This BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad is a vibrant, flavor-packed meal that rivals any restaurant salad. Juicy, grilled chicken breast glazed in tangy barbecue sauce is tossed with crisp romaine, sweet corn, hearty beans, and crunchy tortilla chips.
Drizzled with a creamy, two-ingredient BBQ ranch dressing, this salad is satisfying enough for dinner but light enough to leave you feeling great.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A crowd-pleasing mix of smoky, sweet BBQ sauce and cool, tangy ranch dressing, balanced by fresh vegetables and savory grilled chicken.
- Texture: Crisp romaine and crunchy tortilla chips contrast beautifully with the tender chicken, soft black beans, and juicy tomatoes.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 10 minutes grill time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves grilling chicken and chopping fresh produce.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to cook the chicken. A small bowl is needed to whisk the simple dressing, and a large bowl is essential for tossing the salad. The ingredients combine fresh produce with convenient pantry items like canned beans, Mexicorn, and your favorite store-bought sauces.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2 inch thick. Pounding ensures they cook quickly and evenly on the grill without drying out.
- BBQ Sauce – You will need this for both glazing the chicken and flavoring the ranch dressing. A smoky, sweet sauce works best.
- Ranch Dressing – A light or Greek yogurt-based ranch keeps the salad lighter while still providing that classic creamy herb flavor.
- Black Beans – These add fiber and protein. Be sure to rinse and drain them well to remove excess sodium and starch.
- Mexicorn – This canned corn blend usually includes red and green bell peppers, adding extra color and flavor without extra chopping.
- Romaine Lettuce – Chopped romaine provides a sturdy, crisp base that holds up well to the heavy toppings and dressing.
- Tortilla Chips – Crushed chips or strips add a necessary salty crunch that mimics a crouton.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Cheese – Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even pepper jack cheese would be a delicious addition.
- Avocado – Diced avocado adds creaminess and healthy fats.
- Vegetables – Sliced cucumber or bell peppers can be added for extra crunch.
- Corn – If you can’t find Mexicorn, regular canned sweet corn or thawed frozen corn works perfectly fine.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad
- Grill Chicken: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the pounded chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. Grill on one side for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, brush the grilled side generously with barbecue sauce, then grill the other side for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Rest and Chop: Remove the chicken to a serving plate and brush the other side (now grilled) with more barbecue sauce. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the ranch dressing and 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Taste and adjust the ratio if you prefer it sweeter or tangier.
- Assemble: In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, halved tomatoes, black beans, Mexicorn, diced red onion, and the chopped grilled chicken.
- Toss and Serve: Drizzle the salad with the BBQ ranch dressing, then toss to lightly coat everything. Serve immediately, topped with crushed tortilla chips and fresh cilantro.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip resting the chicken! Letting it sit for 5 minutes allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you cut into it immediately off the grill, the juices will run out, leaving you with dry chicken for your salad.
Recipe Tips
- Pounding Chicken: Place chicken breasts inside a ziplock bag or between plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Even thickness means even cooking.
- Grill Marks: To get nice grill marks, don’t move the chicken once you place it down until it releases naturally from the grates.
- Dress Before Serving: Lettuce can get soggy quickly once dressed. Toss the salad right before you eat, or serve the dressing on the side if making ahead.
FAQs
- Can I use rotisserie chicken? Yes! To save time, toss cubed rotisserie chicken in BBQ sauce and skip the grilling step.
- Is this gluten-free? It can be easily made gluten-free by ensuring your BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, and tortilla chips are certified gluten-free.
- How do I store leftovers? Store the salad components separately from the dressing and chips. The chicken keeps well in the fridge for 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
- Lunch: This is a fantastic meal prep lunch; just keep the chips in a separate baggie so they stay crunchy.
- Sides: Serve with a side of cornbread or grilled garlic bread.
- Drink: An ice-cold lemonade or iced tea pairs perfectly with the BBQ flavors.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can chop the vegetables and grill the chicken a day in advance.
- Assembly: Store the salad base (lettuce, beans, corn, veggies) in a large container. Store chicken and dressing separately. Combine when ready to eat.
BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 Large Salads 1x
Description
This BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad is a vibrant, flavor-packed meal that rivals any restaurant salad. Juicy, grilled chicken breast glazed in tangy barbecue sauce is tossed with crisp romaine, sweet corn, hearty beans, and crunchy tortilla chips. Drizzled with a creamy, two-ingredient BBQ ranch dressing, this salad is satisfying enough for dinner but light enough to leave you feeling great.
Ingredients
The BBQ Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (plus more for dressing)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
The Salad Base
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup canned low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup canned Mexicorn, drained (or regular sweet corn)
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- Crushed tortilla chips or strips (for topping)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
The BBQ Ranch Dressing
- 1/3 cup light ranch dressing (Greek yogurt-based is great)
- 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
Instructions
Prep Chicken
Preheat grill (or indoor grill pan) to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the pounded chicken breasts with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper.
Grill
Place chicken on the grill. Cook for 4 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken.
Glaze
Immediately brush the grilled side generously with the 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Grill for another 3–4 minutes until cooked through (165°F internal).
Rest
Remove chicken to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Why? This allows juices to redistribute. After resting, chop into bite-sized pieces.
Make Dressing
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the ranch dressing and 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce. Taste and adjust ratios if you prefer it tangier or sweeter.
Assemble
In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, tomatoes, black beans, Mexicorn, red onion, and chopped chicken.
Serve
Drizzle with the BBQ ranch dressing and toss to coat. Top with crushed tortilla chips and fresh cilantro right before serving.
Notes
The “Rotisserie Hack”: Short on time? Skip the grilling! Use 2 cups of cubed store-bought rotisserie chicken tossed with 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce.
Pounding is Key: Pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness ensures they cook quickly and evenly without drying out. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet.
Mexicorn: This is a canned blend of corn and diced red/green peppers. If you can’t find it, regular sweet corn works perfectly fine.
Make Ahead: If meal prepping, store the salad base, chicken, dressing, and chips in separate containers. Assemble just before eating to keep the lettuce crisp and chips crunchy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad / Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American / Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Salad (half recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: bbq chicken salad, healthy ranch dressing, summer grilling recipes, meal prep salads, southwest chicken salad, dinner salads, 30 minute meals
