BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing (2024)

[heart_this] · Sep 4, 2023 · 33 Comments

A BBQ chicken salad with tomatoes, corn and black beans all dressed up in an amazing avocado dressing.

Up next is the salad that I made the creamy avocado dressing for, a hearty BBQ chicken salad that eats like a meal. With the warmer days here there is more time for grilling and throwing some grilled chicken onto a salad makes for some nice quick and easy summer meals. It has been a while since I have done anything with BBQ sauce and I had been craving the some of that tasty, sweet and spicy mixture! A BBQ chicken salad seemed like a great way to go and I was immediately thinking about building the salad up with some tomatoes, black beans and grilled corn from the cob. I was also initially thinking about adding diced avocado but I changed my mind and went with a fresh, creamy, guacamole like avocado dressing instead. The combination of the sweet and spicy BBQ chicken with the creamy avocado dressing was quit impressive and the rest of the salad did not disappoint either! I could easily see adding the diced avocado back into the salad along with the avocado dressing for the texture and even more avocado goodness!

Update: September 4, 2023: This BBQ chicken salad is one of my favourites and I wanted to update the photos! (This time I made it with a cilantro lime ranch dressing which is just as good as the avocado dressing!)

The original photo:

BBQ pulled chicken works well!

BBQ Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4

A BBQ chicken salad with tomatoes, corn and black beans all dressed up in an amazing avocado dressing.

ingredients

1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bbq sauce
6 cups lettuce, sliced
1 cup tomato, diced
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn (~2 ears), preferably grilled or charred
1 large avocado, diced
1/4 cup red onion, sliced or diced (or pickled red onions)
1/4 cup cilantro, torn
1/2 cup avocado dressing or cilantro lime ranch dressing

directions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 4-6 minutes per side basting the chicken in the BBQ sauce as you go.
Let the chicken cool a bit and slice.
Assemble salad and enjoy!

Option: Poach or slow cook, or pressure cook the chicken and pull/shred it.
Option: Add crumbled bacon!
Option: Add crumbled tortilla chips!
Option: Add crispy fried onions or crispy fried jalapenos!
Option: Add pickled peppers or pickled jalapenos.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 514, Fat 26g (Saturated 4g, Trans 0), Cholesterol 90mg, Sodium 713mg, Carbs 56g (Fiber 13g, Sugars 16g), Protein 39g

Nutrition by:

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Anonymous says
June 7, 2012 at 9:17 pm

I really enjoyed your avocado dressing, it was so dreamy creamy! Then we'll have to try your bbq chicken. Have a wonderfull day!
Reply
Anonymous says
June 7, 2012 at 10:01 pm

oh yum, that dressing sounds delicious! i had my first avocado dressing the other night and it was just delightful! thanks for sharing!
Reply
Jennifer and Jaclyn @ sketch-free vegan says
See Also
10 Healthy Pasta Salad Ideas Perfect for a Potluck or Cold Meal prep Mike's Zesty Three Bean Salad Recipe The Best Greek Chickpea Salad (15 minutes!) - The Kitchen Girl Chinese Chicken Salad - Eat Yourself Skinny
June 8, 2012 at 12:58 am

hells yes!
Reply
Steve @ the black peppercorn says
June 8, 2012 at 2:14 am

I just made an avocado dressing last week for a salad and it was the first time I had tasted it. I really enjoyed it. This recipe for the dressing and the salad looks wonderful Kevin. Great job!!
Reply
Gaby Godoy de Porras says
June 8, 2012 at 1:47 pm

Yum! looks delicious!!! thanks for sharing
Reply
Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) says
June 8, 2012 at 1:54 pm

Yum, this looks like a great summer salad that is not only light but also bursting with flavor!
Reply
Rocky Mountain Woman says
June 8, 2012 at 4:39 pm

My favorite salad with even more avocado goodness!
lovely…
Reply
Cathleen says
June 8, 2012 at 5:07 pm

