• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • about
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

One Lovely Life

  • Recipes
  • lovely living
    • Books
    • favorite things
    • Kids and Family
    • Travel
    • Disney
  • subscribe

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad (Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly!)

Jump to Recipe

June 11, 2018 | 9 Comments |This post contains affiliate links.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad – This salad is so fresh and bright! Loaded with a rainbow of veggies, chicken, and a creamy bbq ranch dressing, this is a salad you’ll want to enjoy all summer long. (Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly–see my notes for paleo!)

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad - We love the fresh veggies, barbecue chicken, and creamy BBQ Ranch in this salad! (Gluten free, paleo friendly)

I have very few “rules” about food, but I have a rule against boring salads.

It seems such a waste to eat a sad salad!

There are so many delicious combinations, amazing dressings, and flavor profiles to explore that I think there’s no reason a salad can’t be the most delicious thing you eat all week. That’s especially true in the summer, when fresh produce is at its peak, and everything tastes so bright and sunny.

For me, a great salad is alllllll about the goodies and mix-ins. Plenty of veggies (or fruits!), some hearty protein, and a dynamite dressing can make any greens taste delicious. This BBQ Chicken Salad is proof that even the veggie haters and meat lovers among us can happily eat a salad. There’s just so much to love…

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad - We love the fresh veggies, barbecue chicken, and creamy BBQ Ranch in this salad! (Gluten free, paleo friendly)

For one thing, I love that I can use leftover cooked or grilled chicken (or a rotisserie chicken!) for this, which means I don’t even have to turn my oven on to make it. If there’s one thing I love on a hot summer day, it’s NOT standing by a hot stove or turning on my oven to add to the heat. Salads, whether they’re grain-based or greens-based, are a perfect way to tackle dinner on a hot night!

Related: Low-Cook & No-Cook Dinners for Nights it’s Too Hot to Cook

Then, there’s the summery combination of veggies–fresh corn, black beans, tomatoes, etc. The vibrant colors, textures, and flavors are all so good this time of year! Tie all that veggie goodness together with a creamy BBQ ranch dressing, and I’m in heaven. The combination is just so satisfying.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad - We love the fresh veggies, barbecue chicken, and creamy BBQ Ranch in this salad! (Gluten free, paleo friendly)

It’s easy to mix and match veggies here–you can mix in some diced jicama or cucumber, or stir in some bell peppers, for instance. Or, you can add some chickpeas, bacon, or some hard-boiled egg to kick the protein up even more. You could even get fancy and swap out the grilled/rotisserie/cooked chicken for some crispy gluten free chicken tenders for a treat.

Whichever goodies you decide to toss in, I think you’ll agree that this BBQ Chicken Salad is summer on a plate. Friends don’t let friends eat sad salad!

AMAZING BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad - BBQ Chicken, summer veggies and a creamy BBQ Ranch dressing. This is summer on a plate! (Gluten free, paleo friendly)

Notes on this BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad:

Change it Up: There are so many yummy veggies you can add to this salad. Jicama, bell peppers, snap peas, celery, and more are all delicious. You could also swap out the chicken for BBQ Chickpeas, or add in some diced hard-boiled egg if you like. If you’re not dairy free, a little cheese could be delicious here, too!

Paleo-ize it! To make this salad paleo, you can swap out the corn and black beans for other veggies (jicama, cucumber, bell peppers, and celery are nice!). Then, you’ll want to make sure you’re using paleo-approved ranch (I love this one!) and barbecue sauce (like Tessamae’s or Bone Suckin’ Sauce). You can even make your own Paleo BBQ sauce if you like!

Meal Prep It – This salad is great for packing ahead. To make it into a mason jar salad, just pour the BBQ ranch dressing on the bottom of your mason jar, then add your chicken, veggies, and lettuce (in that order). You may want to leave the avocado out, or squeeze a little lime juice over it to keep it from browning. To serve, just give it a serious shake and a stir with a fork, or pour the whole thing out into a bowl and toss to combine everything. (I love these little reusable lids for mason jar salads!)

