BBQ Chicken Salad
by Chungah
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This BBQ chicken salad is perfect for quick dinners, picnics, and potlucks! With smoky, juicy BBQ chicken, corn, tomatoes, and creamy Ranch!
Featured Comment
I made this salad last night and it was a hug hit with the family. Even my boys said it was hearty enough for dinner. (they are big meat eaters, so never really sure what to expect with them) When I went to buy ranch dressing, I noticed there was a BBQ ranch flavour. It worked perfectly!! I did add a small drizzle of BBQ sauce on top, but really was not needed. Next time I think I will add avocado. thanks for the great recipes, yours are always a hit at our table.
Hello, summertime bliss. We have picnics, blue skies, ice cream cones, trips to the beach, and of course, a classic BBQ chicken salad here. This is what summer dreams are made of, and one of the best summer recipes hands down.
Why you’ll love this bbq chicken salad recipe
- Smoky, saucy BBQ chicken. First, this salad is wonderfully packed with charred, smoky, juicy BBQ chicken bites throughout. And you can cook the chicken on the stovetop or grill (weather permitting)!
- Double whammy barbecue goodness. Next, this recipe uses both BBQ seasoning and a velvety, sweet and tangy BBQ sauce for an extra flavor punch.
- Includes the creamiest Ranch. Of course this recipe includes a homemade Ranch dressing that will knock your socks off, one that you will want on anything and everyhting.
- Perfect for any occasion. Finally, this salad is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, picnics, potlucks, or any get-together. It’s truly a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for everyone!
How to make bbq chicken salad
- Season the chicken. Coat the chicken with vegetable oil, BBQ seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Cook the chicken. Cook the chicken in a cast iron grill pan until golden brown and cooked through (165°F). Toss with the BBQ sauce until combined.
- Cook the corn. Add the corn to the grill pan and cook until charred and tender, letting it cool before cutting off the kernels. This is my favorite tool to remove the kernels easily and quickly.
- Assemble the salad. Spread the shredded romaine on a large platter. Top with the BBQ chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado, red onion, and cheese, drizzling the Ranch dressing on top.
variations, substitutions and swaps
Protein
- Chicken: use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- Pork: swap out the chicken for pulled pork
- Seafood: grilled shrimp or salmon, basting with BBQ sauce
- Vegetarian: substitute with baked tofu (or plant-based alternative), tossing with BBQ sauce until well coated
- Rotisserie: repurpose leftover rotisserie chicken for a quick-dinner hack
Greens and veggies
- Romaine: substitute (or mix) with iceberg lettuce, kale, baby spinach, or arugula
- Corn: use fresh, canned or frozen corn
Toppings
- Cheese: substitute the cheddar cheese with feta, queso fresco, or goat cheese
- Tortilla chips: top with crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips for an added crunch
what to serve with bbq chicken salad
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan
BBQ Chicken Salad: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here, but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content, which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
What BBQ seasoning do you recommend?
We used Yellowstone Cowboy BBQ seasoning but there are so many good ones out there, so feel free to use your favorite brand.
Can I make the chicken ahead of time?
The chicken can be cooked and tossed in the BBQ sauce up to 1 day in advance, stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Can I make the dressing ahead of time?
Yes! Make the Ranch dressing 1 week in advance and store in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and shaking well before using.
BBQ Chicken Salad
This BBQ chicken salad is perfect for quick dinners, picnics, and potlucks! With smoky, juicy BBQ chicken, corn, tomatoes, and creamy Ranch!
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons BBQ seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed
- 1 head romaine, shredded
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Homemade ranch dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, BBQ seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside and stir in BBQ sauce until well combined.
- Add corn to the grill pan, and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, about 5-10 minutes; let cool before cutting the corn kernels off the cobs.
- To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado, red onion and cheese. Pour the ranch dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the homemade ranch dressing up to 1 week in advance, and prepping and dicing the vegetables (except the avocado) 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Fresh, canned or frozen corn all works. In-season fresh corn is always an excellent option when available but canned corn or frozen corn can also be used.
- Use your favorite beans. Canned beans is such a convenient pantry staple. Black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans or any other beans on hand will work well here.
- Homemade dressing makes all the difference. Store-bought Ranch can certainly be used here in a pinch, but this homemade Ranch dressing is oh-so-creamy and perfectly drizzly. It’s one you’ll want to use for all your salads (and everything else) this summer.
- Grill outdoors. When the weather permits, use an outdoor grill for even more smoky, charred flavors, grilling the chicken whole, then dicing into bite-sized pieces. Ensure that the grill is properly cleaned (to prevent sticking) and preheated prior to grilling. This will allow for a better sear for those grill marks and evenly cooked chicken.
- Rotisserie chicken will be the ultimate shortcut. Use leftover rotisserie chicken for a lightning fast dinner.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F.
- Toss the dressing just before serving. This will avoid a soggy salad and allow for maximum, crisp freshness, keeping the vegetables and BBQ chicken in separate airtight containers if meal prepping ahead of time.
Did you make this recipe?
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Damn delicious! Thank you.
Can you post the older bbq chicken salad recipe that didn’t have the avocado and that had the different cheese, please. I would like that one also. Thanx.
Excellent! Easy to make with items I have on hand.
Hi, Chungah! Wow! Another great recipe that can be a main dish, as well. Lots of healthy, yummy ingredients. I love your recipes and save a lot of them, to share with friends and family (leaving your website address so they know whose it is! and can visit). I tell my friends that you seem as charming as your great recipes are good! Thanks again, and Cheers!
I feel like this recipe changed from the “old” one that I used to follow. By any chance, do you have a link to that one?
Ahhh so I’m not crazy! I thought the same thing. I don’t remember adding avocado or onion really and thought it was different cheese and included tortilla straps. I’m looking through screenshots to see if I can find the old recipe!!
I, too, would like the old recipe. It was a lot more kid friendly.
You can access it through the wayback machine website.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160319033515/http://damndelicious.net/2014/01/03/bbq-chicken-salad/
This was amazing! I have ordered out in the past but this is so easy and delicious! I charred my corn a bit just to add a bit more flavor but this is definitely on our repeat list! Thank you for sharing.
Hi,
So tasty!!! We like to use homemade buttermilk ranch and add diced avocados for an added bonus to an already delicious meal!
Thanks.
Made this over the weekend as a lunch meal prep using the ranch dressing recipe from the Buffalo Cauliflower Cobb Salad, from the Meal Prep book and wow. This one will definitely be part of my regular rotation. Simply devine. I calculated calories per serving to be 386, but might turn out to be more depending on your portion sizes, type of dressing and bbq sauce. So, yeah; a keeper for sure! Thank you!
Have not tried this, but will be taking it to a “potluck” on the weekend. Looks fabulous. Particularly grilled corn, a new favorite ingredient for me. Thanks!
Great salad! My husband loved it! Thank you!
So tasty!!! We like to use homemade buttermilk ranch and add diced avocados for an added bonus to an already delicious meal!
I absolutely love this salad, and it is a great way for me to corn. I’m a T2 diabetic and do not corn often because of the carb content. However, I leave out the tortillas and reduce the amount of beans. I also add peppers and cucumbers. It is the perfect portion of carbs. Top it with a sugar free bbq sauce and ranch. I have also used a no sugar added honey mustard dressing (Sweet Baby Ray’s). Unbelievably delicious! It is so colorful… I eat alot of salad, and after awhile it gets boring but not with this recipe. Give it a shot.
One of my favorites! When serving to guests, what if anything do you serve with it?
Most people enjoy a good piece of bread with a main dish salad. Think charred sourdough or warm cornbread/cornbread muffins with a compound butter, simply mashed room temp butter with a little coarse salt, minced cilantro or parsley, and a dusting of chili powder and cumin. Mix together, roll into a log on a piece of parchment/waxed paper and rechilled. Slice pats onto warm bread.
Said by my sister — the best salad she’d ever ate. I’m suprised I made a good salad. Thank you! (Best salad recipe for me too.)
Excellent salad!!! I made a salad bar of sorts (I like spicy BBQ, husband likes mild) and we assembled our own. Would definitely make this again!
This looks fabulous! I don’t have black beans. Think I could sub white kidney beans?
you could, but black beans makes it so much better.
This salad was very good. I grilled the chicken basting with the same bbq sauce I was going use as the dressing. The chicken was extremely moist and added more flavor to the salad.
Looks lovely. Just wondering though how do you make the tortilla strips?
So I subbed a chopped up chicken strip from my kids’ dinner, but otherwise made it the same. It was sooooo good.
We love your recipes!!! We have your two books and use it all the time. Love that it’s easy to follow and no complicated steps. My 13 yo daughter uses your books to make us meals!
This was fantastically delicious! I can’t believe how good this simple recipe is. All the flavors compliment each other (and I even accidentally forgot the tomatoes). This one is easy and is definitely going into the rotation. Thanks so much