Wow, this looks absolutely delicious! I love the combination of ingredients. I have never tried making food with avocado yet, I've really got to start!
Reply
Joanne says
June 8, 2012 at 8:20 pm

I was waiting with bated breath and a growling stomach to see what you were gong to do with that dressing! Love it. Also, so happy we got to finally meet!
Reply
Carole says
June 8, 2012 at 8:41 pm

Nice use of avocado. It would be super if you linked this post in to Food on Friday Series which is all about avocado this week.
Reply
WokandSpoon says
June 8, 2012 at 9:11 pm

I like the heat in the dressing! I add chilli to everything.
Reply
Tanya Robinson VanElls says
June 8, 2012 at 11:47 pm

This looks insanely delicious…love that dressing idea…Thank You!
Reply
See Also
Caprese Salad Recipe (VIDEO)
Sara says
June 9, 2012 at 3:10 pm

Yum, this salad looks amazing! I'm totally in love with the idea of an avocado dressing…looks creamy and so tasty! 🙂
Reply
Free Recipes says
June 9, 2012 at 4:44 pm

Sound delicious for this BBQ recipe! It's make me so hungry! I can't wait to eat this 🙂
Reply
Gwen says
June 10, 2012 at 3:27 am

Perfect! Putting this on my menu for next week. Can't wait to try the avocado dressing!
Reply
mountain mama cooks says
June 11, 2012 at 1:50 pm

This looks delicious. Light and fresh for the summer. Anything with avocado is a winner in my book!
Reply
Stephanie305 says
June 11, 2012 at 3:23 pm

This was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and I added cheddar cheese to the salad. My husband and I both really enjoyed it. Thanks!
Reply
Anonymous says
June 11, 2012 at 9:36 pm

You are a culinary genious! I tried the BBQ chicken salad with creamy avocado dressing and am now officially in heaven.
Reply
Rachel says
June 12, 2012 at 1:13 am

Yum! I like this one 🙂
Reply
Chris says
June 12, 2012 at 1:29 am

I'll be keeping this in mine, I just smoked a chicken yesterday and have some leftovers.
Reply
Kevin says
June 12, 2012 at 11:35 am

Joanne: It was great meeting you at the BlogHer Food conference!
Reply
Kevin says
June 12, 2012 at 11:36 am

Chris: Smoked chicken would be amazing in this salad! I so need a smoker!
Reply
vanillasugarblog says
June 13, 2012 at 1:22 pm

I thought of doing this, but forgot.
How was BlogHer?
Did you eat good food? See any sights?
Reply
Kevin says
June 14, 2012 at 10:43 am

vanillasugarblog: BlogHer Food was great! The Seattle food scene is really good and filled with tasty food. I got the chance to visit the Pike Market while I was there.
Reply
Anonymous says
July 16, 2012 at 2:26 pm

I made the salad and dressing exactly as the recipes are written and they are wonderful. My daugher and husband used the remaining dressing as dip for veggies at lunch the next day. I will be making this again soon.
Reply
John says
June 8, 2013 at 7:50 pm

Going to try BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing and thanks for the recipe
Reply
Anonymous says
July 16, 2014 at 3:11 pm

This was really good. The dressing is so good and the whole salad came together quickly and was delicious. Thanks for this recipe – we will make this often.
Reply
Lily says
September 10, 2023 at 3:47 am

Your BBQ chicken salad with that creamy avocado dressing sounds absolutely divine! 😋 The fusion of flavors and textures must create a delightful harmony in each bite. If you’re ever in the mood for more culinary adventures, you should definitely explore the offerings at Secret Recipe(https://secretrecipebd.com/). We’ve got a variety of salads and other dishes that blend fresh ingredients and mouthwatering flavors to satisfy your cravings. Come and experience a world of delicious possibilities!
Reply
Heather says
April 13, 2024 at 8:54 pm

Stupid question…..are the black beans cooked up first? Sorry 😞, novice
Reply
- kevin says
  April 15, 2024 at 7:26 am
  
  The black beans can either be cooked (from dried) or canned (drained and rinsed). Enjoy!
  Reply

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