BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch

This BBQ Chicken Salad offers a delicious blend of grilled chicken basted in sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, served over crisp salad greens and vibrant veggies, and topped with a light and creamy Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing that adds a gentle heat. This hearty dinner salad is perfect for summer grilling season!

Jump to:

• Ingredients needed to make this BBQ Chicken Salad
• Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing: A Flavorful Complement to BBQ Chicken Salad
• Elevate Your BBQ Game with this Homemade Smoky and Spicy Red BBQ Sauce
• Grilling Tips: How to Grill Chicken for Salad
• Recipe Variations: Customize Your BBQ Chicken Salad
• Essential Tools for Making BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch
• More Delicious Salad Recipes to Explore
• BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch

Ingredients needed to make this BBQ Chicken Salad

• Chicken: I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
• BBQ Sauce: I love using this Spicy Red BBQ Sauce to baste the chicken, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and spice. If you prefer less heat and more tangyness in your BBQ sauce, try this Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce. You can also use your favorite bottled BBQ sauce -- I like Stubb’s Smokey Mesquite or Lillie’s Q Smoky.
• Romaine Lettuce: Hearts of romaine lettuce provide a crisp crunch that holds up well to various toppings. If you prefer, iceberg lettuce is a great alternative.
• Cucumber: I recommend English cucumbers for their thin skin and mild, sweet flavor. Persian cucumbers are also a good option.
• Carrots: Carrot chips work well in this salad, but you can use sliced, diced, or shredded carrots if you prefer.
• Tomatoes: Sweet cherry tomatoes add a burst of flavor, but use whatever tomatoes you like best.
• Black Olives
• Avocado
• Green Onions: Feel free to use red onions if you prefer.
• Blue Cheese: I love crumbling a good blue cheese like Roquefort or Gorgonzola over this salad. Cheddar, mozzarella balls, or cotija also make great alternatives.
• Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing: This light, creamy, and flavorful dressing is a summertime favorite. Its consistency is similar to a vinaigrette, making it perfect for tossing with tender greens without weighing them down.

Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing: A Flavorful Complement to BBQ Chicken Salad

The homemade Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing is the perfect match for this BBQ Chicken Salad. Starting with a creamy blend of buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and mayo, this ranch dressing adds a unique twist to a classic ranch dressing with vibrant, fresh herbs, garlic-infused olive oil, and a gentle nip of heat from jalapenos.

The gentle heat of this unique ranch dressing complements the smoky grilled chicken and crisp veggies in your BBQ Chicken Salad. With its vinaigrette-like consistency, the dressing effortlessly coats tender greens without overwhelming them, adding a light and refreshing touch to the salad.

Elevate Your BBQ Game with this Homemade Smoky and Spicy Red BBQ Sauce

I love basting grilled chicken in this Spicy Red BBQ Sauce, which offers an irresistible balance of sweetness, tanginess, and a generous fiery kick that perfectly complements this BBQ Chicken Salad. Crafted from ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a medley of warm and smoky spices, this sauce is super easy to assemble and can be made in about 10 minutes. Its well worth the extra effort to make compared to bottled BBQ sauce and is lovely over grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, pork, and even tofu and veggies!

Grilling Tips: How to Grill Chicken for Salad

Master the art of grilling chicken for your salad with these expert tips, ensuring tender and flavorful results that elevate your easy grilled chicken salad to perfection:

• Preheat the Grill: Allow the grill to fully preheat before adding the chicken. The ideal temperature is around 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit / 205-232 degrees Celsius.
• Prepare the Chicken: If the chicken breasts are particularly thick, consider halving them to ensure even cooking.
• Cook with Lid Closed: Cover the grill while cooking the chicken. This helps to retain heat and ensures thorough cooking.
• Monitor Cooking Time: Grill the chicken for approximately 5-6 minutes per side, or until it easily releases from the grill grates. If it sticks, continue cooking for an additional minute before attempting to flip it.
• Basting with BBQ Sauce: To infuse extra flavor, baste the chicken with your preferred BBQ sauce during the final minutes of grilling. Flip the chicken once, baste the first side, flip again, and baste the other side.
• Check Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of chicken breasts reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit / 74 degrees Celsius. If using chicken thighs, aim for an ideal temperature between 175-195 degrees Fahrenheit / 80-90 Celsius for maximum tenderness.
• Rest the Chicken: Once grilled, remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Resting helps the chicken retain its juices and ensures it remains tender and flavorful.

Recipe Variations: Customize Your BBQ Chicken Salad

Personalize your meal with these BBQ Chicken Salad variations that add a whole new spin on this tasty grilled summer salad recipe:

• Protein Substitutes: Swap the grilled chicken with other proteins like grilled steak, shrimp, or pulled pork for a unique and flavorful twist.
• A Vegetarian Twist: If you'd like to make this salad vegetarian-friendly, grilled tofu is a fantastic alternative that pairs beautifully with BBQ sauce. The tofu, when basted in the savory BBQ sauce, absorbs the flavors and delivers a satisfying and delicious meatless option for your BBQ Chicken Salad.
• Bell Peppers: Add a burst of vibrant color and sweet flavor by including bell peppers in your BBQ Chicken Salad. You can either add them raw for a refreshing crunch or grill them for a smoky twist.
• Grilled Corn: Elevate the salad with the delightful taste of grilled corn. Simply pop an ear or two on the grill while cooking the chicken for an extra layer of smokiness and sweetness.
• Cheese Choices: Experiment with different cheeses such as cheddar, cotija, or mozzarella balls to complement the salad's flavors. Each cheese offers its own distinct character to the dish.
• Salad Greens: Change up the salad greens by swapping the romaine lettuce for different alternatives such as crisp and crunchy iceberg lettuce or shredded cabbage. These sturdy leaves hold up well to toppings and provide a refreshingly crunchy texture to the salad.
• Add Some Extra Texture: For a fun and textural addition, sprinkle pepitas (pumpkin seeds) over the salad. Their nutty flavor and satisfying crunch bring a delightful contrast to the tender greens and grilled chicken.
• Boost the Satiety: Incorporate black beans into the BBQ Chicken Salad for added heartiness and fiber. These delicious legumes not only enhance the salad's texture but also provide valuable nutrients.

Essential Tools for Making BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch

• A grill
• Kitchen tongs
• A cutting board
• A chef's knife
• A kitchen scale (or measuring cups for less precise measurements)
• Measuring spoons
• A small dish (for the BBQ sauce to baste with)
• A basting brush
• Helpful extras: To make the Spicy Red BBQ Sauce, you will also need a medium saucepan and a silicone spatula. To make the Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing you will also need a food processor or immersion blender and a silicone spatula.

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More Delicious Salad Recipes to Explore

Love this BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch? Explore more flavorful salad recipes, perfect for effortless and delicious dinners:

• BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Peaches
• Wedge Salad with Horseradish Blue Cheese
• Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado
• Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce
• Tuna Nicoise Salad (Salade Nicoise)
• Radicchio Salad with Green Olives, Blue Cheese, and Candies Walnuts
• Shaved Fennel, White Bean, and Arugula Salad with Tuna

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