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A white serving bowl with a bed of lettuce greens topped with bbq chicken, rice, cheese, corn, black beans, avocado, tomatoes and topped with a bbq lime ranch dressing.
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5 from 1 vote

BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe

BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe is tender marinated chicken nestled on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce, mixed with black beans, corn, juicy tomatoes, and creamy avocado, all drizzled with a tangy BBQ dressing with just the right balance of sweetness and tang.
Author: Nikki Lee
Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Marinade Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

BBQ Chicken Marinade

  • 2 to 3 pounds chicken breasts
  • ⅓ cup BBQ sauce
  • 1 lime juice and zested (zest before cutting)

Dressing

  • ½ cup mayonaise
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ tablespoon honey
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅓ cup BBQ sauce

Rice (optional)

  • 1 cup white rice rinsed
  • 1 ⅔ cup chicken broth
  • 1 lime zested and juiced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 -2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

Salad

  • 8 cups romaine hearts
  • 15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce corn rinsed and drained
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (or to taste)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 avocado sliced

Instructions

Salad Dressing

  • Add all the dressing ingredients into a blender and pulse till combined, scraping the sides as needed. Don’t over-blend, or the cilantro won’t be visible, and the dressing will be watery.
  • Put dressing into a mason jar or a salad dressing bottle, or cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and let refrigerate till it is used. I suggest making the dressing the day before serving or the morning of if serving in the evening to let the flavors combine nicely.

Chicken Marinade

  • In a gallon resealable bag or a mixing bowl combine the BBQ sauce and lime juice and zest. Add the chicken and coat. Seal the bag or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but for best flavor for 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray withnon-stick spray. Lay the chicken on the sheet and bake till the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. About 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken is. Let rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before chopping or slicing.

Rice (optional)

  • In a rice cooker add the rinsed rice, broth, lime juice, zest, garlic, cilantro, and cumin. Stir lightly and turn on the rice cooker. When the rice is done (about 15-20 minutes), remove it from the rice cooker immediately. See Cilantro Lime Recipe for stovetop directions.

Salad Assembly

  • If serving one big salad, to a large serving bowl, add lettuce and top with black beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese, sliced avocados, cilantro rice (this can also go on the bottom or serve on the side), tortilla strips, and garnish with lime wedges. Add the chicken to the middle of the salad and drizzle with the dressing.
    You can also build individual salads and add toppings to taste (this is great if you think you will have leftovers, as salads tend to get watery).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 875kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1175mg | Potassium: 1746mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 9544IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 329mg | Iron: 5mg

Find it online:

www.soulfullymade.com/bbq-chicken-salad-recipe/