BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad
A flavorful and nutritious salad featuring grilled chicken skewers, fresh vegetables, and a creamy herby ranch dressing.
Equipment
- Grill For cooking the chicken and corn.
- Mixing bowl For marinating chicken.
- Immersion blender For making the dressing.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups BBQ sauce divided
- 8 6-inch wooden skewers, pre-soaked
- 1 cup avocado oil for dressing
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt for dressing
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ears corn
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil for corn
- 8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce about 2 small heads
- 6 green onions thinly sliced (green parts only)
- 16 ounces about 2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup loosely packed freshly chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded, and diced into medium cubes
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Use a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the avocado oil, kosher salt, and 1 cup of BBQ sauce. Stir until well combined. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. (Tip: Marinating longer enhances the flavor.)
- Make the Herby Ranch Dressing: In a wide-mouth jar, add the avocado oil and egg. Using an immersion blender, blend without moving it for 10 to 15 seconds until the mixture turns white and creamy. Slowly move the blender up and down until it emulsifies into a mayonnaise. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, onion powder, and minced garlic. Blend until combined. Stir in the dill, parsley, and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Grill the Chicken and Prepare the Salad: Thread the marinated chicken onto the pre-soaked wooden skewers, 4 to 5 pieces each. Drizzle the corn with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and rub to coat evenly.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (350°F to 400°F) and oil the grill grates by dipping a wadded paper towel in oil and using tongs to wipe it over the grates. (Tip: This helps prevent sticking.)
- Once the grill is hot, add the corn and grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning often until tender. Place the chicken skewers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until grill marks form. Flip the skewers, baste the grilled side with the reserved BBQ sauce, and continue grilling for another 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the corn and chicken to a platter and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced romaine lettuce, green onions, grape tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, and basil. Add your desired amount of herby ranch dressing and toss until the lettuce is well coated.
- Cut the corn from the cob and add it to the salad along with the diced avocado. Gently toss to combine.
- Top the salad with the grilled chicken skewers, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
For a spicier kick, add some chili powder to the chicken marinade. You can substitute the avocado oil with olive oil if preferred. No alcoholic drinks allowed, please substitute with a non-alcoholic option.