BBQ Chicken Salad
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Smoky BBQ chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado + cheese drizzled with homemade Ranch. An instant family favorite!
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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.
reasons to make bbq chicken salad
- Charred, smoky BBQ chicken bites throughout (hello, dark meat)
- Double whammy barbecue goodness using BBQ seasoning and a saucy, sweet and tangy BBQ sauce
- Includes a homemade Ranch dressing that will knock your socks off
- Great for potlucks, picnics or a quick weeknight dinner
tips and tricks for success
- 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.
- Use fresh, canned or frozen corn. In-season fresh corn is always a great option when available but canned corn or thawed 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.
- Mix it up. Use leftover rotisserie chicken to cut down on prep time even more, add cilantro, or swap the cheddar cheese for crumbled cotija cheese.
what to serve with bbq chicken salad
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan
BBQ Chicken Salad: Frequently Asked Questions
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.
We used Yellowstone Cowboy BBQ seasoning but there are so many good ones out there so feel free to use your favorite brand.
Yes, 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.
Yes! The Ranch dressing can be made 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) and placed in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and shaking well before using.
BBQ Chicken Salad
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.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
How long can this be stores in the fridge when tossed or does it need to be ate the day it’s made?
Once the salad has been tossed, it should be served immediately.
When you say tortilla strips do you mean tortillas cut into strips? The ones in your pictures look crispy-did you fry them in something? This is on my meal plan for next week & can’t wait!
I used store-bought tortilla strips, used as a topping from entrees, salads and wraps to soups and sides.
I just want to say how amazing this recipe was. What a hit with the whole family.
Thanks so much for the blood, sweat and tears involved in the creation of your site. We have made several recipes that we LOVE. We are HUGE fans and hope that you continue to share.
Our payback will be the purchase of your first book. Is it available in Canada, yet?
I forgot to mention, as many have already, avocado and a hint of lime are great additions. As a BBQ sauce I used “Rufus Teagues: Touch ‘o Heat”. Delicious.
Awwwww, thanks, Steven! Yes, it should be available here:
Amazon http://bit.ly/damndeliciousbook
BN.com http://bit.ly/1W9MFUV
Indiebound http://bit.ly/1WJmvH8
It only is available on amazon.ca as of September 6th, 2016…Rest assured we will be buying a copy.
Thanks so much Chungah!
We made this salad for dinner last week (2 nights in a row even!) and it was delicious!
We used bbq chicken I had cooked in the slow cooker earlier and an avocado cilantro dressing instead of ranch. We also added avocado and some crispy bacon bits. We will definitely keep this one in the rotation this summer! Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
So good! I’ve been trying to add some freshness to my menu rotation – this DEFINITELY hit the bill. Super tasty, tons of flavor, and pretty quick to put together. I added avocado and omitted the onion. Would love to see more entree salad ideas!
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.
Sounds delicious. be nice to have ago at making own. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
what kind of ranch dressing do you recommend? I want to make it but have no idea what kind I should buy?
Hidden Valley is one of my favorite brands.
Do you cook the canned black beans and corn? Or do you just throw them in to the salad right from the can?
You can toss them right into the salad.
which bbq sauce do you recommend?
You can use your favorite brand – it’s up to you!
Amazing salad!
Thank you for sharing with us
Looks awesome! Only you forgot my favorite part of this salad! The cool crisp crunch of the jicama! So delicious though, gonna make it this week 🙂
This is such a GREAT recipe; I made it last night for dinner, and my husband and I LOVED it; I can’t wait to make it again. Super Delicious!!
I made this last week for the family. I’ve got five little kids and trying to put “salad” in front of them and getting them ALL to eat it is like pulling teeth. THIS yummy concoction though was a huge success – put veggies and protein into all five of my kids, whom ALL got a second bowl. This recipe was a major hit and all the kiddos agreed that it makes “THE LIST” of must make again recipes. Thank you!
My hubby and I barbequed yesterday, I made this salad and it was the best salad i ever had!!!! I substitute the tortilla strips with avacados, and I grilled my chicken breast omg!! So good..
Would love to serve this as a main dish salad to guests this summer. Any ideas what to serve with it to complete the menu?
A lemonade and possibly a refreshing appetizer, such as crostini, would be wonderful additions to your menu.
I like to add julienned jicama for added crunch. and a couple slices of ripe avocado on the top add a nice creaminess. leftover cubed pork tenderloin is a good substitution.
We’ve made this two weeks in a row and everyone is a fan, although one of my kids prefers it without the BBQ sauce so I just pull some out for her before it goes on. I’ve already told them to expect it weekly until further notice.
yum 🙂 i love all your recipes.
This was an awesome recipe. I just bought a smoker and smoked some Chicken Leg Quarters! What an enhancing effect especially with the BBQ sauce. I am a young senior and have just turned to the joy of cooking, vegan style and love most of your recipe’s. Thank you!