Mason Jar Favorites – If you’re a mason jar salad fan (great for packing on-the go or making ahead), here are some fun tools of the trade that might help:

  • Quart Size Mason Jars (the best deal I’ve seen is here)
  • Reusable Dressing Holder (fits right inside the jar and screws into the lid!)
  • Reusable lids for mason jars (BPA-Free & Dishwasher Safe!)

More Delicious Salads to Love:

  • Chinese Chicken Salad
  • My Big Fat Greek Quinoa Salad
  • BLT Chicken Salad Avocado Cups
  • Strawberry Chicken Salad with Strawberry Dressing
  • Taco Pasta Salad

AMAZING BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad - BBQ Chicken, summer veggies and a creamy BBQ Ranch dressing. This is summer on a plate! (Gluten free, paleo friendly)

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad in a large white bowl with a blue and white striped kitchen towel in the background.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad


★★★★★

4.8 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 generous (main dish) servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Piled high with fresh veggies, BBQ chicken, and a creamy BBQ ranch dressing, this salad is summer on a plate! The amounts below are suggested estimates. Feel free to use more or less of any topping you like! (See the notes section for ways to adapt the recipe for paleo!) 


Ingredients

Scale

For the Salad:

  • 6 cups fresh greens
  • 8 oz. cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded
  • 3–4 Tbsp BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion (or green onion)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

For the BBQ Ranch Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing (try my dairy free homemade ranch!)
  • 2–3 Tbsp BBQ sauce

Instructions

For the Salad:

  1. In a small bowl, stir together chicken and 3-4 Tbsp BBQ sauce (enough to coat the chicken).
  2. In a large bowl, mix together greens, BBQ chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.
  3. Drizzle salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing (see below)

For the BBQ Ranch Dressing:

  1. In a jar or bowl, whisk together ranch dressing with BBQ sauce. Taste and add additional BBQ sauce as desired. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Notes

Change it Up: There are so many yummy veggies you can add to this salad. Jicama, bell peppers, snap peas, celery, and more are all delicious. You could also swap out the chicken for BBQ Chickpeas, or add bacon, or some diced hard-boiled egg if you like. If you’re not dairy free, a little cheddar cheese could be delicious here, too!

Paleo-ize it! To make this salad paleo, you can swap out the corn and black beans for other veggies (jicama, cucumber, and bell peppers are nice!). Then, you’ll want to make sure you’re using paleo-approved ranch (I love this one!) and barbecue sauce. You can even make your own Paleo BBQ sauce if you like!

Meal Prep It – This salad is great for packing ahead. To make it into a mason jar salad, just pour the BBQ ranch dressing on the bottom of your mason jar, then add your chicken, veggies, and lettuce (in that order). You may want to leave the avocado out, or squeeze a little lime juice over it to keep it from browning. To serve, just give it a serious shake and a stir with a fork, or pour the whole thing out into a bowl and toss to combine everything. (I love these little reusable lids for mason jar salads!)

  • Category: Salads, main dish
  • Method: No-cook
  • Cuisine: American, BBQ

Keywords: BBQ, chicken, BBQ Chicken, BBQ ranch, chicken salad, salad

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @onelovelylife1 on Instagram and hashtag it #onelovelyrecipe

Originally posted July 2012. Re-tested, re-photographed, and updated June 2018.

Filed Under: 4th of July, chicken & turkey, condiments, marinades, & spreads, Salads

Reader Interactions

Previous Post The Best Homemade Muesli (Gluten Free & Vegan!)
Next Post Our Favorite Screen Free Travel Ideas for Kids

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Alyssa Paul

    July 9, 2012 at 6:30 am

    Wow. I need too make this ASAP!! I LOVE Cheesecake Factory!

    Reply
  2. Melissa Griffiths

    July 9, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    I think this is a salad I could get my husband to eat as a meal, especially if I get a little heavy-handed on those onion rings 🙂 Mmmm. Good things today is grocery day!

    Reply
    • Melissa Griffiths

      August 22, 2012 at 4:32 pm

      Make this again tonight! Husband just requested some nice crusty bread to go with it this time which I have no problem with. LOVE this recipe.

      Reply
  3. [email protected]

    July 9, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    This is amazing! I need to make this!

