This Crispy Fried Chicken Salad is the perfect meal to add fresh vegetables to a weeknight meal. This dish is made with strips of chicken breasts or tenders and paired with greens, shredded cheese, and your favorite dressing.
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This post was originally posted in 2021 and it has since been updated.
Table of Contents
What Type of Chicken to Use
I like to use skinless chicken breasts or tenders. I find those work best. You can use any chicken you like, such as boneless thighs with no adjustment to cook time.
How to Make Fried Chicken Salad
Full instructions and serving sizes are noted below in the recipe card.
- Slice the chicken breast into strips.
- Season the chicken.
- Pan-fry-or air fry.
- Load up your salad with veggies and add the cooked chicken.
How to Get the Chicken Crispy
When air frying you will need an egg and baking powder. Combining these two will produce chicken with a thick, crisp coating. You can omit the egg, but the chicken will be a lot less crunchy.
For air frying, you can also use all-purpose flour and skip the egg and baking powder! Using an egg and baking powder will reduce the number of calories and carbs in the recipe.
For pan-frying all-purpose flour will do the trick. You can even make the recipe a little more Southern-style by brining the chicken in ¼ cup of buttermilk for 1 hour first. This will produce crispy, juicy chicken.
Tips for Pan Frying
- Use an oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil.
- Use a thermometer to test the heat of the grease. Pan fried chicken is often ruined by undercooked meat on the inside along with a burnt exterior because the appropriate temperature wasn't used. Your grease should reach 350 degrees before you add the chicken.
- Don't use too much oil. You should use enough oil to create 1 inch of oil in your pan. The amount you need will vary based on the pan you elect to use.
How Many Calories
One salad has 406 calories if air fried. One salad has 609 calories if pan fried.
Salad Toppings and Substitutions
- Air Fryer Croutons
- Olives
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Feta Cheese
- Goat Cheese
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Dried Fruit
- Almonds
- Sunflower Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Broccoli Sprouts
Chicken Seasoning and Spices
If you want to mix up the flavors of the chicken, check out my homemade spice blends.
- Homemade BBQ Seasoning and Rub
- Homemade Ranch Seasoning
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Homemade Blackened Seasoning
- Dry Rub For Chicken
Salad Dressing Options
- Homemade Keto Ranch Dressing
- Creamy Southwest Salad Dressing
- Homemade Italian Vinaigrette Dressing
- Green Goddess Salad Dressing
How to Reheat the Chicken
Reheat the chicken in the air fryer or in the oven. You can use 350 degrees and heat for a few minutes until warm.
More Fried Chicken Recipes
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
Keto Chicken Wings
Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings
Chicken and Avocado Salsa
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Air Fryer Spatchcock Chicken
Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
More Salad Recipes
Green Goddess Cobb Salad
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Antipasto Salad
Seafood Crab Salad
Keto Broccoli Salad
Southern Potato Salad
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Southwest Salad Recipe
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic
Pair this with Air Fryer Croutons.
Crispy Fried Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Fried Chicken
- 10-14 ounces skinless chicken breasts or tenders Sliced lengthwise about ½ to ¾ of an inch thick.
- 1 egg beaten, Only needed for air fryer chicken.
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika I like smoked paprika.
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons baking powder If pan frying the chicken, use ½ cup all-purpose flour and omit the egg
- cooking oil spray Used for air frying. I use olive oil
- vegetable oil If pan frying, you will need enough to cover 1 inch of your skillet.
Salad
- 4 cups spinach
- 4 cups mixed greens
- ½ avocado Sliced into cubes.
- 2 tablespoons cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions
- Drizzle the slices of chicken with the beaten egg. Stir to ensure it's coated. You can pour off any excess egg.
- Add in all of the spices and baking powder. You will notice the mixture bubble and thicken. This is good and it what will produce crispy chicken.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Place the chicken in the air fryer. Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if necessary. The chicken should be spaced apart well, as it will expand some while air frying.
- Cook for 5 minutes on 400 degrees. After 5 minutes, open the air fryer and spritz the chicken with oil. Air fry for an additional 5 minutes.
- Open the basket and flip the chicken. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is crisp.
