This BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad Is A Perfect Make-Ahead Lunch

There’s not much else that screams summer quite like barbecued chicken. The smokiness of the grill and those classic char marks give such great flavor. But when you add it to a salad, you’t got a complete meal. This version of a BBQ chicken chopped salad from Maxine Sharf, culinary creator and recipe developer behind the popular account @maxiskitchen, is a hearty meal, not a word often used to describe a salad. But with the chicken, which she makes using a cast iron to get the smokiness and char from the grill without the hassle, avocado, and delicious dressing, this salad can be dinner.

Keep scrolling to find out how Sharf makes it.

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesTotal time:1 hour Servings:4 servings

Ingredients

Pickled onion

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, divided (I love Stubb’s Original)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

Dressing

• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 1 large head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
• 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Make the pickled onion: Place the onion in a heatproof bowl. In a small pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, and bring to a gentle boil over high heat. As soon as the liquid starts bubbling, pour it over the onion. Set aside to pickle for at least 20 minutes or ideally 1 hour.
2. Make the chicken: Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut each breast into 2 smaller pieces and transfer to a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce and the salt. Mix to coat in the sauce and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
3. In a large cast iron skillet or grill pan, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess marinade drip off, and add to the skillet in a single layer. Cook until the outside is browned with some char and the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into bitesize cubes, then transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with the remaining 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce.
5. Make the dressing: In a medium glass measuring cup (or bowl), whisk together the sour cream, BBQ sauce, vinegar, mayonnaise, water, sugar, salt, and pepper.
6. Assemble: Divide the romaine salad among 4 bowls. Add the chicken, cherry tomatoes, avocado, corn, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro, and pickled onion on top. Drizzle to taste with the dressing, toss, and enjoy!

Keywords:Healthy, Lunch, Lunch Recipes, Summer

• Healthy
• Lunch
• Lunch Recipes
• Summer