    Reply
  4. Pam Lynn

    July 9, 2012 at 7:27 pm

    Oh, this looks so yummy and refreshing!

    Reply
  5. Shannon

    July 13, 2012 at 11:40 pm

    I need to make this one soon! I like the idea of fried onion strips as well as the original. Thanks for sharing such great recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Ellen

    July 25, 2012 at 12:28 am

    This made a very tasty salad, and the dressing is delicious! Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. cjluvs2cook

    December 21, 2012 at 11:38 pm

    This is one of my go to salad recipes. I love your dressing recipe (didn’t try it yet), and I’m going to make your dressing next time I make this salad. I also make this as a potluck dish, but I layer the ingredients (mimicking the 9 layer dip), and I used a thicker dressing to layer towards the top. I put black beans & mexican blend cheese on top of the dressing and then the onion rings. For a party I use the French Onion Rings, for home I make homemade or the Alexia brand too!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Renee

    January 26, 2013 at 4:04 am

    I love homemade salads. I read through all the ingredients and this sounds like my kind of salad, minus the avocados. I will add some jalapeno juice to the dressing to give it a little kick.

    ★★★★

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

about emily

Hi, I’m Emily! I create fresh, flexible family recipes to help you feel more confident in the kitchen. Whether you’ve got picky eaters, food allergies/intolerances to navigate, or just a serious craving to satisfy, I want to help you eat delicious, gorgeous meals without a lot of fuss.

let’s be friends

more about emily

Simplify Your Weekly Meal Plan With Our Free Mini-Course!

Learn how to DIY delicious meal plans in minutes to make meal planning a breeze.  

One Lovely Life will use the information you provide to be in touch with you & provide email updates.

join the lovely list + never miss a recipe

get recipes + tips + favorites + more by signing up below

Footer

  • Favorite Things
  • Our Home
  • Kids and Family
  • Travel
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
  • about
  • Contact

follow along on instagram!

Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes With Lemon Frosting (Da Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes With Lemon Frosting (Dairy-Free Friendly!). Monday seems like a good day for cupcakes, yes? These Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting are PERFECT for Easter this coming weekend, or make birthdays and celebrations even more special.
.
If you watch the video, you'll see you don't even need a ton of fancy skills to make them look extra beautiful. I'm sharing the full recipe + all my best decorating tips and tricks (whether you have a piping bag or not!) and more in today's post.

Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe.

