BBQ Chicken Salad with Homemade Ranch
This BBQ Chicken Salad is fresh, flavorful, and hearty enough to be a full meal. This is a summer of salads! But no whimpy salads allowed here. Juicy grilled chicken thighs are slathered in tangy BBQ sauce, then layered over crisp spring mix and crunchy veggies, and finished with a drizzle of creamy homemade ranch dressing. It’s the kind of salad that makes eating healthy easy and delicious.
Pair it with Dinner Rolls and Homemade Lemonade for the perfect summer meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor-packed: Smoky BBQ chicken pairs perfectly with crisp, fresh vegetables and fresh herbs.
- Homemade dressing: The EZPZ ranch adds a creamy, tangy finishing touch.
- Hearty and filling: Packed with protein, veggies, and flavor—this salad is satisfying enough for dinner.
What You Need for BBQ Chicken Salad
For the Salad:
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (plus extra for serving)
- 6 cups spring mix
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sweet mini peppers, sliced into rings
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
- Eazy Peazy Mealz Homemade Ranch Dressing
How to Make BBQ Chicken Salad
Step 1: Grill the Chicken
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Season chicken thighs lightly with salt and pepper.
- Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temp should reach 165°F).
- In the last few minutes of grilling, brush generously with BBQ sauce. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Step 2: Make the Ranch Dressing
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk.
- Stir in garlic, dill, parsley, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Adjust thickness with extra buttermilk if needed. Chill until ready to serve.
Step 3: Assemble the Salad
- On a large platter or individual bowls, layer spring mix as the base.
- Add tomatoes, cilantro, sugar snap peas, red cabbage, red onion, mini peppers, carrots, and cucumber.
- Top with sliced BBQ chicken.
- Drizzle with homemade ranch dressing and an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce if desired.
Extras and Substitutions
This salad offers a lot of room for adding more to make it even heftier, but I love it as is. However, here are a few things you can add if you want:
- Black beans
- Corn
- Tortilla strips
- Bacon
Tips for Success
- Chicken swap: You can also use chicken breasts if preferred, just adjust grilling time.
- Make ahead: Prep veggies and ranch in advance, and grill chicken fresh for the best flavor.
- Serving idea: Add crushed tortilla chips for crunch, or sprinkle with shredded cheddar for extra richness.
This BBQ Chicken Salad is everything you want in a meal—fresh, colorful, flavorful, and satisfying. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners, summer cookouts, or anytime you want a hearty salad that doesn’t skimp on taste!
BBQ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce plus extra for serving
- 6 cups spring mix
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup sugar snap peas trimmed
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup sweet mini peppers sliced into rings
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup cucumber sliced
- 1 cup Eazy Peazy Mealz Homemade Ranch
Instructions
Grill the Chicken
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Season chicken thighs lightly with salt and pepper.
- Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temp should reach 165°F).
- In the last few minutes of grilling, brush generously with BBQ sauce. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Make the Ranch Dressing
- In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk.
- Stir in garlic, dill, parsley, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Adjust thickness with extra buttermilk if needed. Chill until ready to serve.
Assemble the Salad
- On a large platter or individual bowls, layer spring mix as the base.
- Add tomatoes, cilantro, sugar snap peas, red cabbage, red onion, mini peppers, carrots, and cucumber.
- Top with sliced BBQ chicken.
- Drizzle with homemade ranch dressing and an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce if desired.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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