BBQ chicken salad

Last year BJ and I tried something new a delicious, a barbecue chicken salad. I was skeptical, but it was amazing! We were in California visiting BJ's family and attending his cousin's wedding. Our first lunch with the Ryan's was at a cute little family-style restaurant. Or maybe they just served humongous portions and I thought it was family-style. Either way, we split two chicken salads between the five of us. They brought ranch and barbecue sauce. Really, I thought? Barbecue sauce? Everyone else was putting it on their salad, so I gave into peer pressure and did it too. We were always taught not to "follow the crowd", but I have to recommend breaking this golden rule when it comes to eating. It just doesn't apply. The sauce was excellent, by the way! Mixed with the ranch, it gave it a wonderful zing. How had I never thought of this? I like to consider myself a sauce connoisseur, how did I miss this combo? Regardless, I'll never forget that delicious salad.

I came across a recipe the other day that made me think of this "first" for me. And this is how the salad turned out:



Only the prettiest salad I've every made!



BBQ chicken salad

2 pieces of chicken, grilled, marinaded in BBQ sauce overnight
2 ears of corn, grilled (frozen corn skillet-cooked will also do)
1/4 c red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/4 c green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/4 c red onion, coarsely chopped
4 c your favorite salad lettuce
&
Creamy BBQ cilantro lime ranch (recipe below)
Your favorite BBQ sauce for drizzling

Other toppings I will consider next time:
Queso fresco crumbles
Extra lime juice
Crispy tortilla strips

On the stove top of a skillet, saute the bell peppers and onion (if using frozen corn, add in here) for around 5 minutes, or until it gets "grill" marks. Toss with the corn and set aside. This is how I layered:

1.) Lettuce
2.) Drizzled dressing
3.) Corn salsa
4.) Chicken
5.) More drizzled dressing
5.) Drizzled BBQ sauce

This is definitely a sauce-lover's salad! Oh, by the way, this made two salads. I'm also going to pimp the BBQ sauce I bought, Austin's Own, Chipotle Flavor. It was perfect for this since it was a perfect consistency for drizzling and has an amazing flavor!


Dressing:
2/3 c mayonnaise, light or regular
1/3 c buttermilk, sour cream, or nonfat greek yogurt
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 to 1/3 c BBQ sauce

Whisk all ingredients together, or mix in a blender. I bought a handy-dandy Magic Bullet for protein shakes and also use it for blending dressings. It's awesome!


*Photography courtesy of the wonderful Mr. Bailey