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Barbecue Chicken Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing

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IN THIS POST

Barbecue chicken salad with spicy ranch dressing

Celebrate the taste of summer with this recipe for barbecue chicken salad with spicy ranch dressing!

Barbecue chicken salad with spicy ranch dressing

Beer

You could certainly go a couple of different ways when pairing with this barbecue chicken salad. My votes would be for either a pilsner or a west coast-style IPA. I personally think that pilsners are the perfect summer brews. They are at least one of my favorites for cooling down on a hot day. The pairing of a pilsner and the perfect barbecue salad is just a match made in heaven. A pilsner has enough oomph to stand up to the bold flavors that you get from a barbecue sauce. Going with a traditional west coast-style IPA is another great choice for this salad recipe. First, IPAs are bold enough to stand up to a robust barbecue sauce. At the same time, the homemade ranch dressing is rather spicy. The hoppiness from an IPA will really compliment this spice. The choice is yours!

PSA: Don’t worry. I am not drinking beer during this pregnancy. :) My tried and true taste tester, Zach, has been willing to step up to the challenge.

Barbecue Chicken Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing


Barbecue chicken salad with spicy ranch dressing

The Recipe

It has been the usual spring here in southern Wyoming. We have had windy and snowy evenings intermingled with bright and sunny days. With those bright and sunny days, I have been seriously craving barbecue. Potato salad, cheeseburgers, and coleslaw have really been on my mind lately, but barbecue chicken has certainly topped the list. I love a good barbecue chicken salad. It is one of my favorite summer dishes. Bright tomatoes, creamy avocado, sweet corn kernels, and back beans (among other delicious ingredients) accompany the barbecue chicken to top a bed of fresh greens. The spicy ranch dressing adds an extra special spicy kick that this salad craves. This recipe is the perfect way to celebrate summer!

Are you looking for more great salad recipes on Cooking and Beer? Well, we have a ton of them! Check out some of my favorite salad recipes!

Barbecue chicken salad with spicy ranch dressing

Barbecue Chicken Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing

Servings:

2 salads

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

Spicy Ranch Dressing

  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup light mayo
  • 2 chipotles in adobo sauce + 1 teaspoon chipotle sauce chopped (add more for more spice; subtract one chipotle for less spice)
  • 1 tbsp buttermilk
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and black pepper

Barbecue Chicken Salad

  • 2 4-ounce boneless and skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce use your favorite brand
  • 1 small avocado sliced
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 2 tbsp corn kernels
  • 2 tbsp black beans
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 4 cups mixed greens
  • 3 tbsp fritos optional
  • squeeze of lime

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your grill.
  • While your grill is heating up, combine all of the ingredients for the spicy ranch dressing in a food processor or blender. Pulse or blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
  • Brush your chicken with just a tiny bit of barbecue sauce and then season with salt and black pepper. Place directly on the grill. Cook for about 7-10 minutes. Brush with additional barbecue sauce before flipping. Cook on the other side for 7-10 minutes, and brush again with barbecue sauce before flipping. Flip the chicken once more.
    Note: If you are worried about the barbecue sauce burning, feel free to brush with olive oil first, place on the grill, and then brush with barbecue sauce as you flip.
  • Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest while you assemble your salads. Divide the greens between two plates. Top with avocado, tomatoes, corn, black beans, cilantro, and fritos. Slice the chicken and place on top of the salad. Squeeze with a little bit of lime juice and then drizzle with spicy ranch dressing. Enjoy!

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Barbecue chicken salad with spicy ranch dressing

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Justine

Justine

I’m the voice, author, creator, and photographer behind Cooking and Beer. We started things about 10 years ago and Cooking and Beer has morphed and grown into what it is today: providing hundreds of recipes to thousands of people.

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Hello! I'm Justine.

I’m a blogger and web developer from the beautiful state of Oklahoma, where my loving husband, two adorable kids, and two mischievous dogs keep me on my toes 24/7. My idea of heaven includes endless summer days, getting lost in a good book, and whipping up some delicious homemade bread.

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