Description
A vibrant, protein-packed salad featuring smoky grilled BBQ chicken skewers over crisp romaine lettuce with corn, black beans, avocado, and creamy ranch dressing. Perfect for summer grilling or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (divided)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- 1. Cut chicken breasts into 1 to 1.5-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- 2. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Thread marinated chicken pieces onto skewers, leaving slight space between each piece.
- 3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375-400°F). Clean and oil grill grates.
- 4. Place chicken skewers on grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Brush with reserved BBQ sauce during final 2 minutes of cooking.
- 5. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before removing from skewers.
- 6. In a large serving bowl or individual plates, arrange chopped romaine lettuce as the base.
- 7. Top with cherry tomatoes, red onion, corn, black beans, shredded cheese, and diced avocado.
- 8. Arrange grilled chicken pieces over the salad.
- 9. Drizzle with ranch dressing and sprinkle with tortilla strips and fresh cilantro.
- 10. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Store grilled chicken separately in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep salad components separate until ready to serve for best freshness. Can substitute chicken thighs for breasts. Use store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce and ranch dressing. For meal prep, store dressing separately and add just before eating.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 42g
Keywords: bbq chicken salad, grilled chicken skewers, summer salad, meal prep salad, southwestern salad