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BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken and Salad:

  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 2 cups BBQ sauce (see note)
  • ½ head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped
  • 2 romaine hearts, chopped
  • ½ red onion diced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed small or shredded
  • 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cubed small or shredded

Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ to ½ cup BBQ sauce

Instructions 

  • For the salad, combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • In a large bowl, toss together the iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red onion, cilantro, corn, black beans and cheese. Toss the mixed salad with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the dressing, if desired. Otherwise, you can serve the dressing on the side. Place salad on plates and top with the prepared BBQ chicken and additional dressing.
  • For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together and whisk (or shake, if using a jar) vigorously to combine. You could also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

BBQ Sauce: here is my favorite homemade version. 
Buttermilk: here is a guide for making your own buttermilk. 
Chicken: this recipe calls for already cooked chicken so plan ahead! I like to cook my chicken in the crockpot, using frozen chicken breasts and about 1 cup of chicken broth for every 2 chicken breasts. I cook on low for about 4-5 hours and then shred and refrigerate (or freeze) for later.
Make Ahead Instructions: all the components of this salad can be prepared up to a day in advance (the dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance). Store separately in the refrigerator and toss before serving.