Description
BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad with Cilantro Ranch is a vibrant and satisfying dish that perfectly captures the essence of summer. This salad combines grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, and a creamy cilantro ranch dressing for a flavor-packed meal that’s both healthy and quick to prepare. Ideal for summer barbecues, potlucks, or as a refreshing weeknight dinner, this salad is loaded with protein from the chicken and fiber from colorful veggies. Its crunchy texture and zesty taste will leave your taste buds dancing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup favorite BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 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)
- 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)
Instructions
- For the dressing, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped cilantro, jalapeño, ranch seasoning, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper; grill for about 5 minutes per side. Brush BBQ sauce on both sides during the last minute of cooking.
- In a large bowl, layer chopped romaine lettuce followed by black beans, corn kernels, shredded carrots, halved cherry tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, green onions, and Monterey Jack cheese. Slice grilled chicken and place on top.
- Drizzle cilantro ranch dressing over the salad just before serving and toss gently.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg