Buffalo Chicken Salad

YIELD 4 servings


CHICKEN
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbs light molasses
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs cornstarch
4 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbs canola oil


SALAD
3 romaine lettuce hearts (about 1 lb) torn into bite sized pieces
3 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing 


FOR THE CHICKEN
whisk the hot sauce, butter, and molasses together in a bowl; set aside. Whisk the cornmeal and cornstarch together in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat the chicken with the cornmeal mixture, pressing on the coating to help it adhere.


Heat the oil and a 12-inch non stick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, 6-8 minutes. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the chicken registers 160-165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, 6-8 minutes longer. 


Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken cross-wise into 1/2 inch thick pieces. 


FOR THE SALAD
toss the lettuce, celery and carrots with the dressing, then divide it among four plates. Toss the chicken with the hot sauce mixture, arrange on top of the salads, and serve. 




from the America's test kitchen health family cookbook