BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe
What could be more refreshing and filling on a hot summer day than a crispy salad? And when you add some smoky barbeque flavor to your meal, you have the perfect healthy lunch or dinner to enjoy any time of year. This simple BBQ chicken salad recipe is packed with flavor thanks to the delicious combination of crunchy vegetables and a crispy baked chicken coated in BBQ sauce.
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What Do I Need to Make This Salad with BBQ Chicken Recipe?
You'll love just how quickly and easily this healthy dinner idea comes together. That's because you can prepare the simple baked crispy chicken in under 30 minutes! After that, all that's left to do is combine your salad ingredients to whip up this amazing meal - even on a busy weeknight. You can make your own BBQ chicken salad with these simple ingredients:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Egg
- Cornstarch
- BBQ sauce
- Lettuce
- Red cabbage
- Onion
- Feta cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
Looking for more delicious salad recipes? Give these reader favorites a try:
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad | Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe | Basil Cucumber Tomato Salad | Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Crunch Salad
How Do I Make This BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe?
Enjoy crispy baked BBQ chicken with fresh salad greens in a matter of minutes when you prepare this easy recipe! And the best part about this simple dinner is that you can easily customize the ingredients to suit your family's tastes. Follow these simple steps for making your own salad at home, then keep reading to see recipe adjustments you can make to your dinner tonight.
Step One: Bake the Chicken
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees and greasing a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and toss each piece in a medium bowl with the beaten egg. Then, spread the cornstarch on a plate and roll each piece of chicken in it to coat. Place the coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Step Two: Add the BBQ Sauce
When the cook time is up, remove the pan from the oven and coat the chicken pieces in BBQ sauce. After that, return the pan to the oven to continue baking for another 10 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and caramelized.
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Step Three: Prepare the Salad
While the chicken is baking, chop the lettuce and red cabbage and toss it into a bowl. Then, add the sliced onion and feta cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad mix. Toss to mix the salad ingredients together and to coat all the pieces with oil and seasoning.
Step Four: Add the Chicken
When the chicken is finished baking, allow the pieces to cool slightly. Then, add the baked chicken to the salad. Stir to mix the chicken into the greens, then enjoy!
How Do You Store BBQ Chicken Salad?
This delicious and flavorful salad is best when it's served right after you prepare it. So, if you don't think you'll be able to eat the entire salad at once, it's best to store the salad ingredients and chicken separately.
The chicken can be transferred to an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat the pieces, bake them in the oven at 350 degrees or warm them in the microwave until heated.
To store the salad, combine the vegetables and cheese and place them in an airtight container. Avoid adding the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until you're ready to eat the salad. The longer the oil sits on the lettuce and cabbage, the soggier the veggies will become.
BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe Ideas
This easy salad recipe is perfect for a summer lunch or dinner because it comes together quickly and easily. And since the recipe is so simple, it's also easy to customize to suit your ingredient preferences. Try these recipe substitution and addition ideas to make a healthy meal everyone in the family will love.
- Add more veggies. When it comes to making your own salad at home, there are so many vegetables you can mix in! After creating your lettuce and cabbage salad base, try mixing in some tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, avocado, corn kernels, spinach, kale, or carrots.
- Make it with grilled chicken. In addition to crispy chicken, you can also prepare this easy salad with grilled or baked chicken breast. Grill the chicken on the BBQ or bake it in the oven, then top it with BBQ sauce to finish it off. After that, cut the breasts into bite-sized pieces and add it to your salad.
- Make it with leftovers. In addition to using grilled chicken, this recipe is also perfect for using up leftovers! Try tossing in some leftover chicken breast or rotisserie chicken mixed with your favorite BBQ sauce for a quick and easy meal.
- Add some crunch. Another easy way to give your salad rice a little added flavor and texture is by mixing in some crunchy ingredients. Try adding some croutons, tortilla strips, sesame seeds, or crushed corn chips.
BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless, skinless (453 g)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cornstarch 5.64 oz | 160 g
- ½ cup bbq sauce 5.07 oz | 144 g
- 2 cups lettuce of your choice 5.29 oz | 150 g
- ½ cup sliced red cabbage 1.58 oz | 45 g
- 1 small onion peeled and sliced
- ½ cup feta cheese 2 oz | 56 g
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F | 200 C. Grease a large enough baking dish. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with egg in a bowl. Add cornstarch on a plate and dredge chicken in it to coat without the excess of egg.
- Place in the baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and add bbq sauce in the baking dish. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the lettuce, cabbage, onion and feta cheese to a large bowl.
- Whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Then, drizzle over salad mixture and toss to coat.
- When the chicken is ready. Add to the salad and serve.
