BBQ Chicken Salad [Copycat Panera Bread]

Want to make your chicken salad even better? This healthy and flavorful BBQ chicken salad is quick to prepare and whets the appetite for a big, tasty meal. hearty salad for your next meal.

The BEST BBQ Chicken Salad

When I tell you I was devastated when Panera Bread removed their BBQ Chicken Salad from their menu, I’m not kidding. It was my favorite meal or dinner when I didn’t feel like cooking. I craved it at least once a week! Since I couldn’t get hold of my beloved Panera BBQ Chicken Salad, I decided to recreate it at home.

And let me tell you…this one is better! Not only does it have the same taste and texture as the original, but it also has some healthier alternatives that make it a salad you feel good about. It can also be easily added to your meal prep so you can eat it all week long.

Packed with nutritious veggies and grilled chicken breasts, this will be on your weekly meal plan every week!

Ingredients for BBQ chicken salad

• Grilled Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated in barbecue sauce
• barbecue sauce – for marinating chicken. I like this version of Primal Kitchen.
• romaine lettuce – this is the basis of your salad. You can also replace romaine with another green.
• Black beans – For the sake of simplicity, I use the variant from the can.
• Red onion – or spring onion.
• Corn – fresh, canned or frozen, everything works.
• cherry tomato – You can use any type of tomato, but cherry tomatoes are easy to chop.
• tortilla strips – to crunch. You can make your own crunchy tortilla chips or use store-bought ones.
• Cheese – I like to use Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese.
• Greek yogurt ranch dressing – My own version of Ranch is a combination of Greek yogurt, lime juice, fresh cilantro, garlic, salt and black pepper. Mayonnaise is used on more traditional ranches, but this is a lighter version.

How to prepare a BBQ chicken salad

STEP 1: COOK CHICKEN

Place the chicken in a large bowl and top with 1/4 cup BBQ sauce and salt and pepper. Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (approximately 450°F). Add the chicken and grill 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the grill and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken in a bowl and top with the remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce to ensure it is well coated.

STEP 2: PREPARE RANCH DRESSING

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl or mason jar and mix well. If desired, add more water to thin the dressing.

STEP 3: ARRANGE + SERVE SALAD

In a large bowl, combine romaine lettuce, black beans, red onions, corn, cherry tomatoes, tortilla chips, and cheese. Add chicken to salad and drizzle with ranch dressing. Serve immediately or follow storage instructions below.

Easy replacement + modifications

swap chickens – for a different protein or use rotisserie chicken instead of rotisserie chicken if you don’t have time to grill.

Add avocado – I prefer to add it just before serving. So if you plan to make this salad, hold off on cutting.

Try a different dressing – You can use store-bought ranch dressing if you like, or try a different dressing like this Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Storage Instructions

This BBQ Chicken Salad is an easy meal to make for a healthy weeknight lunch. Just make sure to keep the dressing separate from the salad so the salad doesn’t get soggy.

Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge and it will keep for up to 5 days.

For Mason Jar Salad: To make this BBQ chicken salad in a mason jar, start by adding some Greek yogurt ranch dressing to the bottom. Top with chicken, cherry tomatoes, red onions, black beans, corn, and finally the romaine sauce (in that exact order). Set aside the tortilla chips to keep them from getting soggy. To serve, mix everything together with a fork, shake, add tortilla chips and enjoy!

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