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BBQ Chicken Salad in a bowl with cilantro ranch dressing.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy BBQ Chicken Salad

A classic for a reason, this Easy BBQ Chicken Salad makes the perfect hearty and healthy dinner (or lunch)! Serve it with your favorite toppings, and dress it up with the cilantro ranch dressing to make for the best-chopped BBQ Salad ever.
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Salad
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Easy BBQ Chicken Salad
Author: Lexi's Clean Kitchen

Ingredients

For Cilantro Ranch Dressing:

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise or greek yogurt
  • 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed picked cilantro leaves about half a bunch of cilantro

For Salad:

  • 1 lb. baked bbq chicken breast or leftover shredded, grilled or rotisserie chicken (see note)
  • ¼ cup homemade or store-bought bbq sauce
  • 4-6 cups lettuce of choice we recommend romaine!
  • ½ small red onion diced
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels or cooked corn kernels
  • 1 cup cooked or rinsed canned black beans (optional)

Instructions

  • Add all dressing ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
  • Dice cooked chicken into bite sized pieces. Add chicken and bbq sauce to a small bowl and mix together. 
  • Assemble the salads: Divide lettuce, onion, tomatoes, corn, and black beans (if using), in a bowl. Divide the bbq chicken on top, then drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the reserved dressing. Serve immediately.

Notes

You will probably have some dressing leftover. It will keep well for up to 1 week in your refrigerator.
We wanted this to be as easy and customizable as possible so we're leaving a few different options for the chicken. You can make our super popular recipe for Baked BBQ Chicken Breasts for this salad. Or you can use leftover Shredded Chicken or use store-bought shredded rotisserie chicken!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 recipe | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 678mg | Fiber: 1g