BBQ Chicken Salad: Start your New Year with a Healthier Option
What's better than a perfectly balanced meal that checks all the boxes-hearty, refreshing, and packed with flavor? This BBQ Chicken Salad is just that, bringing together tender, smoky chicken, crisp veggies, creamy dressing, and a hint of charred sweetness.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
For the Salad
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 3 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large Haas avocado, cubed
- ½ red onion, diced
- ⅓ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and pound them to an even thickness of about ½ inch. Add ½ cup BBQ sauce, avocado oil, salt, and pepper to the bag. Seal it up and massage the chicken until fully coated. Let it marinate for 15 minutes while preheating the oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and grease it lightly. Arrange the marinated chicken on the sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F–175°F. Let the chicken cool for 10 minutes, then cut it into bite-sized cubes and toss with the remaining ¼ cup of BBQ sauce.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil. Add the corn and spread it into an even layer. Let it cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until charred. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In a large serving bowl, toss together the chopped romaine, sautéed corn, cherry tomatoes, black beans, avocado, and red onion. Drizzle ¾ of the dressing over the salad and mix to coat evenly.
- Top the salad with the cubed BBQ chicken and cilantro. Garnish with reserved salad ingredients if desired and drizzle the remaining dressing on top.