Italian Barbecue Chicken Salad with Charred Corn
A big flavor and easy main course salad that is a meal prep fan's dream! Made from several simple mini recipes, you'll find this barbecue chicken salad to be the ideal dinner idea for busy weeks. Juicy grilled chicken glazed with a rich barbecue sauce shares the bowl with some charred corn and an accent of quick pickled onions and sharp cheddar cheese. The whole salad gets drizzled with the freshest creamy green goddess dressing. Worth adding to the weekly menu plan!
Servings 2 hungry people
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted tomato barbecue sauce can be made ahead, plus more for serving. You can also use your favorite bbq sauce. Ingredient list below - see recipe link for full details.
- 10 oz. mixed greens
- brined grilled chicken Ingredient list below - see recipe link for full details.
- charred corn below
- pickled onions below
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ tortilla strips or more
- avocado green goddess dressing Ingredient list below - see recipe link for full details. Or use your favorite bottled creamy dressing.
For the barbecue sauce
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 15 baby carrots
- 4 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chicken broth you can also use water or chicken soup base prepared according to package to yield ¼ cup
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
For the brined chicken
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3 cups cold water
- 3 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 T brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
For the corn
- 8 oz. fire-roasted corn I use ½ bag of Trader Joe's frozen charred corn
- 1 T unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the pickled onions
- ½ red onion sliced very thin
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 cup boiling water or amount needed to cover the onions
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the dressing
- 1 avocado ripe
- 1 jalapeno seeded and halved with stem removed
- 2 tsp garlic chopped
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tsp lemon juice from 1 lemon half
- ½ tsp sugar or honey to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste
- 4 Tablespoons water see note below
Instructions
For the grilled chicken breasts
- Preheat the grill to 450°.
- Brine the chicken breasts for 30 minutes. Pat dry (do not rinse). Place the chicken breasts on the preheated grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill for another 5 minutes. Flip again. Brush on generous amounts of roasted tomato barbecue sauce. Grill for 2 minutes before flipping and brushing the other side with more sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes or so until the internal temperature reaches 165° and the outside is slightly charred.Remove to a cutting board and rest for a few minutes before thinly slicing diagonally.3 chicken breasts, 3 cups cold water, 3 Tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 T brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- While the chicken is brining, make the barbecue sauce, saute the corn and pickle the onions (see below).
Quick pickled red onions
- Thinly slice red onions. Add the red onions to a small heat-proof bowl. Pour over the boiling water to cover. Stir in white vinegar, peppercorns, sugar and a pinch of salt. Let sit for about 15 minutes for as long as you’d like. These can sit in the fridge for up to 4 days.½ red onion, ½ cup white vinegar, 1 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon sugar
Charred corn
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes (check this time) until cooked but still crispy. Set aside to cool.8 oz. fire-roasted corn, 1 T unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Make the dressing
- Carefully remove the pit from the avocado using a sharp knife. For more detailed instructions on how to do this, please review a step by step in the dressing recipe.Add the avocado to a blender along with the remaining ingredients except the water. Cover the blender and turn it on to low. Slowly ramp up the speed.If the blender struggles, add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until the dressing gets to creamy texture. Blend until the cilantro can't be seen or just in small tiny specks.1 avocado ripe, 1 jalapeno, 2 tsp garlic, 1 cup cilantro, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 lime, 2 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp sugar or honey, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 4 Tablespoons water
Assemble the salad
- Pile the lettuce into a large wide salad bowl. In sections, arrange the sliced grilled chicken, pickled onions, corn, cheddar cheese, tortilla strips. Spoon over cilantro avocado dressing and toss. Serve with more barbecue sauce for dipping the chicken.10 oz. mixed greens, ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ tortilla strips
Notes
- Store leftovers of each individual component separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Refer to the blog post for ideas for other recipes that can be made with chicken, corn, and dressing.
