This BBQ chicken salad is a fresh and colorful combination of grilled BBQ chicken, veggies, cheese, beans and tortilla strips, all tossed in ranch dressing. It’s WAY better than the California Pizza Kitchen version!

When I want a hearty salad, I turn to favorites such as Greek salmon salad , black eyed pea salad , Italian pasta salad and this fabulous BBQ chicken salad.

A bowl of BBQ chicken salad topped with a drizzle of ranch dressing. - 1

I understand that California Pizza Kitchen is technically a pizza restaurant, but I cannot resist ordering their BBQ chicken chopped salad every time I go there. I’ve made my own version of this awesome salad, and honestly? I think it’s way better than the original! This BBQ chicken salad is full of amazing flavors and textures with the perfect crunch in every bite. I could probably eat it every day and never tire of it!

  • BBQ Chicken Salad Ingredients
  • How Do You Make BBQ Chicken Salad?
  • Tips For The Perfect Salad
  • Quick Tip
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Flavor Variations
  • Other Recipes You’ll Love
  • Love This Recipe?
  • BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe

BBQ Chicken Salad Ingredients

To make this salad, you will need cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, BBQ sauce, romaine lettuce, ranch dressing, corn, black beans, tomatoes, jicama, Monterey Jack cheese, avocado, green onions and tortilla strips.

How Do You Make BBQ Chicken Salad?

Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss it with some of the ranch dressing. Next, place the chicken in a bowl and coat it in BBQ sauce. Spoon the BBQ chicken on top of the lettuce. Arrange the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, jicama, cheese, avocado, tortilla strips and green onions on top of the lettuce. Add another drizzle of ranch over the top, then serve immediately and enjoy.

A bowl of salad topped with chicken, tortilla strips, black beans, jiacama, avocado and tomatoes. - 2

Tips For The Perfect Salad

  • I managed to find southwest flavored tortilla strips in my grocery store (in the crouton area), and they were extra delicious, so if you see those, grab ’em! If you can’t find tortilla strips, you can use crushed tortilla chips instead.
  • For the BBQ chicken , I simply grill chicken or pan sear some breasts, then cut them into cubes and toss them in barbecue sauce. You can really use any cooked chicken here, leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken would also work great! You can also use my BBQ chicken marinade for even more flavor.
  • I prefer to use a refrigerated ranch dressing, or make my own ranch dip or ranch dressing . I feel like they taste much fresher than the shelf stable ranch dressings out there.
  • Fresh, frozen or canned corn will all work well in this recipe. If you’re using frozen sweet corn, thaw it before use. You can also use cherry tomatoes instead of diced Roma tomatoes.
  • BBQ chicken salad is best when served immediately .

Quick Tip

You can prepare the individual components of the dish up to 6 hours before you plan to serve it. I recommend waiting until the last minute to dice the avocado.

A bowl of salad greens, BBQ chicken, corn, beans, avocado, tomataoes and cheese. - 3

I think it’s best to put cold chicken in chicken salad for this recipe. If the chicken is hot, it may wilt the lettuce and melt the cheese which is not desirable!

My favorite ways to cook chicken for salad include grilling and pan searing. Other options include roasting the chicken or even cooking it in a crock pot.

FOLLOW ME

Flavor Variations

This recipe is great as-is, but you can easily customize the flavors to suit your tastes.

  • Protein: Instead of chicken, try using pulled pork, sliced steak, ground beef or ground turkey. You can also use pinto beans instead of black beans.
  • Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to the mix. Some great options include bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, cabbage or fresh cilantro.
  • Toppings: Finish the salad with some french fried onions, a little extra BBQ sauce, bacon, a drizzle of lime juice or sliced olives.
  • Cheese: Instead of Monterey jack cheese, try using cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese or pepper jack.

The next time I go to CPK I can actually order a pizza now that my BBQ chicken salad cravings can be fulfilled at home!

Other Recipes You’ll Love

This recipe for ambrosia salad is a variety of colorful fruit with marshmallows and coconut, tossed in a light and creamy dressing. An easy salad that's a classic for good reason, people always beg me for the recipe! - 4

Ambrosia Salad

10 mins

Pesto pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, olives, mozzarella balls, pine nuts and red onion. - 5

Pesto Pasta Salad

20 mins

This recipe for Korean BBQ Tacos is marinated and seared beef layered with cabbage slaw and marinated cucumbers, all tucked into warm flour tortillas. A unique take on taco night that's a real crowd pleaser! #ad - 6

Korean BBQ Tacos

35 mins

Cherry tomato salad with halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and red onion, all tossed with herbs and dressing. - 7

Cherry Tomato Salad

16 mins

A plate of grilled chicken kabobs made with marinated chicken and colorful vegetables. - 8

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

30 mins

Love This Recipe?

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • ▢ 3 cups cooked chicken cubed (You can use grilled, baked or rotisserie chicken)
  • ▢ 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
  • ▢ 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
  • ▢ 3/4 cup ranch dressing I prefer the refrigerated type or any other high quality dressing
  • ▢ 1 cup corn canned or thawed from frozen
  • ▢ 1 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
  • ▢ 1 cup tomatoes seeded and diced
  • ▢ 1 cup jicama diced
  • ▢ 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • ▢ 1 avocado diced
  • ▢ 1/2 cup green onions thinly sliced
  • ▢ 1 1/2 cups tortilla strips

Instructions

  • Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the ranch dressing.
  • Toss the chicken in the BBQ sauce and place it on top of the lettuce.
  • Arrange the corn, beans, tomatoes, jicama, cheese, avocado, green onions and tortilla strips over the lettuce.
  • Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of ranch dressing and serve.

Notes

  1. I managed to find southwest flavored tortilla strips in my grocery store (in the crouton area), and they were extra delicious, so if you see those, grab ’em!
  2. For the BBQ chicken, I simply grill or pan sear some chicken breasts, then cut them into cubes and toss them in barbecue sauce. You can really use any cooked chicken here.
  3. I prefer to use a refrigerated ranch dressing, or make my own ranch dressing . I feel like they taste much fresher than the shelf stable ranch dressings out there.

Nutrition

This BBQ chicken salad is a fresh and colorful combination of grilled BBQ chicken, veggies, cheese, beans and tortilla strips, all tossed in ranch dressing. - 9 A bowl of BBQ chicken salad topped with a drizzle of ranch dressing. - 10

BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked chicken cubed (You can use grilled, baked or rotisserie chicken)
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
  • 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
  • 3/4 cup ranch dressing I prefer the refrigerated type or any other high quality dressing
  • 1 cup corn canned or thawed from frozen
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup tomatoes seeded and diced
  • 1 cup jicama diced
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1/2 cup green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups tortilla strips

Instructions

  • Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the ranch dressing.
  • Toss the chicken in the BBQ sauce and place it on top of the lettuce.
  • Arrange the corn, beans, tomatoes, jicama, cheese, avocado, green onions and tortilla strips over the lettuce.
  • Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of ranch dressing and serve.

Notes

  1. I managed to find southwest flavored tortilla strips in my grocery store (in the crouton area), and they were extra delicious, so if you see those, grab ’em!
  2. For the BBQ chicken, I simply grill or pan sear some chicken breasts, then cut them into cubes and toss them in barbecue sauce. You can really use any cooked chicken here.
  3. I prefer to use a refrigerated ranch dressing, or make my own ranch dressing . I feel like they taste much fresher than the shelf stable ranch dressings out there.

Nutrition