BBQ Chicken Salad

 

Smoky BBQ chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado + cheese drizzled with homemade Ranch. An instant family favorite!

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.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 30 minutes minutes

Smoky BBQ chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado + cheese drizzled with homemade Ranch. An instant family favorite!

5 stars (25 ratings)

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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

*If you do not have a cast iron grill pan, you can also use a large cast iron skillet.

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