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BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
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This chopped salad is made with a base of romaine lettuce and loaded with black beans, shredded carrots, corn, cherry tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips and Monterey Jack cheese. The loaded salad is tossed in a flavorful homemade buttermilk cilantro ranch dressing. I top the salad with diced pieces of BBQ chicken thighs. This salad is based on one of my favorites from Wood Ranch in Agoura Hills, California. It was always a go-to order for me during college so I love recreating it at home.
BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with Cilantro Ranch
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Chicken – I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are such a versatile cut. They are less expensive than chicken breasts but they are still flavorful and much more tender than chicken breasts.
- BBQ sauce – You can make your own BBQ sauce using my recipe here, or use your favorite store bought brand.
- Cilantro – Cilantro adds an aromatic flavor to this twist on classic buttermilk ranch dressing.
- Ranch seasoning – I like using the ranch seasoning packet for a quick addition of concentrated ranch flavor rather than adding fresh or dried herbs.
- Jalapeño – A jalapeño pepper adds a hint of spice to the cilantro ranch dressing.
- Buttermilk – The base of the dressing is tangy buttermilk. There is also buttermilk powder in the ranch seasoning packet.
- Lettuce – I use a whole head of romaine lettuce chopped for the base of this salad. If using just hearts of romaine, I recommend using 2 to 3 heads depending on the size.
- Black beans – I typically use canned black beans in my recipes for a shortcut rather than taking the time to soak and cook dried beans. Drain the liquid from the canned beans and rinse in water prior to using.
- Corn – I cut raw kernels of corn off the corn cob though you can also substitute ¾ cup (123g) of thawed frozen corn or fire roasted corn for a smokey addition.
- Carrots – Easily shred whole carrots on a cheese grater or buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots.
- Tortilla chips – Crushed tortilla chips add a satisfying crunch to this salad.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
Step 1: Make the cilantro ranch.
Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, ranch seasoning, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Store the ranch.
Season to taste with salt. Use or store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to a week.
Step 3: Marinate the chicken.
Add the chicken thighs to a mixing bowl and toss them in the BBQ sauce and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
Step 4: Cook chicken.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat through. Add the chicken thighs, working in batches if needed. Cook them until the sauce caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until completely cooked through, about an additional 5 minutes.
Step 5: Chop chicken.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it stand on a cutting board for 5 minutes. When cool to the touch, cut the chicken into 1” (1.3cm) pieces.
Step 6: Add ingredients to a salad bowl.
Add the chopped lettuce to a large mixing bowl or salad bowl. Top with the black beans, corn, cheese, tomatoes, tortillas chips, carrots, green onion and cilantro.
Step 7: Toss and serve.
Pour the cilantro ranch over the top and toss to combine. Top the chopped salad with the BBQ chicken and serve.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and Substitutions
- While I prefer the texture of raw fresh corn cut off the cob in this recipe, it can easily be swapped for frozen corn kernels, defrosted or fire-roasted corn for a smokier flavor.
- If you prefer a bit more spice, swap the Monterey Jack cheese for pepper Jack.
- The BBQ chicken can be swapped for another protein like BBQ salmon or grilled BBQ steak based on preference.
- Try adding diced avocado for an added creamy element.
How to Prepare this Recipe in Advance
- Make the dressing up to a week in advance and store, refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Chop the lettuce up to a few hours in advance and store it refrigerated topped with a damp paper towel.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this BBQ chicken chopped salad recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram:
BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with Cilantro Ranch
Rate this Recipe
Ingredients:
For the cilantro ranch:
- ½ cup low-fat buttermilk
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup packed cilantro leaves
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
- 1 (1-ounce) package Hidden Valley ranch seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
For the BBQ chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup favorite BBQ sauce or make your own here
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the salad and serving:
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, finely chopped
- ½ cup, cooked black beans
- 1 medium ear corn, kernels cut off the cob
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions:
For the cilantro ranch:
- Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, ranch seasoning, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or blender and blend until smooth.
- Season to taste with salt. Use or store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to a week.
For the BBQ chicken:
- Add the chicken thighs to a mixing bowl and toss them in the BBQ sauce and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat through. Add the chicken thighs, working in batches if needed. Cook them until the sauce caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until completely cooked through, about an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and let it stand on a cutting board for 5 minutes. When cool to the touch, cut the chicken into 1” (1.3cm) pieces.
For the salad and serving:
- Add the chopped lettuce to a large mixing bowl or salad bowl. Top with the black beans, corn, cheese, tomatoes, tortillas chips, carrots, green onion and cilantro.
- Pour the cilantro ranch over the top and toss to combine. Top the chopped salad with the BBQ chicken and serve.
Nutrition:
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Just found you. Am super impressed with your straight forward approach. Best wishes.
Love this salad! It was tasty, filling, and an amazing mix of flavors so I will definitely cook it again!
Thank you for sharing Josh! So happy to hear it!
Made this last night my husband really liked it. He liked it better than my shrimp salad. Will make this again for sure. Will be sharing with my sister. Thank you for the receipe.
SO happy to hear it was a hit! Thank you for sharing!
This was very good 👍 big thumbs up from the picky man of the house and really simple to make!!!
So happy to hear it!! Thank you for sharing Amy!
SO.DANG.GOOD!! Added the avocado and had to swap red onion because I was out of green onion but followed the recipe other than that-half way through dinner and I’ve sent it to 3 people! Thank you!!!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! Thanks for sharing Holly!
Delicious! Perfect for a week of lunches. One question though: how did you clean your cast iron after this? The barbecue sauce REALLY got baked on good (because of the sugars I assume, although I used a low sugar version), and having a hard time getting it clean.
So happy to hear you enjoyed! I use a metal spatula to scrape it as best I can before I clean it using water and a brush in the sink! It can get really baked on there!!
Delicious. This was a great option for me to meal prep for the week.
so happy to hear it!!
Love this salad! The dressing is unreal, I’ll definitely add this into our rotation . Made a nice amount for dinner and lunch.
So happy to hear it! Thank you so much for sharing Monique!
Really loved this and the dressing is so delicious!
Thank you for sharing!! So happy you enjoyed Jess!