- Because the chicken expands so much, I like to slice up the chicken again once cooked into thinner strips.
Pan Frying Instructions
- Season the slices of chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour throughout. Toss to ensure the chicken is coated.
- Add an inch of oil to your pan on medium-high heat. Heat the oil until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees. This is important because the temperature has to be accurate for frying. Your meat should sizzle when you add it to the pan.
- Fry both sides of the chicken for several minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken and place it on a cooling rack. If you place it on paper towels the bottom of the chicken will become soggy.
Salad Assembly
- Load your salad by adding the greens first followed by the remaining vegetables and fried chicken.
Video
Notes
- Macros assume air-fried chicken. Here are the macros for pan-fried: Cals: 609 Fat: 30G Carbs: 26G Protein: 55G
- When air frying you will need an egg and baking powder. Combining these two will produce chicken with a thick, crisp coating. You can omit the egg, but the chicken will be a lot less crunchy.
- For air frying, you can also use all-purpose flour and skip the egg and baking powder! Using an egg and baking powder will reduce the number of calories and carbs in the recipe.
- For pan-frying all-purpose flour will do the trick. You can even make the recipe a little more Southern-style by brining the chicken in ¼ cup of buttermilk for 1 hour first. This will produce crispy, juicy chicken.
Tips for Pan Frying
- Use an oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil.
- Use a thermometer to test the heat of the grease. Pan-fried chicken is often ruined by undercooked meat on the inside along with a burnt exterior because the appropriate temperature wasn’t used. Your grease should reach 350 degrees before you add the chicken.
- Don’t use too much oil. You should use enough oil to create 1 inch of oil in your pan. The amount you need will vary based on the pan you elect to use.
Carrie says
This was one of my favorite things to order in a restaurant, pre-pandemic. This tastes better than any restaurant salad, and I can control the ingredients to make sure it fits my goals. I would have never thought to use baking powder for the breading. You are a genius!
staysnatched says
I love using baking powder. Glad you enjoyed it!
Kendra says
Made this for my 12 year old for lunch and she gave it a 10/10! It was very tasty and quick to prepare. Thank you!
staysnatched says
Yay! Now that's what I love to hear!
Felicia says
I LOVE a crispy chicken salad. However fried chicken isn’t my friend as I’m trying to shed some pounds.
Thank you Brandi for this recipe! The egg and baking powder combo worked perfectly and the chicken was nice snd crispy. I didn’t lose any breading in the air fryer. I am cooking up some more tomorrow so we can have chicken tenders. This was seasoned perfectly, it was juicy and not dry. I soaked it in buttermilk before mixing with the egg as Brandi suggested. Adding this one to the weekly rotation!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Dee Alexander says
Currently eating this at work right now. Two words: SO BOMB! Made the air fry version version and all I can say is Brandi has done it again!! When I was warming up my chicken in my office, my coworkers asked why didn’t I bring them some 😩🤣. Cook your own to witness this greatness! I’m not sharing!!!
staysnatched says
haha! Yes! I love to hear this!
Karen says
Omg absolute DELISHNESS! Very crispy and just tasted great. Definitely cooking my nuggets like this on a regular! I agree with Carrie -genius! Thx
staysnatched says
It's such a great method for chicken!
Kristine says
The chicken is packed with flavor and so delicious that I ate the leftovers cold right out of the fridge!
staysnatched says
haha I love that.
Shunda says
I eat a salad every day for dinner or lunch and this salad is definitely one of my go to salads...it is delicious and full of flavor
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So good to hear!
Tiffani says
Was trying so hard not to make this for lunch, since it was so quick and easy. This will help me eat more salads.
staysnatched says
Wonderful. Glad you enjoyed it.
Coby says
We had this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! I made the air fryer version, and I loved how crispy it came out with the baking powder and egg! I really appreciated how easy it was to customize the salad- I had a ton of veggies I needed to use up, so I used them all: bell pepper, cucumber, carrots. This is definitely going in the rotation as the weather warms up and I crave more salads!
staysnatched says
Yay! I love to hear it.
Aisha says
Great recipe!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it.
