Buffalo Chicken Tenders Salad (Air Fryer)

Ingredients

• ½ batchhomemade ranch dressing (low FODMAP) or Greek yoghurt ranch
• about 280 g (6 cups)chopped romaine lettuce
• about 110 g (1 cup)coarsely grated carrots
• about 150 g (1 cup)halved grape tomatoes
• 1 bunchspring onions, green tops only, chopped
• 1red pepper, diced
• to tasteother favourite salad ingredients
• about 56 g (½ cup)blanched almond flour
• 1 teaspoonsea salt
• 1 teaspoonpaprika
• ¼ teaspoonground black pepper
• 2 large (about 454 g / 1 pound)chicken breasts, sliced lengthways into 1.3 cm (½-inch) strips
• about 30 g (¼ cup)tapioca flour
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)garlic-infused olive oil (for low FODMAP) or extra-virgin olive oil, with ½ teaspoon garlic powder added to the breading
• as neededavocado oil cooking spray or preferred cooking spray
• 80 ml (⅓ cup)hot sauce
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons)melted ghee or butter
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)garlic-infused olive oil (for low FODMAP) or 1 extra tablespoon ghee or butter with ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 7.5 ml (½ tablespoon)coconut aminos (Paleo/Whole30), tamari (gluten-free) or soy sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the ranch

   Prepare half a batch of homemade ranch dressing. Cover and refrigerate until serving; making it a day ahead gives the flavours more time to develop.

2. 2

   Chop the vegetables

   Chop the romaine, carrots, tomatoes, spring onion tops, red pepper and any other chosen salad vegetables. Put them in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate.

3. 3

   Bread the chicken

   Whisk the almond flour, sea salt, paprika and black pepper together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, toss the chicken strips with the tapioca flour, then the garlic-infused olive oil. Coat each strip in the almond flour mixture, shake off any excess and set it on a plate.

4. 4

   Preheat the air fryer

   Once you are nearly finished preparing the chicken, preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Air-fry the chicken

   Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and arrange the coated strips in a single layer, leaving space between them. Lightly spray the tops. Cook in batches if needed, air-frying each batch for 10 minutes and turning the strips halfway through. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate and check that the thickest strip has reached 74°C (165°F).

6. 6

   Mix the sauce

   A minute or two before the chicken is done, whisk the hot sauce, melted ghee or butter, garlic-infused oil or its stated alternative, and coconut aminos or chosen substitute in a large bowl. Set aside. If the sauce solidifies, warm it briefly in the microwave, covered, then whisk again.

7. 7

   Reheat if needed

   If you want to warm the first batch again, return it to the air fryer for about 1 minute.

8. 8

   Assemble and serve

   Dip each chicken strip in the Buffalo sauce until coated. Chop the strips into smaller pieces if you prefer, then serve over the salad and drizzle with ranch dressing.

What is Buffalo chicken salad?

Buffalo chicken is an American favourite: chicken coated in a tangy, spicy sauce, often served with a cool, creamy dip. This salad brings those flavours together with crisp lettuce and fresh vegetables.

Here, air-fried breaded chicken provides a crisp contrast to the crunchy salad, while ranch dressing cools the heat. The sauce is mixed separately and added after cooking, so the chicken gets its Buffalo coating at the end.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 333 calories, 8g protein, 15g carbs, 24g fat.

The chicken and almond flour contribute protein and fat, while the coating, vegetables and ranch all contribute to the carbohydrates and overall fat. Serve it with extra leafy vegetables or another fresh salad side if you want to make the plate more vegetable-forward.

Choosing the coating

Almond flour: its fine, nutty texture forms the outer coating, while tapioca flour is tossed directly with the chicken first. Shake off excess coating so the strips do not end up with a heavy layer.

Oil: garlic-infused olive oil is listed for the low-FODMAP option. For the alternative, use extra-virgin olive oil and add the specified garlic powder to the breading mixture.

Getting an even air-fry

Space: arrange the breaded strips in a single layer without letting them touch. If your basket is small, cook in batches rather than crowding it.

Turn: flip the strips halfway through the 10-minute cooking time and lightly spray their tops. Check the thickest strip for 74°C (165°F) before serving.

Balancing the Buffalo sauce

Mix: whisk the hot sauce with melted ghee or butter, the chosen oil or alternative, and coconut aminos, tamari or soy sauce. The recipe suggests mixing it shortly before the chicken finishes cooking.

Coat: dip each strip once the chicken is cooked, then serve promptly. If the sauce firms up, briefly warm it covered in the microwave and whisk it until smooth again.

Preparing the salad

Crunch: chop the romaine, carrots, spring onion tops and pepper, and halve the tomatoes. Keep the prepared vegetables covered in the fridge while the chicken cooks.

Ranch: prepare half a batch and chill it until needed. You can make it the day before, as suggested in the method, to let its flavour develop.

Serving the salad

Layer: serve the Buffalo-coated chicken over the chopped vegetables, with ranch drizzled over the top. Cutting the tenders into smaller pieces makes them easier to distribute through the salad.

Make it a meal: the crisp vegetables and creamy dressing already give the plate contrasting textures. Add any other favourite salad ingredients as desired.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chill the ranch while you prepare the chicken and salad.
• Cut the chicken into evenly sized strips so they cook at a similar rate.
• Keep the breaded strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
• Turn the chicken halfway through its 10-minute cooking time.
• Check the thickest strip reaches 74°C (165°F).
• Toss or dip the chicken in the sauce just before serving.

Variations

• Cooler sauce: serve the ranch on the side so each person can add the amount they like.
• More vegetables: add other favourite salad ingredients to the chopped produce.
• Tamari option: use tamari instead of coconut aminos for the sauce.
• Soy sauce option: use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos in the sauce.
• Garlic alternative: use extra-virgin olive oil with the specified garlic powder instead of garlic-infused oil.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowded basket: the strips need a single layer with space between them, so cook in batches if necessary.
• Excess coating: shake each strip after dredging to remove loose almond flour mixture.
• Uneven strips: slice the chicken into similarly sized strips to help them cook evenly.
• Skipping the turn: flip the chicken halfway through its 10-minute air-fry.
• Guessing doneness: check the thickest strip reaches 74°C (165°F) before serving.
• Firm sauce: warm it briefly, covered, then whisk it again before coating the chicken.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken, salad and ranch separately in covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the air fryer until hot, then toss it with sauce; assemble the salad just before serving.

Frequently asked questions