Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad with Cornbread Croutons

I have a thing for Buttermilk Fried Chicken and I love salad. So, this Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad is the best combination for both of my favorite things. This salad is topped with simple salad ingredients such as cucumbers, shredded cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes, and buttery and sweet Cornbread Croutons. 

I am a sucker for a good salad. In fact, it is typically around this time of year where I crave salads the most. I think it’s because the weather is changing, it’s getting warmer, and spring produce is becoming more vibrant and delicious. I tend to crave salads more. I love everything in a salad starting from the cold crisp lettuce, to the crunchy and fresh tasting cucumbers, and whatever else I decide to put on my salad at that time. They are great for side dishes or as an entire meal. 

What’s in Fried Chicken Salad

First, let’s not confuse this Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad with the Waldorf Chicken Salad, which typically contains pecans or walnuts, apple chunks, grapes, chicken, and celery. I have a recipe like that on my blog if you’re wondering. But in the case of this salad, I decided to stick to the basic topping that you typically find on a salad. You know what I mean, cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, and croutons. All of the ingredients together with bite-sized pieces of Fried Chicken are delicious. 

Let’s talk about these croutons for a second. 

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Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad with Cornbread Croutons

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• Author: Nicole Washington
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x

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Description

Enjoy this Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad that is filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and Homemade Cornbread Croutons. Enjoy your choice of dressing or classic Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

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Ingredients

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• 4 Boneless Chicken Thighs, cut into chunks
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Black Pepper
• 2 c. Buttermilk
• 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. Black pepper
• 1 tsp. Seasoned salt
• Dash of Hot Sauce
• Canola Oil for frying
• 5 oz. Bag Spring Salad mix, divided
• 1 c. sharp shredded cheese, divided
• ½ c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half and divided
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• ½ c. cooked bacon bits (optional)
• CROUTONS
• 3 c. Stale Cornbread, cut into cubes
• 3 tbsp. Melted butter

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. 
2. Place the cubed cornbread in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the melted butter over the cubed cornbread and toss to evenly coat the cornbread.
3. Place evenly across a large baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Cornbread should be hardened on the outside Allow to cool at room temperature. Set aside.
4. To make the fried chicken, season the chicken with salt and pepper evenly. Place in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over the chicken. Keep at room temperature for 30 minutes, You can leave in the refrigerator overnight and set out at room temperature 30 minutes prior to cooking. 
5. Place the flour in a shallow dish and add the black pepper and seasoned salt and whisk. Add the canola oil to a deep-fry or a heavy-duty skillet and warm to 350 degrees. 
6. Take some of the chicken chunks from the buttermilk and dredge through the flour and shake off the excess. Place in the deep fryer and cook for about 7-10 minutes. Just until golden brown. Remove from hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Immediately after removing from the oil, sprinkle with another pinch of salt. 
7. To make the salads, divide the salad mix between two shallow bowls, equally divide the cheddar cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, hard boil eggs, bacon, croutons (as much or as little as you want), and cooked chicken. Top off the salads with Panera Bread Buttermilk Dressing or your choice of dressing and serve. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Salads