BBQ Chicken Salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing

Platter with bed of lettuce topped with BBQ Chicken, shredded cheese, corn chips, and BBQ Ranch Dressing.

5 from 14 votes

BBQ Chicken Salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing

This easy recipe is reminiscent of both Bob Evans Wildfire Chicken Salad and Cheesecake Factory's BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad. It comes together in under 30 minutes and features tender BBQ chicken, crisp lettuce, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, crunchy tortilla chips, sharp cheese, and a simple BBQ ranch dressing.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

For BBQ Chicken

oil for greasing grill
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or 1 tablespoon homemade dry rub
½ cup BBQ sauce

For BBQ Ranch Dressing

2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
½ cup ranch dressing

For Salad Base

3 hearts romaine lettuce chopped
1 large seedless cucumber diced
1 small red onion minced
1 pint grape tomatoes sliced
1 cup corn kernels
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese optional
½ cup corn chips or tortilla strips optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the BBQ Chicken

Preheat grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates lightly with oil. While the grill is preheating, Trim any fat or grizzle off the chicken, place between two pieces of plastic wrap (or parchment paper), and gently pound to achieve even thickness (~½-inch thick). Sprinkle the seasoned salt (or dry rub) evenly over each side of the chicken, rubbing to adhere to the meat.
Place the seasoned chicken on the preheated grill and cook, undisturbed for 5 minutes. Flip and grill another 4 minutes.
Brush one side of the chicken with BBQ sauce, flip and brush the other side. Continue to cook 2 minutes per side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 163-165°F for breasts, or 183-185℉ for thighs. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

For BBQ Ranch Dressing

While the chicken is resting, prepare the dressing by combining 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce and ½ cup ranch dressing until well incorporated.

For the Salad

For the salad base, combine the diced lettuce with diced cucumber, minced onion, halved tomatoes, and corn in a large bowl. Toss to evenly combine.
When ready to serve, dish out the salad base into individual serving dishes. Top with sliced BBQ chicken, shredded cheese, a drizzle of the prepared dressing, and tortilla chips. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

For the BBQ Chicken: Feel free to use leftover grilled barbecue chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces or leftover Instant Pot Shredded BBQ chicken.

Start with Cooked Chicken: Swap the raw chicken for cooked chicken (or diced cooked chicken nuggets or breaded chicken tenders). Dice into bite-sized pieces and toss with ½ cup BBQ sauce to coat.

Toppings: Feel free to omit the corn, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, etc. based on your preferences. Black beans, diced bell peppers, cubed cheese, pickled onions, pickled jalapenos are great additions as well.

Storage: This BBQ Chicken Salad is best served immediately after preparation. If you have leftovers, store the chicken, salad, and dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition