How To Make Ranch Bbq Chicken Salad
Making the Cheesecake Factorys CopyCat salad is so easy! You will be so surprised how quickly this salad comes together.
Making This Pasta Salad Is Easy Here Are The Steps
You need to gather up your ingredientsreally good BBQ sauce, summer produce, your favorite short cut pasta, and a bit of homemade ranch dressing.
I always start with the chicken and toss it simply with my favorite homemade BBQ sauce. You can certainly use store-bought too. I recommend something lower in sugar so the chicken is not too sweet.
Grill the chicken, and while thats cooking, I usually start assembling the salad.
Youll of course need pasta. I love a fun short cut like these guys, or maybe these fun squiggles. Once the pasta is all cooked, I add it to my biggest salad bowl. To the bowl I add cubes of cheddar and pepper jack cheese, lettuce, grilled corn, tomatoes, and slices of jalapeño.
Then I throw in lots of fresh cilantro and basil and give it all a nice toss.
About This Flavorful Bbq Chicken Salad
Not only is this homemade BBQ chicken salad a dead-ringer for Paneras, its loaded with twice the toppings for a fraction of the cost. Although I appreciate the fact that Panera offers healthy menu options compared with most fast food chains, the portions can be skimpy. By making my own BBQ Chicken Salad at home, I was able to load it with as large a serving of crisp veggies, juicy chicken, and crunchy tortilla chips as my heart desired.
Plus, the fact that the BBQ chicken in this recipe is freshly grilled , versus reheated in the back of a food assembly line, guarantees for a richer taste and increased BBQ chicken salad satisfaction.
Even Ben, who does not consider salad and dinner synonymous gave this recipe a vote of approval. Its healthy, easy to make, and the chicken even tastes good leftover the next day. I see this BBQ chicken salad on our weeknight menu often this summer, especially in later months when fresh corn is in season in Wisconsin.
Since for most, fresh corn is not available year round, Ive suggested using canned Mexicorn for the recipe. It makes the salad super fast and easy to prepare too.
If you are lucky enough to have fresh ears of corn at your disposal when you make this recipe, grill them along with the chicken, then slice the kernels off the cob and add them to the salad, along with the beans, onions, and other goodies.
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Faqs About This Recipe
If you like this chicken salad recipe, you might also like:
Southern Bbq Chicken Salad With Barbecue Ranch Dressing
Published: · Modified: Jul 5, 2021 by Mindee · This post contains affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Take your taste buds to the southwest with this loaded salad topped with a creamy barbecue salad dressing! Packed with chopped, shredded or last night’s leftover grilled chicken and tossed with fresh lettuce, black beans, olives, and more this easy summer dinner comes together in a snap!
- Full of healthy ingredients like chicken, black beans, hard boiled eggs, lettuces and avocados!
- Can be prepped ahead of time so all you have to do is add the dressing later!
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How Will This Dressing Make Your Life Easier
If you’re a big ranch dressing fan like I am, elevate your fave salad dressing and dip with some BBQ sauce, and you’ve got a ranch-y tangy BBQ ranch dressing that’s great on oh so many foods.
There are lots of homemade ranch dressing recipes out there, and they’re good and all, but if you’re anything like me, you love the traditional mix it yourself Hidden Valley ranch. The mix tastes way different than the bottle of ranch, and I think the mix tastes so much better than the pre-made dressing.
So instead of making your own ranch dressing, get yourself a packet , add your own mayo & Greek yogurt, milk, and BBQ sauce.
You may have seen a few recipes to add your barbecue ranch dressing to, but here are a couple more: dip this Black Bean and Veggie Quesadilla into it, or use your BBQ dressing as the sauce for these Crispy Instant Pot Chicken Wings.
Try These Other Salad Recipes:
- Romaine Tomato Avocado Salad The best romaine salad with tomatoes and avocados,
I hope you loved this CopyCat Cheesecake Factory recipe for BBQ Chicken Salad. Dont forget to comment below and tag us on social media with your feedback, we so enjoy hearing from you.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Whats your favorite salad combination? Id love to hear about it in the comments below.
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Bbq Chicken Salad With Cilantro Lime Ranch
When we go out to eat at a local restaurant I often get their BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Ranch. Since it has started to warm up outside and I can finally use my grill again, Ive decided Im just going to start making this salad at home.
This tastes just like the restaurant version but Im sure it cost half the price. Not to mention my corn tortilla strips are way better than theirs because theyre fresh :).
I love salads like this because they are healthy and filling and they even make great left overs for lunch the next day .
This one has all the flavors of a Southwestern meal in one loaded salad (and no Im not skimp with the toppings.
