Effortless BBQ Chicken Salad (Print Version)
# 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
06 -
Spoon salad onto plates, then lay the barbecue chicken skewers over the top. Serve while it’s still fresh!
# Notes:
01 -
Skip adding the black beans and corn if you want this dish to meet Whole30 requirements.
02 -
For a shortcut, swap homemade mayo with 1 cup of store-bought light mayo, and exclude the egg and oil in the dressing.
03 -
Keep the homemade ranch in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.