https://www.onelovelylife.com/gluten-free-lemon-cupcakes/

#OneLovelyRecipe #LemonCupcakes #GlutenFreeCupcakes #GlutenFreeBaking #EasterDessert #GlutenFreeCake #FeedFeed #KingArthurBaking #ChosenFoods #WholesomeSweet #RodelleVanilla #SimplyOrganic #LoveSprouts #DriscollsBerry #FinestBerries #CupcakeDecorating
Fudgy brownies + creamy mint frosting + chocolate Fudgy brownies + creamy mint frosting + chocolate ganache = AMAZING Gluten Free Mint Brownies that are perfect for St. Patrick's Day (or your next chocolate craving).
.
These yummy brownies are a polished take on an old classic, with each layer done *just* right. Use my quick gluten-free brownie recipe for the base or swap in your favorite boxed mix instead! (I've linked my favorite boxed mix in the post, too!)
.
Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe. It's THE BEST!
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/gluten-free-mint-brownies/
.
.
#OneLovelyRecipe #MintBrownies #GlutenFreeBrownies #GlutenFreeDessert #GlutenFreeDairyFree #GlutenFreeBaking #Brownies #WholesomeSweet #KingArthurBaking #Guittard #LoveSprouts #FeedFeed #StPatricksDayRecipe #ChocolateCraving
Does Taco Salad count for Taco Tuesday? It's one o Does Taco Salad count for Taco Tuesday? It's one of my favorites, and this Black Bean Taco Salad is a gorgeous vegetarian option that'll please even the most fervent meat eater. 
.
With a blend of colorful veggies, crispy tortilla strips, and a creamy dressing that’ll keep you coming back for more, it's absolutely worth adding to your menu this week!
.
To get the recipe and our favorite dressings to top it with, tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio.
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/black-bean-taco-salad/
.
.
#TacoSalad #TacoTuesday #MeatlessMonday #PlantBased #Meatless #HealthyDinner #AvocadoLove #GlutenFree #VegetarianDinner #Flexitarian #BlackBeans #FeedFeed #LoveSprouts #BushsBeans #SimplyOrganic #AvocadosFromMexico #MissionTortillas
🍓🥗It's *allllmost* officially spring, so I'm 🍓🥗It's *allllmost* officially spring, so I'm craving lighter, sunnier meals lately. This Strawberry Spinach Salad is one of our long-time favorites. It's a hybrid of the ones we grew up eating from our moms, made with a lighter dressing and finished with a few tasty details we LOVE.
.
I love that it's easy enough to serve on a weeknight as a side salad to your favorite main dish, but looks gorgeous at Easter brunch or Easter dinner, too! Want to turn it into a full meal? I've got ideas for that, too. 
.
Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the full recipe + more yummy mix-ins to try + our best tips for this super delicious Strawberry Spinach Salad.
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/strawberry-spinach-salad/
.
.
#OneLovelyRecipe #StrawberrySpinachSalad #SideSalad #SaladRecipe #FinestBerries #Driscolls #FeedFeed #EasterRecipe #HealthyDinner #HealthyRecipe #GlutenFree #LoveSprouts #SpinachSalad #EatYourGreens #EarthboundFarm #SimplyOrganic #BHGFood #Paleo #PlantBased #WholesomeSweet #AvocadosFromMexico #EatTheRainbow🌈
These Raspberry Overnight Oats are the kind of rec These Raspberry Overnight Oats are the kind of recipe that's worth waking up for! Mix them up the night before and pop them in the fridge. Future you will thank you for it!
.
The recipe is super simple + with all our topping ideas you're bound to feel inspired and ready to dive in with a spoon!
.
Tap @onelovelylife1 then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe + all our favorite toppings! https://www.onelovelylife.com/raspberry-overnight-oats/
.
.
#OneLovelyRecipe #OvernightOats #MealPrepBreakfast #GlutenFree #Vegan #HealthyBreakfast #FeedFeed #AlmondBreeze #BobsRedMill #Navitas #DriscollsBerry #FinestBerries #LoveSprouts #RodelleVanilla
🍍🥬🍹Could anyone else use a tropical pick- 🍍🥬🍹Could anyone else use a tropical pick-me-up on this Monday? This Pineapple Mint Smoothie's got what you need! Made with a handful of simple ingredients (+your favorite smoothie boosts), it tastes like a mocktail and sneaks in some greens while it's at it!
.
Get the full recipe + our favorite smoothie boosts to add on the blog today! Tap @onelovelylife1, then tap the link in my bio to get to the recipe.
.
https://www.onelovelylife.com/pineapple-mint-smoothie/
.
.
#onelovelyrecipe #pineapple #pineapplesmoothie #greensmoothie #kidfriendlysmoothie #kidfriendlyrecipe #healthybreakfast #healthysnack #feedfeed #earthboundorganic #lovesprouts #lovesprouts #thaikitchen #blendtec #stayvital #dole #glutenfree #plantbased #paleo #dairyfree #vegansmoothie
Back to Top

Copyright © 2021 • One Lovely Life • Privacy Policy

Design by Grace + Vine Studios

istisnasız her gün profesyonel sporlarla uğraşan sikiş yengesi bir süredir kapalı olan mekanlar yüzünden çok porno büyük sıkıntıya düşmüştür parası çok olan kadın porno özel bir eğitmen tutarak spora devam etmek istediğini sex söylediğinde yüzmeyi güneşlenmeyi ve bikini ile güneşin altında porno izle saatlerce uzanıp hiçbir şey yapmamayı çok seven porno izle sarışın kız evine çok uzakta olan sahil kesimine sex video gitmeye üşendiği için mahallesinin sonunda bulunan porno lüks villayı gözüne kestirerek kimsenin modern sex izle ve gelişmiş bir toplumun parçası olmak isteyen hd porno bir kafa yapısına sahip olan mature aşırı fazla porno bir modern yapısına evrilmiştir