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Effortless BBQ Chicken Salad

Featured in: Salads and Dressings

You get juicy, grilled chicken chunks coated in BBQ sauce, sitting on a big bowl of crunchy summer salad. Grill the chicken after letting it soak up all those BBQ flavors. While the chicken cooks, char the corn so it's sweet, then toss it with lettuce, beans, tomatoes, avocado, and tons of fresh herbs. The star finish is an easy, homemade ranch full of dill and parsley that ties everything together. It's got that smoky, cool, and crisp combo you'll crave on hot days or any time you want something light but filling.

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punchofyummy
Updated on Sun, 25 May 2025 15:48:58 GMT
Food loaded on a plate next to fork and knife. Pin it
Food loaded on a plate next to fork and knife. | pinchofyummy.com

You get a loaded platter here. Grilled chicken that's smoky and juicy, crisp summer veggies, and a ranch loaded with fresh herbs. It's super satisfying whether you love greens or are just in it for the meat. That homemade herby ranch is thick, smooth, and zesty so every bite pops.

The first time I tossed this together was just before friends came over for a backyard hang. I wanted something filling but not heavy. Everyone fought for the last serving. Now folks always ask for it when summer BBQs roll around.

Ingredients

  • Avocado: Creamy and full of good fats adds heft and flavor
  • Fresh herbs like cilantro and basil: Toss in for extra garden punch
  • Black beans: Brings extra protein and a little chew
  • Grape tomatoes: Juicy, tangy, and add pops of flavor
  • Green onions: Nice and mild with a hint of bite
  • Romaine lettuce: Crisp, cool, makes everything crunchier
  • Corn: Little sweet bursts all through your salad
  • Garlic and onion powder: Rounds out flavor, nothing harsh
  • Fresh herbs like dill and parsley: The key to all the herby brightness
  • Lemon juice and red wine vinegar: Adds tang and snap
  • Unsweetened full fat coconut milk: Makes the ranch lush and creamy without using dairy
  • Egg: Pulls the dressing together for a perfect, rich mix
  • Light tasting oil: Keeps things neutral, lets the herbs shine
  • Wooden skewers: Helps you flip and serve easily
  • BBQ sauce: Sweet and smoky for that signature charred crust
  • Kosher salt: Brings everything to life
  • Avocado oil: Great for grilling, never smokes or burns up
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Soaks up the marinade and grills up juicy

Easy-To-Follow Steps

Put Your Salad Together:
After you grill and cool the corn, cut off the kernels. Toss all the veggies into a big bowl. Add avocado right at the end so it stays fresh and green. Pour on your herby ranch and toss it just enough to get everything coated but don’t bruise up the lettuce. Slide those chicken skewers on top and you’re set.
Get Those Chicken Skewers Grilled:
Thread the marinated chicken on soaked skewers. Grill hot—let 'em sear for a couple minutes on the first side. Flip, brush with extra BBQ sauce, and grill the other side. Close your grill while cooking to keep the heat steady. They’ll be cooked through in about 7-8 minutes total.
Fire Up The Corn:
Brush the ears with a bit of oil, set them on your hot grill, and give them a turn every few minutes. Let each side char for that real corn sweetness—should be done in around ten minutes and they’ll be perfect.
Whip Up That Herby Ranch:
Start by blending the egg and some oil until you get mayo—use an immersion blender for this and keep it steady at first. When it looks creamy, add coconut milk, vinegar, lemon juice, and your seasonings. Stir in those fresh chopped herbs last. Make this first for the flavors to come together while you prep the rest.
Prep The Chicken:
Level out the chicken breasts so they cook evenly by pounding them flat, cut into cubes, and mix with oil, BBQ sauce, and salt. Let sit for at least twenty minutes at room temp, or stash in the fridge for a few hours if you’ve got time. That BBQ sauce does wonders to make the chicken tender and full of flavor.
A plate of food with meat and vegetables. Pin it
A plate of food with meat and vegetables. | pinchofyummy.com

This herby ranch is honestly my go-to for making salads taste special. I double up when I make it because everyone wants leftovers for quick salads during the week. Dill and parsley make all the difference—folks always want the secret.

Leftover Storage

Pop your cooked chicken into a sealed container in the fridge—it’ll stay good for about three days. Warm it up gently or just slice cold right onto your next salad. That homemade ranch? It’ll last seven days in the fridge if you use a tight jar. For weekly meal prep, stash all the parts separately and toss together just before you dig in so nothing gets soggy.

Switch It Up

Mix and match here. Sub in shrimp or tofu if you’re not feeling chicken. Want it lower carb? Add more lettuce and ditch the corn and beans. Not on Whole30? Try some crumbled bacon or a little cheese over the top. That ranch? It’s also killer as a veggie dip or drizzled over grilled anything.

Seasonal Swaps

No fresh corn once it’s cold? Roast up some sweet potato cubes for the same sweet kick. When spring rolls around, throw in some asparagus tips or snap peas. For fall, roasted butternut squash works great instead of corn. Basically, you don’t have to wait for summer to put this together—switch it up with what’s fresh.

A plate of food with meat and vegetables. Pin it
A plate of food with meat and vegetables. | pinchofyummy.com

When you mix grilled chicken, fresh veggies, and that herby dressing, you get a meal everyone’s happy to see again and again at the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I prepare any components of this dish ahead of time?

