BBQ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil, olive, canola or vegetable
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, divided
For The Salad
- 5 heaped cups Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels, if frozen, thawed - if canned, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onions, chopped or sliced thinly
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 avocado, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup tortilla strips
Instructions
To Make the Chicken
- In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken on a plate and brush with about 1 teaspoon of oil. Rub the chicken with the spice mixture. If you have time, you can let it marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
- If cooking the chicken on the stove top: In a large saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- If cooking on the grill: Brush the grill with the remaining oil. Grill the chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through and no longer pink.
- Transfer the chicken to a bowl and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it. Add 3/4 cups of the BBQ sauce and toss to combine.
To Assemble The BBQ Chicken Salad
- Place the lettuce, corn, tomatoes, onions and beans into a large salad bowl.
- Top the salad with the chicken, sprinkle the shredded cheese and chopped cilantro. Pour the Ranch dressing and the remaining 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce and toss gently to combine. Top with crispy tortilla strips and serve immediately.
Notes
- Instead of tortilla strips, you can use lightly crushed tortilla chips.
- This salad doesn't keep well after it has been tossed with the Ranch dressing and/or the BBQ sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 545 kcal, Carbohydrates: 51 g, Protein: 33 g, Fat: 24 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 90 mg, Sodium: 2251 mg, Potassium: 1024 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 27 g, Vitamin A: 3861 IU, Vitamin C: 15 mg, Calcium: 183 mg, Iron: 4 mg
