BBQ Chicken Salad
BBQ Chicken Salad is a light and easy meal perfect for warmer weather. Grilled chicken tenders make this loaded salad hearty and delicious. It’s easy to meal prep for a quick and easy lunch or dinner for any day of the week.
I never get tired of eating salads, especially when they are hearty and full of flavor and it’s the perfect meal when it is too hot to cook. Add some easy garlic bread to complete this delicious meal.
BBQ Chicken Salad ~ Easy Main Dish Salad
A big dinner salad is so easy to prepare and has the best combination of textures and flavors. Sweet bbq chicken with crunchy cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, savory olives and creamy ranch dressing. This is one of my favorite dinners that takes very little effort.
Ingredients Needed:
- Chicken Tenders
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt & Pepper
- Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Leaf Lettuce
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Red Onion
- Black Olives
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Ranch Dressing
- Croutons
How to Make BBQ Chicken Salad:
- Pat chicken tenders dry with paper towels. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook over indirect grill fire at about 350° with the grill closed about 7- 8 minutes.
- Flip chicken tenders and brush with bbq sauce. Continue to cook about 5 minutes with grill closed.
- Brush with more bbq sauce, flip and brush the other side with bbq sauce. Cook until chicken tenders reach 165° using a digital thermometer. Depending on the thickness of your chicken, about 15 minutes total.
- Remove chicken from the grill and cool slightly while you prepare the salad.
- Layer lettuce into a serving bowl.
- Top with sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, shredded cheese and drained black olives.
- Slice chicken and add to salad bowl.
- Serve with ranch dressing and croutons if desired.
How to Store Salad:
Undressed Salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
How to Meal Prep BBQ Chicken Salad:
- Grill chicken, cool and slice. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Tear lettuce into bite size pieces, store in an airtight container or zip top bag in refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Slice cucumbers and store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Cheese can be shredded and stored in a zip top bag or air tight container up to 7 days in advance.
- Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature and sliced just before serving.
Salad is perfect for meal prep, the chicken can be cooked over the weekend, sliced and refrigerated ahead. We love to make a double batch of chicken tenders when we grill to make wraps, salads and sandwiches for a quick meal.
Most of the vegetables can be prepped ahead and will make salad assembly really quick.
More Main Dish Salads to Try:
Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad is just as delicious as the restaurant version and it’s so easy to make at home. It’s filled with lettuce, mandarin oranges, crunchy toasted almonds, chow mein noodles and is perfect for leftover chicken.
Simple Grilled Chicken Salad is always a hit. Grilled chicken, loads of vegetables and a tangy citrus dressing that also marinates the chicken. One of my favorites.
Chicken Fajita Salad is perfect for Mexican cravings and is a low carb favorite with tons of flavor. Grilled chicken and vegetables served over a bed of lettuce with your favorite toppings.
Taco Salad is crazy- delicious. A crispy fried tortilla bowl filled with ground beef and all of the best Tex-Mex toppings. Salsa ranch dressing brings the flavor to over the top deliciousness.
If you are looking something quick and easy to add to your dinner plan this week, this hearty BBQ Chicken Salad is a great solution. Salads are easy to make to suit everyone’s tastes and are the perfect make ahead meal.
FOLLOW MISS IN THE KITCHEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND A FIVE STAR REVIEW, AND BE SURE TO HELP ME SHARE ON PINTEREST!
BBQ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup homemade barbecue sauce
- 8 cups leaf lettuce torn into bite size pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 cumbers sliced thin
- 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
- 6 ounce can black pitted olives drained well
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Ranch Dressing
- Croutons
Instructions
- Prepare a grill fire to 350°.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill over indirect fire with the grill closed about 8 minutes.
- Flip chicken and brush with bbq sauce, continue to cook with grill closed 5 minutes. Brush with sauce again and flip and then brush the other side with sauce again.
- Close the grill and cook until internal temperature reaches 165° internal temperature with a digital thermometer.
- Remove chicken from grill and cool slightly while salad is prepared.
- Place lettuce in a bowl, top with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, olives and shredded cheese.
- Slice chicken tenders and add to salad.
- Serve with ranch dressing and croutons.
Notes
How to Meal Prep BBQ Chicken Salad:
- Grill chicken, cool and slice. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Tear lettuce into bite size pieces, store in an airtight container or zip top bag in refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Slice cucumbers and store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Cheese can be shredded and stored in a zip top bag or air tight container up to 7 days in advance.
- Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature and sliced just before serving.
Nutrition
My family loves this chicken salad! I will be making it all summer long. It’s perfect for picnics too!
Your recipe caught my eye – everything I love in salad and more!