Crispy Chicken Salad with Sriracha Honey BBQ Dressing

Learn how to make a crispy chicken salad that's drizzled with sriracha honey bbq dressing! The chicken tenders are perfectly juicy and tender on the inside with that crispy panko crust on the outside. You'll love this easy crispy chicken salad!

📝 Ingredients

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup bbq sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 - 3 teaspoons sriracha (or more to taste)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 pound boneless chicken tenders (or breasts)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs (whisked)
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Peanut or canola oil (for frying)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (toasted)
• 1/2 cup red onions (thinly sliced)
• 10 ounce romaine (chopped into small pieces)
• 2 avocados (sliced)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1DRESSING: Whisk the ingredients for the dressing along with a big pinch of salt and black pepper. Continue to whisk until you’ve got a smooth dressing.
2. 2MARINATE: Add the buttermilk, ¾ teaspoon of salt, a big pinch of black pepper and ⅓ cup of the prepared dressing to a bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken tenders into the bowl and allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes (you can also marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours covered in the refrigerator.)
3. 3PREP: When you’re ready to cook the chicken, Combine the flour, garlic powder and the smoked paprika in a shallow baking dish, in another one, combine the panko and the parmesan cheese and set them side by side. We’re going to set up a dredging station. Start by removing a chicken tender from the marinade and allow the excess to drip off, then dredge the strip into the flour mixture, then the beaten egg, then the panko mixture and place the tenders on a clean baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tenders.
4. 4COOK: Add about an inch to an inch and half of the oil to a cast iron skillet (or anything you usually fry stuff in) and allow the oil to heat up on medium-high heat. Once then oil is hot, add a few tenders and allow them to fry for 5-9 minutes, flipping as required to cook the tenders all the way through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel and continue to fry until done. Slice the tenders into pieces or chop them up.
5. 5ASSEMBLE: Add the greens to a large bowl, top with cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, avocados, sliced almonds, and add the chicken on top. You can also just make individual bowls if you didn't want to serve this family style. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately!