• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kalefornia Kravings

  • Home
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • Press
  • Blog
    • Discount Codes
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Main Dish
      • Beef
      • Chicken/Turkey
      • Seafood
      • Meatless
      • Breakfast
    • Pasta
    • Salad
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Snack
    • Spice Mixes, Sauces, Marinades & Dips
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Work with Me
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Nashville Hot Chicken Tender Salad

May 22, 2020 by Caitlin Monson Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Sweet and spicy chicken tenders, cut up and served over a freshly prepared salad and drizzled with a creamy dill pickle dressing! Trust me, your taste buds won’t know what they just walked into!

Healthier nashville hot chicken that's baked instead of fried and topped over a fresh greens and dill pickle salad!

When I worked as a caterer, I can remember the chef coming back from one of his trips to Nashville and was just raving about this new chicken dish he tried. He then proceeded to recreate the dish for all of us in the restaurant and you know what?! After one bite, I completely understood his hype! From that day on I haven’t been able to forget that dish and now I’m so excited to finally share with you all my version of it. So without further adieu, here’s my take on a healthier Nashville hot chicken tender salad!

A healthier spin on a southern classic! These Nashville hot chicken tenders are baked instead of fried and served with a fresh side salad that's been drizzled with a creamy dressing!

What is Nashville hot chicken?

Ok, so some of you might not know what Nashville hot chicken is and that’s totally ok! Nashville hot chicken is a dish that originated in Nashville, Tennessee (hence the name) and is usually made with spicy fried chicken that’s been drizzled with a cayenne pepper sauce. It’s then served with some type of bread or pickles to help cool it down. With this recipe though, we’re baking the chicken instead of frying it and toning down the cayenne pepper sauce just a touch. (I like to still be able to talk after eating my food, if you know what I mean… 😉 )

And to help cool this spicy chicken down even more, I thought it’d be absolutely perfect to pair it with Taylor Farms’ brand new Dill Pickle Salad Kit!

Taylor Farms new dill pickle salad kit is full of chopped cauliflower, kale, radish, cabbage and croutons crumbles and is then drizzled with a dill pickle ranch dressing!

What’s in Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Salad?

I’ll be completely honest, most of the time I don’t usually prefer pre-made salad kits. But so far, every one that I’ve tried from Taylor Farms has been spot on. And this dill pickle version was definitely unique in it’s own right! Check out the ingredients below:

  • Shredded cauliflower
  • Crinkle cut radish
  • Red & green cabbage
  • Green leaf lettuce
  • Kale
  • Dill pickle brioche crouton crumbles
  • Dill pickle ranch dressing

I was actually very pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this salad, even without the chicken on top. The pickle flavor wasn’t over powering and the radishes brought a nice crunchy/zestiness to the salad as a whole. But I have to say my favorite part was the dressing. If you like dill pickles, then you’re going to love that dressing babe! It’s creamy and pickle-y and just ties everything together so well! I also added a few more components to “beef” mine up a bit and honestly, no one could tell that this once started out as a pre-packaged salad kit! Here are the other components I added:

  • Sliced red onion
  • Avocado
  • More dill pickles!
Easy nashville hot chicken tenders that are served with a dill pickle ranch dressing! If you love spicy food, then you're going to love this meal!

How to make nashville hot chicken tenders

  • 1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders
  • 1 Tbsp cayenne powder
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Place the chicken tenders in a plastic bag and set aside. Combine the cayenne, honey, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, paprika and garlic powder in bowl and pour it into the bag with your chicken tenders, Shake the bag to fully coat the tenders.
  3. Pour your coated tenders into the prepared baking dish and place them in the oven to cook for 15 minutes. Once they’re done, let them cool slightly before cutting them and topping your salad.
Baked chicken tenders that are coated in a spicy cayenne pepper sauce are cut up and served over a fresh salad of greens, avocado, dill pickles and onion.

What else can I serve with Nashville hot chicken tenders?

If this dill pickle salad caught your eye, then make sure to checkout the Taylor Farms store locator to find it near you or browse any of their other salad kits too! You can also CLICK HERE to receive a discount on ANY of their salad kits!

Here are a few other ideas you can serve these spicy tenders with too:

  • Regular ranch dressing
  • Garlic bread
  • Bread/rolls and butter
  • Sweet potato fries
  • Your own side salad
  • Mashed potatoes/mashed cauliflower
More recipes like this:
  • Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche (One of my most popular recipes on the blog!)
  • Grilled Jerk Chicken Kabobs
  • Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa
  • Baked Cajun Chicken Wings with Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce

[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]

Healthier nashville hot chicken that's baked instead of fried and topped over a fresh greens and dill pickle salad!
Print Recipe Pin It!

Nashville Hot Chicken Tender Salad

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: 30 minutes or less, American
Keyword: chicken tenders, dill pickle, nashville hot chicken, ranch dressing
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Caitlin Monson

Ingredients

For the Nashville hot chicken tenders:

  • 1½ lbs chicken tenders
  • 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

For the salad:

  • 1 package Taylor Farms Dill Pickle Salad kit
  • 1 large avocado, chopped
  • Dill pickles, chopped
  • Red onion, sliced thin

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Whisk the cayenne, honey, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, paprika and garlic powder together in a bowl. Place the chicken tender in a large plastic bag and pour the sauce in with them. Shake the bag until all of the chicken tenders are fully coated.
  • Place the coated chicken tenders in your prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
  • While the chicken is cooking, pour all the salad kit contents into a large servings bowl. Add your chopped avocado, dill pickles and red onion and toss the salad with the dressing from the kit. Set aside.
  • Once the chicken is done, cut it into cubes or slices and top it over your salad just before serving.

Notes

Interested in trying one of Taylor Farms salad kits? Click HERE to receive a coupon for them!
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Chicken/Turkey, Main Dish, Salad Tagged With: chicken tender salad, dill pickle salad, easy, healthy, nashville hot chicken, pre-made salad, racnh dressing

Previous Post: « Greek Turkey Meatballs
Next Post: Chocolate Dipped Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Meet Caitlin

Hey there!

I’m Caitlin and I’m here to simplify California cuisine! I’m just your every day Cali girl with a huge passion for cooking and sharing simple healthy eats with a few sweet treats.

Welcome to my kitchen!

Recent Posts

  • Chopped Apple & Mandarin Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Sourdough French Toast Casserole with Blueberries
  • Easy Pizza Pasta Salad
  • Easy Protein Mocha Smoothie
  • Loaded Greek Salad with Chicken & Avocado

Let’s get social!

AVOCADO, TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SALAD! Can I get a he AVOCADO, TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SALAD! Can I get a hell yeah?!🙌🏻
.
One thing you’ll learn about me - I put avocado on EVERYTHING!🤗 (Which is a little ironic considering I hated avocados as a kid...😳 Weird...I know.) But dangg was it delicious in this salad! It’s super simple to make, loaded with fresh & bright flavors & a fun spin on your classic caprese!😍
P.S. Try it on some sourdough for a fun toast topping too!
.
Hope you’re all having a great Thursday loves!😊💕
.
Avocado, Tomato & Mozzarella Salad🥑
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Mozzarella balls
Avocado, diced
Fresh basil, sliced thin
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (you can add 1 Tbsp of coconut sugar to this too if you like it sweeter)
Salt & pepper, to taste
.
1. Bring your balsamic vinegar (& sweetener if using) to a boil in pot on the stove over medium high heat. Let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it’s slightly thickened. Let it cool completely.
2. Then add your tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado & fresh basil to bowl & toss with your balsamic “dressing”.
3. Sprinkle it with salt & pepper to taste & serve immediately. 
.
.
.
#kaleforniakravings #dinner #caprese #capresesalad #salad #healthydinner #easyrecipes #easymeals #dinnerideas #healthyeats #healthylunch #wholefoods #lunchideas #healthfood #healthyfood #quickmeals #foodblogger #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreefood #feedfeed #healthyrecipes #huffposttaste #realfood #thekitchn #healthyfoodshare #mealprep #foodblogfeed #goodmoodfood #healthyfoodporn @thefeedfeed @thekitchn @huffposttaste
Another day, another salad... And I’m about to d Another day, another salad... And I’m about to dive head first into this CHOPPED APPLE & MANDARIN SALAD with CREAMY POPPY SEED DRESSING!😍 [Ad]
.
Does anyone else love making their own salad dressings? Because SAME. HERE!🙋🏼‍♀️ (It actually feels a little weird whenever I use store bought dressing now...😳) But I just love that I can tailor them to fit my taste buds & use better for you ingredients too. Just like this easy poppy seed dressing!🤗 It’s protein packed with Greek yogurt & helps support a healthy immune system with a good dose of apple cider vinegar. Not to mention it’s absolutely delicious on this fresh & fruity salad too!😉 (Side note: @sprouts is the only place I get my ACV because they have the best pricing for all organic vinegars.) So pop on over to your local @sprouts & pick up all these ingredients ASAP!
.
Hope you’re having a great Tuesday loves!😊💕
(Full recipe & tips are on my website. Link in bio⬆️)
.
Chopped Apple & Mandarin Salad🍎
Kale, leaves cut off the stem & chopped
Honeycrisp apples, diced
Mandarin oranges
Dried cranberries
Toasted pecans (toasted at 375 degrees for 5-6 mins)
Poppyseed Dressing: 2 Tbsp olive oil + 2 Tbsp ACV + 2 Tbsp maple syrup + 2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt + 1 tsp poppy seeds
.
1. Massage the kale in 1 Tbsp of your dressing. Then add your apples, mandarins & dried cranberries.
2. Toss the salad in your dressing & top with pecans right before serving!
Currently craving a big ol’ bowl of this ONE POT Currently craving a big ol’ bowl of this ONE POT BROCCOLI MAC & CHEESE!🤗
.
Creamy, cheesy & made with minimal ingredients too?? It doesn’t get much better than that in my book by loves! (And the fact that it only takes 10ish minutes to make too is just icing on the cake.😉) Bring on all that cheesy goodness please!😍
.
Hope you’re all having a fantastic Monday!😊💕
.
One Pot Broccoli Mac & Cheese🧀
2 cups dry rotini pasta (use gluten free if needed)
2 cups almond milk (or your favorite milk)
1 cup water
1 cup broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp ground mustard
3/4 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste
.
1. Pour the milk, water, pasta & salt into a large pot & bring it to a boil. Boil the pasta for 8-10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
2. Then add your broccoli & boil for an additional 2 minutes. (The broccoli will give off a lot of water so make sure there is very little water in the pot before adding your broccoli.)
3. Once the broccoli is cooked, add your cheese, ground mustard & pepper & stir until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately!
.
.
.
#kaleforniakravings #macandcheese #macaroni #healthydinner #dinnerideas #healthylunch #lunchideas #comfortfood #easyrecipes #healthyeats #simplerecipes #wholefoods #easymeals #quickmeals #feedfeed #meatlessmonday #foodblogger #huffposttaste #glutenfree #glutenfreefood #healthyrecipes #healthyfood #realfood #foodblogfeed #healthyfoodshare #healthfood #easydinner #goodmoodfood #healthyfoodporn @thefeedfeed @thekitchn @huffposttaste
Weekend plans include: Devouring this SOURDOUGH FR Weekend plans include: Devouring this SOURDOUGH FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE with BLUEBERRIES & all the maple syrup!🤗
.
French toast has always been my jam. (Even as a little one!) But I’ve never tried making a casserole with it until now. All I can say is...holy moly have been missing out!😱 It’s super soft & “custardy” in the center, perfectly toasted on top & then you get that juicy burst from a warm blueberry... Ohhhh baby, that’s breakfast heaven right there!🤤 Swipe ➡️ to see that close up!
.
Hope you’re having a great Friday loves!😊💕
(Full recipe & tips are on my website. Link in bio⬆️)
.
Sourdough French Toast Casserole🍞🫐
5 cups sourdough bread, cut into cubes
2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
.
1. Whisk the eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla & cinnamon together & set it aside.
2. Spray a 7x11” pan with nonstick cooking spray & spread half of your bread cubes on the bottom. Then sprinkle half of your blueberries over the top & repeat the layers.
3. Pour your egg mixture over the top and cover the pan with foil. Let the pan sit in the fridge for 2 hours - overnight.
4. Then bake it uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve with extra blue fries & syrup!
.
.
.
#kaleforniakravings #frenchtoast #frenchtoastcasserole #breakfastideas #healthybreakfast #brunchideas #breakfastrecipes #breakfastlover #dairyfree #comfortfood #quickmeals #wholefoods #easyrecipes #easymeals #simplemeals #healthyish #foodblogger #huffposttaste #thekitchn #thefeedfeed #healthyrecipes #healthyfrenchtoast #realfood #healthyfood #healthyfoodshare #thenewhealthy #feedfeed #goodmoodfood #healthyfoodporn @thefeedfeed @huffposttaste
Show More! Follow Me!

 

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018

Copyright © 2021 Kalefornia Kravings on the Foodie Pro Theme