This BBQ Chicken Salad is loaded with grilled chicken, corn, and black beans with a creamy barbecue dressing. It is a perfect summertime supper. 
BBQ Chicken Salad
This BBQ Chicken Salad, with homemade creamy barbecue dressing, is one of my summertime go-to meals. You can assemble it quickly with fresh ingredients, throw some chicken on the grill and you have a vibrant, hearty salad meal that is perfect to eat on the patio on hot summer evenings. The easy, creamy dressing is the perfect thing to drizzle over warm chicken and it adds so much flavor! Pair it with some icy cold lemonade and some crusty bread and you have a delicious dinner for any night of the week.
Tips for Perfectly Grilled Chicken
I have mentioned this several times in other blog posts, but getting the chicken just right is everything. People are always asking how I get juicy grilled chicken. Here are two of my tried and true tips:
- Use a DIGITAL meat thermometer. Don’t slice your chicken apart every five minutes to check doneness. Digital meat thermometers are amazing little gadgets and they can make ANYONE a grill master. They are cheap, they are accurate, and they will give you perfect meat every. time. If you don’t have one, get one! You’ll thank me later.
- Be patient and cook over medium to medium-high heat on the grill. Don’t crank up the temperature and turn the outside of you chicken you charcoal. You will have a burnt outside and raw inside. Take your time. Do it right. Your guests will thank you.
- For this recipe I love using Bull’s Eye or Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, and I brush it on while the chicken is on the grill. Any of your favorite sauces will do, but those two brands are my favorite.
Creamy BBQ Dressing
The dressing for this BBQ Chicken Salad recipe comes from my very good friend Mel over at  Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (one of my very favorite bloggers). I used this dressing on my usual BBQ chicken salad and it was incredible! Typically I just combine ranch dressing with BBQ sauce (and you can totally do that if that is what you have on hand) but this dressing is way better!
More Scrumptious Salad Recipes
- The Original Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad: You can find the original Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad right here on Favorite Family Recipes. You read that right. We were the first to come up with this famous Cafe Rio copycat recipe. Other’s have imitated but trust me, this one is the first and the best. To this day it is still one of the most popular recipes on our site. Check it out!
- Nuts About Berries Salad: This is one of our favorite Spring/Summer salads. The dressing is bright, fruity, and just to die for. It is one of our favorite salads at Cafe Zupas and it is SO EASY to make at home!
- Mandarin Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans: Another light and tasty salad that is full of flavor. The crunchy, candied pecans put it over the top! You have got to try it!
- Still not seeing what you want? We have over 50 awesome salad recipes and you can see ALL of them right HERE!
How to Make BBQ Chicken Salad
BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Dressing
Equipment
- Outdoor Barbecue Grill
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce divided
- 4 hearts of romaine chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 14 ounces black beans (1 can) drained and rinsed
- 5-6 green onions chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup tortilla chips crunched up into pieces
Creamy BBQ Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- In a plastic bag, combine chicken and 1 cup BBQ sauce.
- Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Remove chicken from bag, discard marinade, and grill chicken on BBQ grill until cooked through.
- Use remaining BBQ sauce to baste over chicken while grilling.
- When internal temperature of chicken reaches 165, remove from grill and set aside.
- In a large serving bowl, toss romaine with corn, black beans, and green onions.
- After chicken has had a chance to rest for a few minutes, slice and put on the salad.
- Top with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
- Serve with Creamy BBQ Dressing.
Creamy BBQ Dressing
- Combine all the ingredients together and whisk vigorously to combine. You can also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Nutrition Information
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Love this salad for lunch! The dressing is so delicious we use it on a bunch of things too!
I have been making this salad for lunch and its been amazing! So easy, so delicious, and filling, too!
I didn’t wait until summer to have a bowl of this deliciousness. When our warm spell came through I was right out there at the grill cookin’ me some chicken. Tossing it on the salad with yummy black beans and corn was just right for a light dinner. We didn’t try the dressing here but I’m sure it’s as out of this world as the chicken.
Especially love your hints for perfectly grilled chicken. Mine came out perfectly! GREAT salad.
What store bought salad dressing would you pair with this BBQ salad?
Hmmmmmmmm that is a good question because the dressing for this is soooooo good, no store-bought would do it justice. I know Litehouse has some good dressings ( I think they have a chipotle one that is ok ) maybe try one of those if you must go for store-bought?
Tried this salad tonight, best summer salad I have ever had…….!!
I made this for dinner tonight! Love the dressing, but I think I will back off the cilantro next time. Maybe just one T. But so yummy!
Thanks!!
How long does this dressing stay good in the fridge?
I would go by the date of the buttermilk in the dressing.
Made this for dinner tonight and loved it! A new recipe to add to our dinner rotation. Thanks for sharing!
I made this for dinner on Saturday . . . we loved it!
your recipe is too good i also love 2 cooking…………………..
Your picture is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! So glad you loved the salad and dressing…
@Mel– Thanks for the awesome dressing recipe! I can’t get enough of your food blog. I am definitely one of your stalkers 🙂