BBQ Chicken Salad

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This BBQ Chicken Salad recipe is a delicious, easy recipe that feeds a crowd (8+ people as an entree) and satisfies everyone in the family. This recipe costs $15.85 to make and just $1.99 per serving.

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When you think of BBQ sauce what is your first thought to put it on? Pizza? Chicken? Ribs? One of our husbands answer would be hot dogs! But our answer is to put it on a chicken salad! More specifically, this BBQ chicken salad recipe that we are sharing with you today.

The BBQ sauce tossed with the shredded chicken, and mixed in with the tangy dressing is an amazing combination. We know that once you make this BBQ chicken salad it will forever be your first thought from here on out when you think about BBQ sauce! 

BBQ CHICKEN SALAD QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

What’s in BBQ chicken salad?

This bbq chicken salad recipe is great because it is pretty flexible. If there is something you do not like, leave it out! If there is something else you want, add it in! For this recipe, we like to include chicken, lettuce, cilantro, rice, corn, black beans, cheese, red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and tortilla strips. 

How to Make BBQ Chicken Salad:

1. First, start with the dressing and put all the ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth. Chill it in the fridge until you are ready to eat. 
2. Next, combine the chicken and BBQ sauce together. 
3. Then, build the salad by starting with the lettuce, then adding the rice, corn, beans, red onion, BBQ chicken, cheese, tomatoes, and avocados. 
4. Finally, top the salad with the dressing and serve. 

How to get the kids involved with this recipe:

• Ages 2-3: Let them pour the dressing ingredients in the blender and turn it on to make the dressing. 
• Ages 4-5: Let them help build the salad by putting all the ingredients on top of the lettuce. 
• Ages 6-8: Supervise them with an appropriate knife to cut the avocados and tomatoes. Let them mix the chicken and BBQ sauce. 
• Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe. 
• Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Discover why we love getting the kids involved in the kitchen and more tips in our How to Get Kids Involved In Cooking article.

The flavor and Recipe Variations:

•  If you have picky eaters you can leave the salad unassembled and let each person go through the assembly line to top their salad with whichever toppings they like. 
• If you’re short on time, then you can use a store-bought ranch or avocado dressing.

What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Salad:

• Easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
• Easy Garlic Bread
• One Hour Dinner Rolls
• One Hour French Bread

More +$15 recipes:

• Beef Chuck Roast
• Easy Oven Baked Salmon
• Easy Taco Pizza
• Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Machaca Burritos

How long is this good for:

• Serve: You can keep the salad at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Any longer and you’ll have to pop it into the refrigerator. 
• Store: If you know you’re going to have leftovers, it’s best if you serve each of the salad toppings in separate bowls. This will keep the salad longer in the fridge, plus I know my kids enjoy being able to build his own salads at dinnertime. Leftover dressing will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 
• Freeze: Unfortunately, salad does not freeze well at all! I do not recommend freezing this recipe. 

How much will this BBQ Chicken Salad cost:

TOTAL RECIPE COST: $15.85

PRICE PER SERVING: $1.99

To find out more on how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained. 

DRESSING INGREDIENTS: $1.30

• 1/2 cup buttermilk – $0.29
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise – $0.46
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce – $0.18
• 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro – $0.18
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice – $0.13
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder – $0.03
• 1/2 teaspoon salt – $0.01
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin – $0.02

SALAD INGREDIENTS: $14.55

• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce – $2.78
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro – $0.24
• 2 cups cooked white rice – $1.26
• 3 cups shredded chicken – $3.12
• 1 cup BBQ sauce – $0.72
• 15-ounce can black beans – $0.86
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese – $1.28
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes – $0.82
• 14 oz can of corn  – $0.98
• 1/2 small red onion – $0.39
• 1 large bell pepper – $0.62
• 1 large carrot – $0.14
• 2 cups tortilla strips – $1.34

Cook’s Tools:

• blender
• serving container
• large bowl
• medium bowl

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BBQ Chicken Salad

Recipe Cost 15.85

Serving Cost 1.99

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

This BBQ Chicken Salad recipe is a delicious, easy recipe that feeds a crowd and satisfies everyone in the family. This recipe costs just $1.99 per serving.

Servings: 8 people

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 25 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Ingredients

 

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BBQ DRESSING WITH CILANTRO AND LIME:

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

SALAD:

• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cups cooked white rice chilled
• 3 cups shredded chicken
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 15- ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed
• 1/2 small red onion diced
• 1 large bell pepper chopped
• 1 large carrot peeled into strips
• 1 cup tortilla strips

Instructions

MAKE THE DRESSING:

• Place all of the ingredients into the canister of a blender and blend until dressing is smooth and combined. Pour the dressing into a serving bowl or container and chill until ready to serve.

MAKE THE SALAD:

• In a large bowl add the romaine lettuce and cilantro and toss until the cilantro is evenly distributed. Place the rice evenly over the top.
• In a medium bowl toss together the chicken and BBQ sauce, and then layer it on the salad.
• Layer the salad with the remaining toppings: black beans, cheese, tomatoes, corn, red onion, bell pepper, carrot, and tortilla strips.
• Serve the salad, passing the dressing separately.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1210mg | Potassium: 825mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 6783IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 4mg

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