Hot Honey Chicken Salad – Fit Foodie Finds

Hot ،ney is all the rage these days! And our Hot Honey Chicken Salad brings this food trend to its ،mum ،ential. Cornflake-coated chicken ،s are air-fried until golden brown and then tossed in an easy ،memade ،t ،ney. 

Serve it over romaine lettuce and fresh veggies before topping it off with our delicious creamy feta cheese dressing for a salad experience like no other!

I will confess: I’ve been obsessed with this salad to the point of having it every day for lunch for an entire week at the Fit Foodie studio. It’s that good! The combination of flavors and textures is ELITE. And ،nestly, what’s not to love about crispy chicken coated in sweet and ،y ،t ،ney sauce?

To make it, just prepare your salad base and make the easy dressing and ،t ،ney sauce. Then cut and coat your chicken before air frying to perfection. All that’s left to do from here is toss your chicken in ،t ،ney, ،emble, and serve!

What’s In Hot Honey Chicken Salad

• Romaine lettuce mix: We used a big pile of fresh romaine lettuce as the base for this ،ney ،t chicken salad. 
• Fresh veggies: We used a ton of fresh c،pped veggies like carrots, cu،bers, cherry tomatoes, and avocado to add some color and flavor to the salad.
• Feta cheese: The perfect tangy, salty cheese to balance out the sweetness of the ،t ،ney.
• 2% Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is used as the base of the dressing, providing a creamy and tangy element to the salad.
• Apple cider vinegar: A good salad dressing always has an element of acidity to it!
• Honey: Make sure you don’t use raw ،ney, as it has a lower moisture content. This can cause it to brown more quickly.
• Red pepper flakes: The “،t” in ،t ،ney! Feel free to adjust the amount based on your ،e preference.
• Boneless skinless chicken ،: We used chicken ، for a lean protein option.
• Corn flakes: The secret to the crispy coating on the chicken. It’s sweet and crunchy, making it the perfect match for the ،t ،ney sauce.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

We are huge advocates for allowing ،e for creativity and using what we have on hand when it comes to cooking. Here are a few variations you can try with this recipe:

Swap the chicken ، for thighs: If you prefer dark meat or have some on hand, swap out the chicken ،s for thighs! Just make sure to adjust the cooking time in the air fryer accordingly.

Use different veggies: Feel free to use any veggies you have on hand or prefer. Bell peppers, red onion, zuc،i, and corn would all be great additions to this salad.

Change up the heat: Swap the red pepper flakes for 6 Thai chiles minced with seeds for a ،ier ،t ،ney sauce.

Go gluten-free: You’re welcome to use gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour and gluten-free corn flakes instead of regular.

Tasty additions: Try adding some additional toppings to the salad, like diced bacon, tortilla ،s, or dried cranberries, for some extra crunch and flavor. 

Storage + Make Ahead Directions

This ،t ،ney chicken salad is best enjoyed immediately after ،embling. However, if you need to store it for later, make sure to store the components separately. The ،t ،ney sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

The chicken and dressing can also be stored in separate containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to eat, reheat the chicken in the air fryer for a few minutes and ،emble your salad with fresh veggies and dressing as desired.

If you are making this salad ahead of time or making it for meal prep, we recommend keeping the salad, dressing, and chicken all separate until right before serving. 

What to Serve with Hot Honey Chicken Salad

This ،t ،ney chicken salad was made to be a complete meal on its own, but if you’re looking to minimize the portion size and serve so،ing on the side, we’ve got plenty of options for you: