mess, same crispy texture!
Follow steps 1 – 4 outlined above.
Preheat to 375°F (190°C) for 3–5 minutes.
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer—do not overlap.
Spray the tops of the chicken with oil.
Cook at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through and respraying if needed.
Chicken is done when it’s golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Time Saving Tips & Tricks
- Cornflakes should be roughly crushed but not powdered.
- Drizzling the prepared cutlets with oil before baking ensures the coating becomes crispy, so don’t skip this step.
- Ensure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees for safe consumption.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container, separately in the refrigerator.
How to Serve
Serve this Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad with some cornbread, biscuits, or dinner rolls for a flavorful, filling meal. These are a few of my favorite recipes to go with this salad.
Golden Cornbread or Jalapeno Corn Bread, if you like the spice
“Texas Roadhouse” Style Dinner Rolls
How to Store
Dressed salads will not stay as fresh as long as individually stored ingredients. An already dressed salad will usually only last a couple days in the refrigerator before wilting and becoming watery.
The best way to keep leftover salad freshest is to store individual components in separate airtight containers – one for the mixed salad, one for the dressing, and one for the chicken – in the refrigerator. Individually stored ingredients will be good for 4-5 days.
More Chicken Salad Recipes
Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients:
- 4 chicken cutlets
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 4 cups corn flakes – crushed
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¾ tablespoons honey
- ¾ tablespoons hot sauce
- 4 teaspoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoons chili flakes
Salad Ingredients:
- 8 cups romaine lettuce – chopped
- 1 cup croutons
- 1 lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes – halved
- 1 cup cucumber – sliced
- 1 cup Caesar dressing
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken cutlets, buttermilk, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp paprika. Submerge the chicken fully in the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes, cornstarch, remaining salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Remove one chicken cutlet at a time from the buttermilk, dredge it in the cornflake mixture, and press the coating onto the chicken to ensure full coverage. Place the cutlet on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.
- Drizzle olive oil over each cutlet and brush it evenly to coat.
- Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is crispy and fully cooked. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Combine the melted butter with honey, hot sauce, and chili flakes to make the sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the baked chicken. Slice the chicken into strips, if desired.
- To assemble the salad, create a bed of lettuce in a bowl. Top with sliced chicken, croutons, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and squeeze on fresh lemon juice. Drizzle Caesar dressing over the toppings and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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This looks so delicious and reminds me of a salad one of our nearby restaurants serve.
Congratulations, your post will be featured this Monday at SSPS 365 Thanks for sharing.
Super tasty and easy to make.