Description
BBQ chicken salad is loaded with grilled BBQ chicken, corn, pineapple, smoked cheddar cheese, BACON, and topped with a homemade Greek yogurt ranch dressing and more BBQ sauce. The perfect dinner salad for summer!
Ingredients
Scale
- Bacon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 to 5 slices of bacon
- Chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (if not using bacon grease)
- salt and pepper
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons store bought BBQ sauce (I like Stubb’s)
- Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup fat free Greek yogurt (or use full fat for a richer taste)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons filtered water
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (or sub 1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, roughly chopped)
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives (or sub 1/4 teaspoon fresh chives, roughly chopped)
- Salad
- 2 to 3 heads romaine, chopped (about 1 head of romaine per person)
- pineapple, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 to 2 ears fresh corn kernels, sliced from the cob (or sub frozen or canned)
- 1/3 red onion, sliced
- Optional: 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I like to use a smoked cheddar)
- A good drizzle of BBQ sauce (as part of the dressing)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon (if making): Heat a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil, add the bacon. Cook the bacon about 5 minutes per side, or until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain it on a paper towel lined plate. Remove some of the grease from the pan, leaving behind 1 to 2 tablespoons for the chicken. Allow the bacon to cool enough to handle and then crumble it or chop it.
- Cook the chicken: In a skillet: Using the same pan that the bacon was cooked in heat it to medium heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan. Cook 6 to 8 minute per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken and brush the with the BBQ sauce. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Indoor/outdoor grill: Use a brush to grease the grill with the reserved bacon grease (be careful when using an outside grill) – heat the grill to medium high heat. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken,, brush with BBQ sauce and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing,
- Make the ranch:While the bacon and chicken is cooking make the ranch. Add the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and to a food processor. Blend until smooth – add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency (it should be thick, but pour-able). If you accidentally add too much liquid than add 1 to 2 tablespoons of yogurt to thicken it up again. Next add all of the spices and pulse or blend on low just until they are incorporated and broken down a little, specks of the green herbs should still be visible. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Transfer to an air tight container or mason jar and pop in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Chop veggies: While the bacocn and chicken continue to coook chop all teh veggies as instructed above.
- Assemble: Add the romaine lettuce to a large serving bowl or divide into smaller bowls. Top with the corn, red onion, pineapple, and shredded cheese. Add the slices of BBQ chicken and crumbled bacon. Drizzle the yogurt ranch over top of the salad and some more BBQ sauce. Serve immediately.
- Leftovers: Assemble as mucha salad as you plan to eat at a time. Store any other ingredients in seperate containers.
Notes
Ranch dressing: You can make the ranch dressing up to several days in advance.
