This salad has all the things I love in a dinner salad. Tasty bbq chicken, fresh veggies, cheese, crunch from the crushed tortilla chips and an amazing dressing I will definitely be using again in the future. Use my homemade bbq sauce recipe for an extra treat. :)
I used chicken breasts for this, but you could also use thighs if you prefer. I marinated my chicken overnight in a mix of seasonings and a little bbq sauce to maximize flavor. The chicken was stir fried in a pan on the stovetop and once it was cooked through I added some bbq sauce and tossed, while still cooking, to caramelize some bbq sauce onto the chicken. 
You can throw whatever veggies you have into this one. I used cherry tomatoes and shredded carrots. It would also be good with cucumbers, corn, or beans. Don’t skip the crushed up tortilla chips because they add a pop of salt and so much crunch. 
The dressing is made from buttermilk, sour cream and mayo mixed with herbs, jalapeno and cilantro and it is SO good! I could have eaten another plate of this salad. Hope you enjoy. 
BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Cilantro Ranch
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- black pepper
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup bbq sauce plus extra for finishing
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup light sour cream or regular
- 1/2 cup light mayo or regular
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 jalepeno seeded and stemmed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1-2 tsp white vinegar to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
For the salad:
- 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup shredded MJ cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 scallions sliced
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Cut chicken into bite sized cubes and place into a ziploc bag. Add the marinade ingredients and mix really well. Leave overnight.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is browned and fully cooked. Add a few tbsps of bbq sauce and mix well. Allow the sauce to caramelize a little onto the chicken, then remove from heat and set aside.
For the dressing:
- Mix ingredients in a blender cup and mix until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt/vinegar as needed.
For the salad:
- Place the lettuce and other ingredients onto the plate. Top with chicken and drizzle with dressing. Add the crushed tortilla chips on top. Serve with extra dressing.