Paleo Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad

The following recipe and photography were provided by our partner, Kayla Breeden of Kayla’s Kitch and Fix.

The Paleolithic Diet, also known as “Paleo,” consists of foods that our stone-age ancestors could have obtained through hunting and gathering. Featuring lean meats, fish, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, it’s clear that this healthy dietary lifestyle could be considered plain, but with the right combination of flavors, Paleo meals and snacks are actually delicious and filling!

Take my Paleo Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad as an example. Bathed in coconut milk and coated in a cassava flour “breading,” Gerber’s CARE Certified chicken breasts taste just as good as traditional fried chicken.

Placed on a bed of fresh vegetables and topped with a homemade avocado ranch dressing, this dish is full of protein, produce and, of course, loads of flavor.

Whether you follow the Paleo diet or not, this recipe is one to try!

Ingredients

For the Crispy Buffalo Chicken

2 lbs. Gerber’s CARE Certified chicken breast
1 egg
½ cup milk or coconut milk
½ cup cassava flour, add more as needed
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Your favorite hot sauce or buffalo sauce
4 Tbsp. avocado oil, separated (add more as needed)

For the Avocado Ranch Dressing

½ avocado
¼ cup compliant coconut milk (I like to use lite canned for smoothness)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chives
1 Tbsp. cilantro
¼ tsp. dill
1 tsp. lime juice
¼ tsp. salt

Toppings

Leafy mixed greens
Cherry tomatoes
Chopped celery
Thinly sliced cucumber
Red onion slivers
Shredded carrots

Instructions

Whisk the egg and milk together in a large bowl. Place all of the chicken into the bowl, ensuring it is completely covered. Place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
Heat a pan on the stove over medium heat with avocado oil for about five minutes or until warm.
While the pan is heating, mix together the cassava flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and place next to the stove.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place the bowl next to the cassava flour mixture.
Piece by piece, move the chicken from the milk to the flour using a fork. Coat each piece in the flour completely.
Carefully transfer the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. If the bottom of your pan is coated in excess flour after cooking a batch, clean out pan and start the oil heating step again to achieve clean, not burnt, chicken.
Move the chicken to a drying rack or a paper towel-lined plate and let cool so the coating is less likely to fall off.
Move the chicken to a bowl and drizzle with hot sauce or buffalo sauce. Carefully toss the chicken to cover completely.
In a food processor or high-power blender, add all of the avocado ranch dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.
Assemble the salad and enjoy!