Its always crazy when you pay $10 for a salad and they put 3 tiny pieces of chicken on top. If its going to be a meal for me it needs to have a lot in it).
The other great thing about this salad is its a mans salad too, my husband doesnt go for any of those dainty salads that have a few pieces of fruit and a light vinaigrette for a main meal. We can both agree on this one.
Its simply amazing.
Bbq Ranch Salad What Meat To Use
You can use any grilled BBQ meat you like, here. Leftovers work great- tried pulled pork, thin sliced steak, or leftover bbq chicken. If youre grilling up something fresh, I like to grill chicken thighs seasoned with BBQ Rub and brushed with bbq sauce in the last few minutes. You can prep the rest of the ingredients while your chicken is cooking!
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How To Make Our Bbq Macaroni Salad Recipe:
Start by cutting up the red bell pepper, celery stalk, cucumbers, green onion, purple onion, and colby jack cheese.
Once that is done, set them aside until later.
Then, cook the macaroni noodles according to the directions on the packaging.
After the noodles are done cooking, drain the water with a colander and then rinse the noodles with cold water and let them drain again.
NOTE: By washing the noodles in cold water, this will stop the cooking process and keep the noodles the consistency you want for macaroni salad.
When you are done cooking the noodles, use a large mixing bowl and combine the mayo, BBQ sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar in the bowl.
Mix it all together well to form the creamy base for the salad.
Next, add in the cool and rinsed noodles, and all of the chopped vegetables and cheese.
Give it a good mix until all of the pasta is coated in the sauce.
Now, just store the salad in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving for the best results.
Related Recipe: Try another favorite BBQ Side, our Easy Homemade Cornbread!
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Any nutritional analysis on this Site is based on an estimate, calculated by Nurtifox plugin from the individual ingredients in each recipe. Variations may occur for various reasons, including product availability and food preparation. We make no representation or warranty of the accuracy of this information.
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Bbq Macaroni Salad Recipe
You can make a family dinner into a favorite family dinner with this BBQ macaroni salad recipe. It has a lot of flavor mixed with a deliciously creamy base and a little added crunch. It is the best macaroni salad recipe in my opinion.
One of my favorite things about this BBQ side dish recipe is that you can make it your own. Add more or less of one of the carrots, cucumbers, or green onion. Or you can even omit it if you know youll like it better without it.
Changing the recipe to suit your family will not mess it up, just makes it even tastier. If you are making this for a group you know that likes things spicy, you can even ramp up the spice a little bit by adding more chili powder or hot sauce.
Dont stop with just this amazing macaroni salad, make sure you take a look at our Best Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe, Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe, and Pizza Pasta Salad Recipe for great summer side dishes.
Related Recipe: Try our kids favorite dinner! The BEST Cheeseburger Macaroni Recipe HERE!
Smoky Chipotle Bbq Ranch Dressing
A mix of two favorites! Ranch dressing joins barbecue sauce to make a smoky, flavor-filled taste sensation. Made light with nonfat Greek yogurt so its healthy enough to serve or enjoy anytime.
Recently I visited Pennsylvania for a work trip. There is this AMAZING barbecue place that we to go when were there because its right next door to the place we were visiting. The first time I went there, I had this amazing barbecue sausage sandwich and this time, just the thought of going to this restaurant again got my mouth watering and me dreaming about that gorgeous sandwich. I have been trying to eat healthier and exercise more in hopes that Ill shed a few pounds. This sandwich wasnt going to help, but I couldnt help myself. I HAD to have it.
To help ease my guilt, I ordered a salad on the side and for the dressing, I chose their house BBQ Ranch dressing. The dressing was almost as orgasmic as the sandwich I couldnt help but want to create this at home so I could enjoy it again and again and again. I got to mix-mastering ingredients, adding this and that, working towards a smoky rich tasting dressing that was healthy enough to fit into my lifestyle and fitness goals.
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Bbq Chicken Salad Wraps
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These fresh and crunchy BBQ Chicken Salad Wraps take just minutes to make for a quick and easy, low calorie weeknight meal.
This recipe is my idea of the perfect summer meal. It utilizes rotisserie chicken, sauces that I always keep stocked in my fridge, and it requires no time in the oven.
Many times, the recipes I get the most excited about dont elicit the same level of enthusiasm from the people in my house. These BBQ Chicken Salad Wraps are an exception to this rule. Everyone loves them. They are a high protein, low calorie choice that satisfies everyone in my family.
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This healthy, flavorful salad comes together so quickly and easily, and it is guaranteed to be a hit with your entire family!
