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–+ servings
a bowl of bbq chicken salad topped with tortilla strips and sliced avocado.
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4.75 from 4 votes

BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe

Chopped Mexi-cali salad filled with BBQ grilled chicken, black beans, corn, avocado, ranch, and crunchy tortilla strips. Ready in 20 minutes for an easy lunch! Inspired by CPK.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 salads
Calories: 521kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Grill or Indoor Grill Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon BBQ rub or all-purpose seasoning
  • 6-7 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
  • 15 ounces black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
  • 2 Roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 cup corn fresh, frozen, or canned
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or Monterrey Jack
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 cup tortilla strips

Optional Toppings:

  • BBQ sauce to taste
  • ranch dressing to taste
  • chopped cilantro

Instructions

Grill the Chicken:

  • Rub the olive oil and BBQ seasoning over the chicken.
    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon BBQ rub
    Two uncooked chicken breasts covered in a barbecue rub.
  • Cook the chicken in a skillet on the stove (or on the grill), about 4 minutes per side until cooked through.
    Two cooked chicken breasts on a grill pan.

Assemble the Salad:

  • Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Arrange the chicken, black beans, tomato, corn, red onion, cheese, avocado, and tortilla strips on top.
    6-7 cups chopped Romaine lettuce, 15 ounces black beans, 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 cup corn, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 avocado, 1 cup tortilla strips
    Salad topped with sliced BBQ chicken breast.
  • Drizzle the BBQ sauce and ranch dressing over the top. Top with chopped cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
    BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, chopped cilantro
    up close image of bbq chicken salad

Video

Notes

*You can also use leftover shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, or BBQ pulled chicken.
Tips:
  • If you want your red onions to be a little tamer, soak the slices in water for about 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry, then add to the salad.
  • Be sure to fully drain and rinse all of the canned ingredients to get rid of excess moisture, or else they can make the salad soggy.
  • During the last 2 minutes of cooking the chicken, brush a thin layer of BBQ sauce onto the breasts for a caramelized finish.
  • Don't slice the chicken immediately. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute, then slice it while it's still warm.
  • Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Alternative Cooking Methods:
  • Pan-Seared: Season the chicken, then cook over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes per side.
  • Baked: Season and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
  • Air Fried: Air fry seasoned chicken at 370°F for 9 minutes, then flip and cook for 8 more minutes.
Make-Ahead: You can chop and store the salad components separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and cook the chicken up to 3 days ahead. This salad makes a great filling for wraps the next day!
Storage: Store BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months. Store other salad components separately for best results.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad | Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 1383mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6898IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 257mg | Iron: 5mg