Mallory says
OH. MY. GAH. So I decided I wanted to make this fried chicken to try to recreate Whataburger’s Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich. It’s a favorite of ours and only a limited time item. I’ve never been disappointed by one of Brandi’s recipes, so I knew this would be a hit as well. I did accidentally mix in the ranch seasoning I’d set aside for the ranch potatoes instead of this recipe’s seasoning, but it was a flavorful mistake on my part. The chicken is so juicy and has the right amount of crunch. My fiancé said this tastes so much better than Whataburger, and I 100% credit that to the flavor of this chicken. I even shared the recipe with my mom who is gluten sensitive so she can have fried chicken again. Run, don’t walk, to make this chicken. This recipe is worth its weight in gold.
staysnatched says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it.
Nicole says
Wow. Stay Snatched recipes NEVER fail. I just started weight watchers and was looking for a lower calorie/carb way to bread chicken. THIS. IS. IT. The seasoning gives the “breading” so much flavor and when done in the air fryer the chicken really comes out perfectly. Thank you for always killin the delicious, healthy recipe game.
staysnatched says
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Tobie Mayer says
I cannot believe how delicious this chicken is for a "fried" chicken with no batter or breading! I made it exactly as the recipe stated, and it turned out super crispy and flavorful. It never would have occurred to me to use baking powder in this way. This one is going to be in the regular rotation for me. Thanks so much for sharing!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Brooke Jackson says
This chicken is a great/easy way to add protein to a salad!! My chicken was fully cooked after the first 10 min, probably bc I used thinner strips?
staysnatched says
If they were thinner, then yes probably. All air fryers and ovens also cook at varying speeds. I like my chicken crispy, so I continue to cook until crisp.
Kristal De La Paz says
The chicken turned moist, flavorful and perfectly crisp!! I’m glad a always read through your entire posts to before I make your recipes because I used baking powder and it was a total game changer!
staysnatched says
Wonderful. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Stephanie says
Made this for dinner last night and our friends loved it! They said the chicken was delicious!!
staysnatched says
Yay! That's what I love to hear.
Melissa says
Made this for dinner tonight. Perfect crispy chicken as always with your recipes! Thanks for the constant air fryer inspiration!
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Hanna says
Quick, easy and delicious! Definitely makes eating healthy less dreadful!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Sabrina says
Bomb! I made this for the first time and it’s definitely going to be my go to on how I make my chicken for my salads.
staysnatched says
Love to hear it. Glad you enjoyed it.
Natalie says
I had to write a review because I have now made this salad 5 times. I keep coming back to this method of making the chicken. I usually use chicken thighs. So good!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your review!
Caitlin Quinn says
Absolutely delicious! The chicken was perfectly seasoned and crispy, and the suggested toppings allowed everyone to customize their own meals.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad to hear that.
Alisha G. says
Love this easy recipe, reminds me of a salad I used to get at Applebees but now it is 1/3 of the calories since I can just air fry it!
staysnatched says
Yes! So right about the calories.
Robyn says
This tasted better than any restaurant salad! 😍 The chicken tenders were seasoned perfectly and crisped up in the air fryer perfectly! Will definitely make this again!
staysnatched says
Glad to hear you will make it again.
Ash Agbay says
My favorite go-to lunch! I prep all the toppings and air fry the chicken in bulk and mix and match throughout the week to keep it interesting. The air fried chicken method Brandi outlined here is the BEST way to prep chicken for salads! Who said you can’t get flavor, texture, and healthy all in one?!
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it's a go-to.
Ashley says
Made this tonight and all I can say is wow. Paired it with the Keto ranch dressing, so good. I also love how simple and easy it is to put together! Going to add this as my go to salad!
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear it will be your go-to!
Felicia says
I’ve made this several times with chicken. I really wanted a crispy shrimp salad so I made it with shrimp today. It was so good! I cooked the shrimp 9 minutes total. They had that nice crispy texture and were nice and tender. Brandi has several recipes detailing how to perfectly cook shrimp so I used that information when I prepared this. If there were leftovers I’m sure they’d be delicious but this one was gobbled up by the family.
staysnatched says
Glad to hear it worked out!