BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad is a party on a plate! This filling entree salad is full of texture and bold, BBQ flavors.
I’ve got a must-try sizzling chicken salad recipe for you: BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad!
This filling entree salad combines crisp romaine lettuce with grilled chicken and corn, black beans, fresh tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips (my favorite part) and red onions, drizzled with the can’t-miss combo of Ranch dressing and smoky BBQ sauce.
It is bold, zesty, fresh, quick, and easy. A party on a plate!
Sometimes eating salads can get boring and repetitive, but this is one chicken salad you’ll be dreaming about making over and over and over again.
It’s the fresh and summery toppings, for me.
Make/chop everything once, then toss together for salads all week long. Again, do not forget the crushed tortilla chips!
Start by grilling chicken breasts that have been pounded thin and seasoned with salt and pepper for 3-4 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
Brush the grilled side with BBQ sauce after flipping once, keeping the lid closed to let the BBQ sauce sizzle and caramelize as the second side cooks.
Pop a couple ears sweet corn on the grill next door then rotate occasionally until all sides are evenly charred.
Pull the chicken and corn off the grill then let then let them cool slightly before chopping the chicken and slicing the kernels off the cobs. Set both aside for a sec!
Next get the rest of the chopped salad ingredients ready, starting with the salad base – romaine lettuce. For 4 people you’ll want 2-10oz bags of chopped romaine lettuce.
Place the lettuce into a huge bowl (might want to do this in a few batches,) then use a pizza cutter to chop it up into small, bite-sized pieces.
To the chopped lettuce add chopped vine-ripened tomatoes, minced red onion,
black beans, and the kernels from the grilled corn.
Finally, add a big handful of crushed tortilla chips (however many you want) and shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses.
These two ingredients are my secret salad weapons. The chips add an awesome, unexpected crunch, and the mixture of cheeses is just right.
Add the chopped chicken then, using a pair of tongs, toss the salad ingredients together.
I like to dress my salad with a mixture of Ranch dressing and BBQ sauce, which really drives the flavor of the smokey-sweet BBQ chicken home, but use whatever your heart desires. Dress then toss again to combine, plate, and serve!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, pounded to an even thickness
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for topping
- 2 ears sweet corn
- 2 10oz bags chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded then chopped
- 1 cup black beans
- 1/2 small red onion, minced
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- crushed tortilla chips
- Ranch dressing
Directions
- Spray chicken breasts with nonstick spray then season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, brushing the grilled side with BBQ sauce after flipping once. Grill the corn cobs, rotating occasionally, until evenly charred. Remove chicken and corn, let cool slightly, then chop chicken and slice corn kernels off cob and set aside.
- In a very large bowl add lettuce (may need to do this in a couple batches). Use a pizza cutter to evenly chop lettuce into small pieces then toss with tomatoes, black beans, red onion, cheeses, desired amount of crushed tortilla chips, grilled chicken, and grilled corn. Drizzle with ranch dressing and extra bbq sauce (or your favorite dressing) then toss and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce, whether it's sweet or spicy.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Hi! I love this recipe, I make it a lot in summer. I am a teacher of English in The Netherlands, and I even used your recipe for an assignment for my students.
I love this salad! I was looking for a salad to make for lunches this week and pulled out this standby. I also love a little crunch in my salad and I like to put the onions strings on this salad, so yummy! Thank you for all your great recipes.
Ooo, love the addition of onion strings to this salad. YUM. Great idea, Lori!
Do you have the nutritional break down for this salad.
CSL, carbs, fats, sugars??
I don’t, Janet, I’m sorry!
My husband and I LOVE this salad. It is our favorite. Although I will confess to sometimes using frozen corn cooked in the microwave when I am feeling lazy! I also like to use my cruet to mix the ranch and bbq sauce together. I keep it on the side that way we can have salad for leftovers the next day. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad you guys love the recipe, Kristen! Thank you for your great feedback!
This was fantastic. My husband loved it as well. The only thing I did differently was I used a cruet to mix the bbq sauce and ranch together. Oh and I added hard boiled egg. Will absolutely make again and again. Thank you.
So glad you loved it, Kristen! Thanks so much for the feedback!
I made this this weekend with your pulled BBQ chicken and added avocado, pineapple and beans. OMG it was good.
BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad is my all time favorite salad in the world. I’ve been eating it for years…the only thing I order when I go to Ca Pizza Kitchen…just can’t get past it. The only thing is, there is always cubed Ca Haas avocado on my salad when I order it from our local CPK. I notice you do not include avocado in your recipe. Not sure if you just forgot or if our local CPK is getting creative by adding an ingredient not normally included. The avocado makes this salad especially yummy.