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BBQ Chicken Salad
5 from 81 votes

BBQ Chicken Salad

BBQ Chicken Salad features grilled, seasoned chicken thighs coated with BBQ sauce, combined with charred corn, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, avocado, red onion, and sharp cheddar cheese. Tossed with ranch dressing, this salad balances smoky chicken and charred vegetables with fresh, creamy, and tangy elements for a filling meal.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American, International

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks, boneless, skinless
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 2 teaspoons BBQ seasoning
  • salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
  • ½ cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 ears corn husks and silk removed
  • 1 head romaine lettuce shredded
  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomato halved
  • 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained, canned
  • 1 avocado halved, seeded, peeled and diced
  • ½ cup red onion diced
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded sharp
  • ranch dressing homemade

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, BBQ seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside and stir in BBQ sauce until well combined.
  3. Add corn to the grill pan, and cook, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, about 5-10 minutes; let cool before cutting the corn kernels off the cobs.
  4. To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, avocado, red onion and cheese. Pour the ranch dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
  5. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you do not have a cast iron grill pan, a large cast iron skillet can be used to cook the chicken and corn with similar results.