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BBQ chicken salad with barbecue grilled chicken breast, lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, green onion and shredded cheddar cheese. Creamy barbecue dressing on the side.
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5 from 12 votes

BBQ Chicken Salad

This BBQ Chicken Salad is packed with grilled chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips, all served with homemade creamy BBQ dressing.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinate1 hour
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Barbecue, BBQ, Chicken, Salad
Servings: 6
Calories: 847kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

  • Outdoor Barbecue Grill

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce divided
  • 4 hearts of romaine chopped
  • 1 cup frozen corn thawed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 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.
    Bag with marinating chicken breasts with BBQ sauce.
  • Remove chicken from bag, discard marinade, and grill chicken on BBQ grill until cooked through. Use reserved BBQ sauce to baste over chicken while grilling.
    Brushing BBQ sauce onto chicken breast on the barbecue.
  • When internal temperature of chicken reaches 165, remove from grill and set aside.
    Removing barbecue chicken breast from the grill with tongs.
  • In a large serving bowl, toss lettuce with corn, black beans, tomatoes, and green onions.
    Bowl with lettuce, tomatoes, corn, and black beans.
  • After chicken has had a chance to rest for a few minutes, slice and put on the salad.
    Two barbecue grilled chicken breasts sliced on a cutting board.
  • Top with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
    BBQ chicken salad with barbecue grilled chicken breast, lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, green onion and shredded cheddar cheese. Creamy barbecue dressing on the side.
  • Serve with Creamy BBQ Dressing.
    Fork with piece barbecue grilled chicken salad topped with black beans, corn, tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, green onion and shredded cheddar cheese. Drizzled with creamy barbecue 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.
    Glass bowl with combined barbecue sauce dressing and whisk on the side.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    BBQ chicken salad with barbecue grilled chicken breast, lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, green onion and shredded cheddar cheese. Drizzled with creamy barbecue dressing on top.

Video

Notes

  • Pound thick chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly.
  • Always discard BBQ sauce that has been in contact with raw chicken.
  • Grill the chicken over medium to medium-high heat so the sauce does not burn.
  • Use a digital meat thermometer and cook chicken to 165 degrees F.
  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes before slicing.
  • Rotisserie or leftover chicken can be tossed with BBQ sauce for a shortcut.
  • Add the dressing and tortilla chips immediately before serving.
  • Store the salad, chicken, dressing, and chips separately for the best leftovers.

Nutrition

Calories: 847kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1639mg | Potassium: 1299mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 7299IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 278mg | Iron: 4mg