Definitely! Let the chicken hang out in the marinade in your fridge for up to 8 hours. Whip together the ranch up to a week before—just keep it cold. You can even grill the corn a day in advance. When you're ready, simply cook the chicken and throw everything together.

→ What can I substitute for avocado oil?

Use any oil with little taste, like grapeseed, canola, or light olive oil (not the fancy extra virgin kind). For the ranch, stick with a neutral oil so the herbs shine through.

→ How do I make this Whole30 compliant?

Just skip the corn and black beans. Double check your BBQ sauce—make sure it's Whole30 friendly, with no sneaky sugar or weird ingredients. Primal Kitchen is a safe bet!

→ Can I cook this without a grill?

Totally! Pop those chicken skewers under the broiler for about 5-6 minutes a side, or use a grill pan on your stove. As for the corn, roast it in a 425°F oven for 20–25 minutes and turn it now and then so it gets some color.

→ How can I make a vegetarian version of this dish?

Swap in tofu, halloumi, or a mix of veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, and bell peppers on your skewers. Coat them in that BBQ sauce, grill them up, and maybe use more black beans for protein. It turns out delicious!

→ What's the best way to store leftovers?

Keep everything in separate containers with snug lids in the fridge. Chicken lasts 3–4 days. The salad, if it isn't dressed, will stay good longer, but eat the dressed stuff in 24 hours. Keep dressing by itself till you're ready to eat for maximum crunch.

Effortless BBQ Chicken Salad

Grilled chicken tossed with sweet corn, crisp greens, and herby ranch brings all the tasty, bold flavors you want in a fresh summer meal.

Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
50 Minutes
By: Amelia


Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: BBQ from the USA

Yield: 4 Servings (4 filling salads with chicken skewers)

Dietary: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Skewered Chicken

01 8 wooden skewers (6-inch), soaked in water
02 3 tablespoons avocado oil
03 2 cups barbecue sauce
04 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
05 1 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Fresh Ranch Sauce

06 1 egg
07 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
08 ½ cup full-fat coconut milk (unsweetened)
09 ¼ cup chopped parsley, fresh
10 ¼ cup freshly chopped dill
11 1 teaspoon onion powder
12 1 teaspoon kosher salt
13 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
14 2 tablespoons lemon juice
15 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
16 1 cup avocado oil with mild flavor

→ Tossed Salad

17 6 green onion tops, thinly cut
18 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
19 4 ears of fresh corn
20 2 tablespoons avocado oil
21 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (16 oz)
22 ¼ cup loose cilantro leaves, fresh
23 2 tablespoons basil leaves, roughly chopped
24 8 cups Romaine lettuce, sliced thinly (two small heads)
25 1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, rinsed well

Instructions

Step 01

Flatten chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thickness with a heavy skillet or mallet. Cut into cubes about 2 inches big and transfer to a big mixing bowl. Stir in 1 cup barbecue sauce, salt, and oil until everything is coated. Cover and chill for 4-8 hours, or let it sit out for 20 minutes at room temperature.

Step 02

Place the avocado oil into a jar just wide enough for your immersion blender. Crack the egg in and let it settle to the bottom. Rest the blender on the egg yolk and turn it on to make creamy mayo at the jar’s base. In around 10 seconds, begin slowly moving the blender through the mixture to blend fully. Toss in the lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, coconut milk, salt, black pepper, and onion powder, then blend until smooth. Toss the fresh herbs in at the end and stir to combine. Keep it cold until needed.

Step 03

Preheat your grill to about 350-400°F (medium-high). To grease the cooking area, soak some paper towels in oil, then use tongs to rub that over the grates. Don’t let a lot of oil sit on the surface, as that can cause flames to kick up.

Step 04

Drizzle oil on the ears of corn and rub them lightly until they’re coated completely. Place corn on the grill, turning it every couple of minutes, so it cooks evenly for about 10-12 minutes. Slide the marinated chicken pieces onto the wooden skewers. Lay the skewers on the hot grill, let them cook for 3-4 minutes until grill marks show, then flip them over. Brush cooked sides with reserved barbecue sauce. Keep the lid down, cooking until both sides are marked and the chicken is done, about another 3-4 minutes. Set the corn and chicken aside to cool a bit.

Step 05

In a huge bowl, toss together your romaine lettuce, thinly sliced green onions, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and basil. Pour over the dressing and toss the salad to coat everything evenly. Cut the kernels off of the cooled corn and add them with the diced avocado into the salad. Gently toss again.

Step 06

Spoon salad onto plates, then lay the barbecue chicken skewers over the top. Serve while it’s still fresh!

Notes

  1. Skip adding the black beans and corn if you want this dish to meet Whole30 requirements.
  2. For a shortcut, swap homemade mayo with 1 cup of store-bought light mayo, and exclude the egg and oil in the dressing.
  3. Keep the homemade ranch in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.

Tools You'll Need

  • Heavy skillet or meat mallet
  • Hand blender (immersion type)
  • Tall, wide jar
  • Outdoor grill
  • Metal tongs
  • Skewers made of wood
  • Large salad bowl

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Made with egg
  • Includes coconut milk

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 650
  • Total Fat: 38 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 45 g
  • Protein: 42 g