Make this loaded BBQ Chicken Salad by topping romaine with fresh ingredients like corn, black beans, avocado, red onion, and tortilla strips, plus an easy BBQ-ranch dressing.
The right combo of toppings just MAKES the salad. This BBQ Chicken Salad has quite the colorful variety of them, and each one adds an important flavor and texture to the salad.
Salads like this one really feel like a meal because, not only is it absolutely packed with lots of good stuff, it has a little bit of everything you might want—chicken, beans, cheese, and fresh veggies. And just in case you can’t tell, there IS a bed of romaine underneath the rainbow of food. It’s just really hard to tell because my priority was adding a plethora of toppings.
These are the types of recipes I hate making measurements for because everyone has their own preferences for their ideal ratio of ingredients. I usually just throw a little of this and that in a bowl, but I made an effort to write down how much of everything you might need.
This should make about four meal-sized salads. I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch all week (which is why I always leave the dressing separate). Making the effort to prepare all the ingredients for a big salad like this once in awhile is SO worth it. If you’re like me and make a big batch to eat over multiple days, you get something that tastes gourmet with only the preliminary prep work.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 10 oz. bag chopped romaine
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
- 3/4 cup corn (canned, frozen, or fresh)
- 3/4 cup black beans
- 3/4 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips
Instructions:
- Pour the ranch and BBQ sauce in a bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all of the salad ingredients; toss to combine.
- Serve with dressing on the side.
Do you prefer more lettuce compared to toppings? Or are you like me and think the more toppings the better?