After spending 10 days in Los Angeles with Jasons family, its an understatement to say that we were both very well-fed with homemade Korean food and lots and lots of donuts. But now that the holidays are over and were back home, its time to shed that holiday weight!
And what better way to shed some of that excess weight than with some glorious homemade salads, right?
Now this BBQ chicken salad has been on my bucket list for years. Its one of my favorite salads to order when eating out but it also gets to be so expensive! After all, who wants to spend $15 on a salad for lunch?
Thats where this homemade version comes in. Its so much more inexpensive to make right at home, and you dont have to skimp on your favorite ingredients!
Plus, you can use your favorite Ranch and BBQ dressings and pile on those crisp tortilla strips because, well, lets be honest. Thats the best part about the salad anyway, right?
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How Do I Make This Sauce
Start making this small batch of BBQ ranch dressing by pouring the following ingredients into a mason jar with a tight lid: ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise, ¼ cup buttermilk , 2 Tablespoons BBQsauce, and 1 ½-2 teaspoons Ranchdressingmix.
Place lid on jar, and secure. Shake jar until sauce ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Whisk if any small chunks remain.
Pour over salad or onto a plate to use as a dip. You can refrigerate this ranchBBQ for 3-5 days, or just sniff it. If it smells good still, it should be safe to eat. I like using the sniff test because many foods last longer than 3-5 days and don’t need to be tossed then.
Bbq Chicken Salad Shortcut Ideas
- Rotisseriechicken: Using rotisserie chicken is a huge time saver! And speaking of a quick prep time, you can buy rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded to make this salad even faster.
- Pre-made BBQ sauce: Store-bought BBQ sauce is also a huge time saver . If you want to make your own or have some leftover, then by all means use it! I highly recommend Stubbs® or SweetBabyRays® in this recipe .
- Dressing: The dressing is pretty quick to whip together, but if youre in a pinch I recommend Bolthouse® CilantroAvocadodressing. Its the most similar to the homemade dressing Im sharing in the recipe card.
- Guacamole: If you dont have the time to chop up an avocado or cant find a ripe one, store-bought guacamole will work in a pinch. Youll still get that creamy element and flavor from the guacamole.
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Incredibly Good Bbq Ranch Dressing
Yall know Im not a huge barbecue sauce lover, but I must confess Im in love with BBQ Ranch Dressing!
How did this happen? Never in a million years would I have believed that adding BBQ Sauce to Ranch Dressing would have ever been good, BUT IT TOTALLY IS!!!!!
Have you tried it? Am I late to this dressing game? How long has this been going on and who figured this out?
Somehow I imagine someone was at a cookout one day and dripped ranch dressing onto their barbecued chicken or perhaps they dripped barbecue sauce into their salad who knows how it happened. The only thing that matters is that it did happen and it is so good! Incredibly good!
I purchased a pre-made salad from the grocery store on a whim. It was a southwest salad with fresh lettuce, pico de gallo, grilled corn, black beans and maybe a few other things inside the package that youd throw in too . The dressing inside the salad was a BBQ Ranch Dressing. It sounded good, but I wasnt all that convinced that it would be. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the BBQ Ranch Dressing in this salad was pretty yummy.
I am always looking for inspiration, and this salad inspired me. I wanted to challenge myself to make the salad at home, but first, I needed to figure out how to make the BBQ Ranch Dressing. The dressing included with the salad was flavorful and you could definitely get hints of both ranch dressing and barbecue sauce.
Stay tuned
Keto & Health Insights For Salad And Go Bbq Ranch Salad
- Net Carbs are 9% of calories per serving, at 41g per serving. This food is risky for the keto diet but it’s still keto-friendly. Consuming this item may limit your ability to eat more foods that contain carbs. Take into consideration whether you intend to consume additional meals or what you’ve already consumed. It’s recommended that you track the macros of your daily food consumptionsthis makes it easier to avoid overconsumption.
- This food’s %DV for sodium is 22%. At 510mg, it’s considered high in sodium according to the FDA’s standard for %DV , which considers any food with %DV of more than 20% as high in sodium. The organization recommends 2300mg of sodium as the daily limit. High sodium is believed to be associated with health problems such as heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and kidney malfunctions. There’s also a belief that diets with high amounts of salt correlates with obesity, but the link hasn’t proven to be so direct. Instead, salt may trigger overeating by increasing the feeling of hunger, according to studies referenced in this WebMD article about salt & obesity. Add-ons such as sauces and condiments are the usual high-sodium culprits in most restaurant meals. Sodium additives are responsible for most high sodium amounts in packaged foods, especially frozen meals. For most adults, a healthy range for daily maximum sodium consumption is between 1500-2300mg foods should be within 5%-20% DV per serving.
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