1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons hot sauce

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

3 large carrots, chopped

3 large stalks celery, chopped

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

Combine 1/2 cup blue cheese in a small bowl with buttermilk, 2 teaspoons vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; mix well, mashing slightly with a fork. Set aside.

Place chicken in another bowl; sprinkle with flour and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and toss until coated.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until just cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in hot sauce and the remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is coated, about 1 minute.

Combine lettuce, carrots, celery and cucumber in a large bowl; add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide the salad among four plates and top each with an equal portion of chicken and 1 tablespoon each of the reserved blue cheese.

Recipe nutrition: Per serving: 291 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 75 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 6 g total sugars; 32 g protein; 5 g fiber; 607 mg sodium; 832 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (350 percent daily value), Folate (44 percent dv), Vitamin C (25 percent dv), Potassium (24 percent dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving(s)

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat, 1 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)