Buffalo Salad with Shoestring Fried Onions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Slice the chicken breast into 4 strips. In a shallow bowl, submerge the chicken in the buttermilk, making sure to coat.

In another shallow dish, mix together half of the cornmeal and the panko breadcrumbs and season with half of the salt and pepper. Coat each chicken strip in the breadcrumb mixture and place them onto a greased baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the strips liberally with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until chicken reaches 165 F. Place the chicken in a large bowl and toss with the wing sauce until coated.

Meanwhile, in another shallow dish mix together the flour and the remaining half of the cornmeal, salt and pepper. Toss the onion slices in the flour mixture, making sure to separate the rings as you toss.

Heat about ½ an inch of vegetable oil in a skillet until the oil shimmers. Add the onions to the oil in a single layer and fry until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

In two large salad bowls, divide the lettuce mix then top with tomatoes, avocado and mozzarella cheese. Place 2 chicken strips on top of the lettuce bed then top each with fried onions. Serve with dressing on top!

Thanks to Half Baked Harvest for the inspiration for this salad.