Description
A vibrant and flavorful BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad featuring grilled chicken marinated in BBQ sauce, served with a fresh herby ranch dressing and a crisp salad loaded with corn, black beans, tomatoes, and avocado. Perfect for a healthy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Skewers:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups BBQ sauce (Primal Kitchen brand recommended)
- 8 [6-inch] wooden skewers, pre-soaked
For the W30 Herby Ranch:
- 1 cup light tasting oil (avocado oil or light olive oil)
- 1 egg (omit if using store-bought mayo)
- ½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For the Salad:
- 4 ears corn (omit for Whole30)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (about 2 small heads)
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
- 2 cups quartered grape tomatoes (16 ounces)
- 1 [15-ounce] can black beans, drained and rinsed (omit for Whole30)
- ¼ cup loosely packed freshly chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves
- 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced medium
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken until it is a uniform ½ inch thickness. Cube into 2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with the avocado oil, kosher salt, and 1 cup of BBQ sauce. Stir until well combined. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for 4-8 hours for deeper flavor.
- Make the Herby Ranch: Pour the light tasting oil into a wide-mouth jar just slightly larger than the head of an immersion blender. Crack the egg into the oil and let sink to the bottom. Insert the immersion blender and rest the blade on the yolk without moving it until a thick, creamy white mayo forms at the bottom (about 10 seconds). Slowly raise the blender up and down until the entire mixture emulsifies into a creamy mayo. Alternatively, use 1 cup store-bought light-flavored mayo. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, onion powder, and minced garlic. Blend once more with the immersion blender to combine. Stir in chopped dill, parsley, and freshly cracked black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use; it keeps up to 1 week.
- Grill the chicken and corn: Drizzle corn with avocado oil and rub to coat evenly. Heat the grill to medium-high (350-400 degrees F) and oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking. Place corn on the grill and cook, turning every 2 minutes, until tender and charred, about 10-12 minutes total. Simultaneously, place the chicken skewers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until grill marks form and the chicken is almost cooked through. Baste the first grilled side generously with the reserved BBQ sauce after flipping. Continue cooking with the grill mostly closed until fully cooked and the second side has nice grill marks, about 3-4 additional minutes. Remove chicken and corn from the grill and let cool.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine romaine lettuce, green onions, grape tomatoes, black beans, chopped cilantro, and basil. Add desired amount of Herby Ranch dressing and toss gently until the lettuce is well coated. Cut the grilled corn off the cob and add to the salad along with the diced avocado. Toss gently once more to combine.
- Serve: Plate the salad topped with the grilled BBQ chicken skewers and enjoy this refreshing and hearty meal.
Notes
- If using store-bought mayo for the Herby Ranch, use 1 cup and omit the egg and oil blending process.
- Omit corn and black beans for a Whole30-compliant version.
- Soaking wooden skewers in water before grilling prevents them from burning.
- You can substitute light olive oil if avocado oil is unavailable, but do not use extra virgin for the dressing to keep it mild-flavored.
- Marinating the chicken longer (up to 8 hours) enhances flavor and tenderness.
- For a spicier BBQ chicken, add a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika to the marinade.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
