Savor the smoky and tangy flavors of a BBQ Chicken Salad with tender grilled hen, crisp lettuce, candy corn, creamy avocado, and juicy cherry tomatoes drizzled with a tangy barbecue ranch dressing.
The Best BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe
To me there isn’t a dish extra satisfying and scrumptious when the climate is heat than a hearty salad. It’s contemporary and wholesome, makes probably the most of summer time produce, and it’s a fast and simple meal that doesn’t warmth up the kitchen. We have a number of favourite essential dish salads that we rotate by (often throwing a brand new one in right here and there) however this BBQ Chicken Salad is a bonafide favourite.
For starters, the smoky, grilled BBQ hen simply screams summer time. You can throw it on virtually something and it’ll style scrumptious, however it undoubtedly takes middle stage on this salad. Secondly, it’s loaded with scrumptious, nutrition-packed elements. Last, however most actually not least.. it’s simple and downright scrumptious. The BBQ ranch dressing is straightforward and so flavorful. Trust me, that is one salad that you’ll flip to repeatedly.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make BBQ Chicken Salad:
- Romaine Lettuce– Hearty, crispy romaine lettuce is ideal for this salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes– We like to make use of cherry tomatoes, however you can even use diced roma tomatoes.
- Corn– Fresh, frozen or canned. We used frozen corn.
- Black Beans– One can, rinsed and drained.
- Red Onion– We love the colour and spicy chunk of pink onion. Green onions or french fried onions are additionally scrumptious.
- Avocado– Creamy and so scrumptious.
- Monterey Jack Cheese– Mild and creamy monterey jack cheese is yummy right here. We have additionally used pepper jack and cheddar.
- Ranch Dressing– We used our home made ranch dressing.
- BBQ Sauce– Make positive you employ a model you’ve tried and liked! We like Sweet Baby Ray’s.
BBQ Chicken
- Chicken Breasts– We used boneless, skinless hen breasts.
- Olive Oil– Any impartial flavored oil will work right here.
- Paprika– Adds an extra smoky taste.
- Cool Water & Sea Salt– To make the brine.
- BBQ Sauce– Again, simply. be certain that to make use of a model you’re keen on, as this would be the prevalent taste.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Salad:
- Grill the hen. We used our favourite BBQ Chicken Breast recipe. You may also use rotisserie hen tossed in BBQ sauce should you’re quick on time!
- Make the dressing. This is perhaps the world’s easiest dressing. Simply whisk collectively BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. We nearly at all times have our home made ranch dressing available, so that’s what we used right here. Add a pair tablespoons of bbq sauce and whisk to mix. Taste and add extra if desired.
- Prep the opposite elements. Slice the avocado and tomatoes, cube the pink onion, wash and tear the lettuce, shred the cheese, and drain the black beans.
- Build your salad. Arrange the entire salad elements in a big serving bowl. Slice the BBQ hen, add to the salad. Drizzle with the dressing and serve instantly.
Tips & Suggestions:
BBQ Chicken Salad Wrap
This salad makes an extremely scrumptious (and moveable!) wrap! Using giant tortillas, add a bit of lettuce, sliced hen, and no matter topping elements you want. Drizzle with dressing and wrap up tightly.
BBQ Chicken Salad Meal Prep
When going to all of the work to make a meal, it’s such an amazing thought to prep additional elements for future meals all through the week. It solely takes a number of additional minutes, however saves numerous time afterward. Store the elements individually so that they keep contemporary till you might be able to serve. All you’ll need to do is assemble!
Variations
- Replace the pink onion with french fried onions.
- Top with crushed tortilla chips.
- Replace the sliced avocado with a scoop of guacamole.
- Throw corn on the cob onto the grill while you’re cooking the hen. Cut the kernels off the cob and add them to the salad for an additional scrumptious layer of smoky taste.
- Add spinach to your greens.
What ought to I serve with BBQ Chicken Salad?
This hearty salad makes an amazing meal all by itself, however I usually serve it with one in every of these:
Looking for More Delicious Salad Recipes?
BBQ Chicken Salad
Savor the smoky and tangy flavors of a BBQ Chicken Salad with tender grilled hen, crisp lettuce, candy corn, creamy avocado, juicy cherry tomatoes drizzled with a tangy barbecue ranch dressing.
Servings: 6
Calories: 286kcal
BBQ Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless hen breasts 2 giant breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 4 cups cool water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons effective sea salt
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Salad
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce rinsed and dried
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium avocado sliced
- 1 cup candy corn kernels drained
- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup pink onion diced
- 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese shredded
- tortilla chips for serving
Dressing
- 1/4 cup home made ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
For the Chicken
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Brine hen breasts. This helps the hen take in moisture in order that they do not dry out on the grill. The hen will not get salty as a result of the brine time is not very lengthy, however the taste and moisture degree might be superb!
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In a big mixing bowl, whisk collectively 4 cups of cool water with sea salt till the salt is dissolved. Add your hen breasts to the water, cowl and refrigerate for half-hour.
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While the hen is brining, warmth your grill to medium warmth. Brush the grates with a bit of olive oil earlier than inserting the hen on it.Remove the hen from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Coat the hen with olive oil and season with paprika on either side.
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Place hen on the new grill, and baste the highest facet with BBQ sauce. Let it cook dinner undisturbed for 5-6 minutes. Flip the hen over and transfer it to a cooler facet of the grill. Baste the opposite facet with BBQ sauce. Cover the grill and allow them to them end cooking till the inner temperature reaches 165℉. Remove from the grill and brush with a remaining coat of BBQ sauce. Cover and let relaxation for 5-10 minutes earlier than slicing.
For the Salad
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In a big serving bowl, mix chopped romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, corn, black beans, pink onion, and shredded cheese. Toss to mix. Layer with BBQ hen slices.
For the Dressing
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In a small bowl, whisk collectively ranch and BBQ sauce. Drizzle the salad with dressing and toss to coat, or serve the dressing on the facet. Serve with tortilla chips and luxuriate in!
Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 847mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4382IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2mg
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Natalie Monson
I’m a registered dietitian, mother of 4, avid lover of meals and powerful promoter of wholesome habits. Here you can see numerous scrumptious recipes filled with fruits and veggies, suggestions for getting your youngsters to eat higher and grow to be intuitive eaters and many sources for feeding your loved ones.