Chopped Buffalo Chicken Salad

I have been on a sort of "salad kick" lately... trying to eat a bit more healthy and also trying to re-create the "tastes" I crave (that are typically un-healthy) and transform them into a lower calorie version.   Last night I had all the ingredients for a salad-- plus chicken breast and some leftover buffalo wing sauce from when I had made Buffalo Chicken Dip.  PERFECT... I'll make a Buffalo Chicken Salad!!

Chopped Buffalo Chicken Salad
makes approx 3 servings

Ingredients:

• (2) Small Chicken Breasts, trimmed (if the breast is large I usually cut it in half for (2) servings)
• (1) Cup Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 2 Tbs Brown Sugar
• (2) Hearts of Romaine Lettuce
• Handful of fresh Baby Spinach (or any other kind of lettuce)
• (1) Large Carrot
• (1) Celery Stalk
• (1) Green Onion
• (1) Medium Tomato
• Handful of Tortilla Chips
• 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Ranch Salad Dressing

Method:

1. Place chicken, wing sauce and brown sugar in saute pan.  Cook over medium heat, turning chicken frequently til cooked through (approx 15 minutes).
2. While chicken is cooking, prep the salad.  Wash all veggies (lettuce, carrot, celery, green onion, tomato).  Peel carrot.   Place Lettuce and spinach in large bowl and chop with Pampered Chef Salad Choppers. (if you don't have them you can chop lettuce on a cutting board with a knife.)  Using a grater, grate the carrot & celery into the lettuce.   Dice the tomato and green onion and add to the bowl.  Crush the tortilla chips in your hands and add to the bowl.   Add the cheddar cheese and Ranch Dressing.   Mix Well.
3. Cut the chicken into small pieces and add back to the saute pan and toss in the sauce.
4. Place Lettuce mixture in salad bowls and top with chicken.
5. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Dip (my way)

Buffalo Chicken Dip is a staple in the south for football parties I think!  Someone ALWAYS brings it!   The hubs says "I like the way you make it..." so he requested it not to long ago-- and I wrote down what I did so I wouldn't forget.

Buffalo Chicken Dip:

(makes approx 12 servings)

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• (2) 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Ranch Dressing
• 1/2-3/4 bottle of Buffalo Wing Sauce (I usually use Texas Pete Brand) *hotness is your preference
• 1 1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Scoops (Tostitos)
• Celery (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 400.   Wash & Trim Chicken Breasts.  Place chicken breasts in oven-safe dish with lid.   Cover chicken completely with water- cover and place in oven for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is done.
2. Shred chicken with two forks.  Place in crock pot.
3. Make sure cream cheese is soft (sometimes I will put in microwave (REMOVE FOIL WRAPPER) and get it really soft so it is easy to mix in).
4. Add cream cheese, ranch dressing, cheddar cheese and buffalo wing sauce to crock pot and mix well.  At this point I usually "taste' how the mixture is on a chip to see if I need to add more of anything (usually wing sauce).  Keep adding wing sauce until the "taste" meets your approval-- I like a lot of wing sauce!
5. Warm on high in slow cooker until hot & bubbly- stirring every so often. (approx 1.5-2 hours)

Enjoy!