🍳DailyRecipes
Dinner

Classic Summer BBQ Chicken Salad

This hearty salad is the perfect way to enjoy fresh summer produce with a smoky protein boost.

By Daily Recipes Book· 🌍 American· July 14, 2026
Classic Summer BBQ Chicken Salad
dailyrecipesbook.com
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
10 minutes
Total
25 minutes
Serves
4

When the weather gets warm, I love serving a big bowl of this BBQ chicken salad for dinner. It is packed with crunchy greens and juicy corn, making it a favorite for my family during backyard cookouts.

The trick to this salad is letting the chicken cool for a few minutes before adding it to the bowl. This keeps the lettuce crisp and fresh so your salad stays perfect until the very last bite.

Ingredients

  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
  • 1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce
  • 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup sweet corn kernels
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup ranch dressing
  • 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed

Instructions

  1. 1

    Toss the diced chicken in a bowl with your favorite BBQ sauce until well coated.

  2. 2

    Place the chopped romaine lettuce in a large serving bowl as the base.

  3. 3

    Arrange the corn, tomatoes, red onion, black beans, and shredded cheese on top of the greens.

  4. 4

    Add the BBQ chicken pieces right into the center of the salad.

  5. 5

    Drizzle the ranch dressing over the top just before serving and toss everything together.

💡 Tips

You can store the dressing separately in the fridge to keep the greens from wilting. This salad also tastes great with some crispy tortilla strips sprinkled on top for a little extra texture.

#summer salad#chicken salad#easy dinner#bbq chicken#high protein

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