Violet Witchel’s Buffalo Chicken Dense Bean Salad (With Macros)

Food is one of my favorite corners of social media, and truly, it’s where I’ve found some of my most reliable sources of kitchen inspiration, and recipes that have absolutely made it to my weekly rotation.  Violet Witchel is definitely one of those people I discovered via social, the way I find most good things: scrolling when I probably should have been doing something else.

She’s the self-appointed (and fully deserving) queen of the dense bean salad genre. Yes, it’s a genre. Yes, she rules it.

This recipe is so Violet : grilled buffalo chicken, two kinds of beans, charred corn, pepper jack, and a dressing that has  no business tasting as good as it does. I made it for meal prep the first time and ate it four days straight. Yes, it’s good.

Fair warning: it’s not a five minute recipe. There’s a grill, there’s marinating time, there are a few things happening simultaneously. But what you end up with is a big, satisfying bowl that holds up beautifully in the fridge all week and tastes like an actual cook made it.

Which she did. I’m just passing it along. I did make it just a little lighter, because macros, you know. (I dialed back the oil in the dressing, and reduced the amount of cheese. You do you, though.) Also, if you know me, you know I hate corn “in things,” so I omit it here. But if you’re not a “corn is only good by itself” weirdo, I’m sure it adds something.

Violet’s Buffalo Chicken Dense Bean Salad (lighter)
Grilled buffalo chicken, charred corn, two kinds of beans, pepper jack, and a smoky buffalo dressing. Recipe by Violet Witchel — dressing dialed back, cheese halved.

INGREDIENTS
• 1.8 pounds boneless chicken thighs
• 1 lemon, juiced (for marinade)
• 1 cups buffalo sauce (for marinade)
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (for marinade)
• 2 tablespoons honey (for marinade)
• 2 tablespoons sea salt (for marinade)
• 0.5 cups avocado oil (for marinade)
• 0.5 cups rice vinegar (for marinade)
• 3 ears of corn
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 small red onion (or half a large)
• 1 bunch of radishes
• 4 ounces pepper jack cheese
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 0.3 cups Frank’s buffalo sauce (for dressing)
• 0.3 cups rice vinegar (for dressing)
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil (for dressing)
• 1 tablespoons honey (for dressing)
• 1 teaspoons paprika (for dressing)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (for dressing)
• 1 lemon, halved for grilling (for dressing)
• 1 tablespoons mayonnaise

STEPS
1. Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cups buffalo sauce (for marinade), the juice of 1 lemon, juiced (for marinade), 0.5 cups avocado oil (for marinade), 6 garlic cloves, pressed, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (for marinade), 0.5 cups rice vinegar (for marinade), 2 tablespoons honey (for marinade), and 2 tablespoons sea salt (for marinade) until combined.
2. Marinate the chicken: Add 1.8 pounds boneless chicken thighs to the marinade. Use a fork to poke holes all over the chicken so the marinade can really get in there. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 24.
3. Prep the grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high and make sure the grates are well oiled. Shuck 3 ears of corn and rub with a little avocado oil. Slice 1 lemon, halved for grilling (for dressing) in half cut-side down for grilling later.
4. Grill the chicken — first side: Remove 1.8 pounds boneless chicken thighs from the marinade with tongs, shaking off the excess. Place on the grill, close the lid, and don’t touch it. When the chicken releases from the grates without sticking, it’s ready to flip — about 10 minutes.
5. Grill the chicken — second side, plus corn and lemon: Flip the chicken. Place 1 lemon, halved for grilling (for dressing) halves cut-side down next to the chicken. Move 3 ears of corn to the upper rack. Close the lid and cook 8 more minutes, rotating the corn a quarter turn every 5 minutes.
6. Rest everything: Remove the chicken, corn, and grilled lemon from the grill. Let them rest at least 5 minutes before chopping.
7. Prep the salad base: Core and dice 2 bell peppers. Mince 1 bunch of cilantro and 1 small red onion (or half a large). Dice 1 bunch of radishes. Cut 4 ounces pepper jack cheese into 1cm cubes. Rinse and drain 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained and 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained. Add everything to a large salad bowl.
8. Add the grilled components: Cut the kernels off the 3 ears of corn cobs into the bowl. Chop the rested 1.8 pounds boneless chicken thighs into small bite-sized pieces and add it in.
9. Make the dressing: In a jar, deli container, or blender, combine 0.3 cups Frank’s buffalo sauce (for dressing), 0.3 cups rice vinegar (for dressing), 3 tablespoons avocado oil (for dressing), 1 tablespoons honey (for dressing), 1 teaspoons paprika (for dressing), 2 teaspoons kosher salt (for dressing), 1 tablespoons mayonnaise, and squeeze in the juice from your grilled 1 lemon, halved for grilling (for dressing). Blend 15 seconds until smooth, or froth for about 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt.
10. Dress and serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until fully coated. Keeps well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

NOTES
Smoked paprika over regular — richer color, a little more depth.

The corn goes on the upper rack while the chicken finishes its second side, so everything comes off the grill at roughly the same time.

Grilling the lemon is non-negotiable. The char changes it entirely.

The lighter dressing still emulsifies beautifully — the buffalo sauce and a little mayo do the work even with less oil.

And, here are the macros…in case you care.