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Related Video: Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken
Yields:
4 - 6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Cal/Serv:
726
Some salads are meant to be sides, but some (the best ones!) can stand as a dinner all on their own. This BBQ chicken salad is firmly in the latter camp: Juicy grilled BBQ chicken sits alongside festive South-of-the-border-inspired toppings like black beans, corn, cheese, and tortilla strips. Put that on top of some crunchy romaine and drizzle it with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, and you’ve got yourself a hearty meal you’ll look forward to eating again and again.
The best part about this salad is how easily you can customize it to make it your own. We went with store-bought BBQ sauce (we ranked our favorite BBQ sauces here), but feel free to swap in homemade. Alternatively, we mixed up a smaller batch of our OG ranch dressing, but you’re welcome to use your favorite store brand. Skip the corn (or swap in fresh), use pinto instead of black beans, swap the tomato for bell pepper… the sky’s the limit here.
We like this with chicken breasts, but feel free to use what you’ve got. (Hot tip: This salad is the best way to use up BBQ leftovers.) If you do go with boneless, skinless breasts, we do recommend taking the time to pound them to a 1/2" thickness before grilling. It will ensure your meat cooks quickly and evenly and doesn’t dry out.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
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Ingredients
- 2
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb. total)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup
store-bought BBQ sauce, divided
- 1/3 cup
buttermilk
- 1/4 cup
mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup
sour cream
- 1
clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp.
chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp.
chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp.
sliced fresh chives
- 1/4 tsp.
onion powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2
heads romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 8 c.)
- 1
(15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed, drained
- 1
vine-ripened tomato, finely chopped (about 1 c.)
- 1 cup
shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 cup
frozen corn, thawed, drained
- 1 cup
tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- 1/4 cup
finely chopped red onion
Directions
- Step 1Place chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet into 1/2"-thick pieces. Transfer chicken to a large bowl; season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pour 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over chicken. Turn to coat and let marinate, tossing a few times, at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover bowl and refrigerate up to 3 hours.
- Step 2Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium-high heat; heat 5 minutes (or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat). In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, parsley, dill, chives, onion powder, cayenne, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; set dressing aside.
- Step 3Grill chicken, basting with marinade, until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 4In a large bowl, toss chicken, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, cheese, corn, tortilla strips, and onion. Drizzle with some of the reserved dressing and remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce and toss again to combine. Serve remaining dressing alongside.
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