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Bringing you all the spring vibes with this BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch. Sweet and spicy BBQ chicken strips tossed with sweet corn, tomatoes, crispy bacon, and fresh spring greens. The avocado ranch dressing is quite possibly one of my favorite dressings ever. It’s not only great atop this salad, but also doubles as a yummy dip for chips and crackers. This salad is a big and beautiful spring and summer salad that is loved by all…picky eaters included!
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
And just like that, we experienced one day of warm sunshine and I’m ready for big salads full of color. Of course, snow is in the forecast Thursday night through Saturday. But I’m going to look past that, and be excited for the warmer days ahead. Plus, I just really, really wanted to share this salad with you all. It’s another recipe from the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook, and it’s without a doubt my favorite salad in the entire book. Which is saying something, as there are a good amount of salads.
I remember the day I photographed this recipe for the book. It was a cold December day and this was the very first recipe I shot for the book. I remember being SO nervous to begin shooting the cookbook recipes. I put a lot of pressure on myself to create photos that looked incredible, so getting started was a daunting task. With this being my very first cookbook, everything about the process was a little scary. But the photos where the scariest of all. And quite possibly the hardest part to completing the book. I know it may shock some of you, but I still struggle with photos! I always want to be creating something new and beautiful.
Anyway, when I finally turned everything into my editor, it was a mix of emotions. Obviously I was so excited, but also SO SCARED. Would you guys like the book? Were the photos even any good? Would the recipes work? Would anyone buy it? So many thoughts ran through my head. Looking back now, I feel so happy, grateful and thankful. But it all started with this Cobb Salad, and when I finished shooting it, I was so excited. Loved the recipe, loved the photo, and I was off to a good start!
Spring is finally here, with summer soon to follow…the perfect time to finally share this recipe. Meaning, this recipe needed to also live on HBH, since it’s the one I make most often for family gatherings.
The first step is to cook up some BBQ chicken over medium heat on the grill. You can use your favorite homemade bbq sauce or store-bought, but use something with a sweetness and a good amount of spice. You guys know I love sweet and spicy.
While the chicken is cooking, mix up the salad in a big bowl. I like to use a mix of fresh and frozen corn, cherry tomatoes, crispy bacon, eggs, and romaine lettuce.
Ok, on to the avocado ranch. This is SO GOOD. It’s extra creamy, herby, and uses zero weird ingredients. As someone who has always loved ranch, I can honestly say this is better than anything from the bottle. It’s also super similar to my tahini ranch if you’d rather use that. Both are great!
Put everything together and you have a delicious salad that’s a good mix of bright fresh flavors. It’s kind of summery, yes, but I know some of you guys are experiencing some very warm temps down south. And for those of us still in the cold, this salad gets us that much more excited for the warmer days ahead!
I hope you guys really enjoy this salad! OH! And here’s the video for this salad too! enjoy! Enjoy!
Watch the How To Video:
If you make this BBQ chicken cob salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or tenders
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups fresh grilled or frozen thawed corn
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 dash Chili powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 or 3 heads romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- 4 bacon slices, cooked and chopped
- 3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs sliced (optional)
Avocado Ranch
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- Juice of 1 lime
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Heat a grill, grill pan, or skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the barbecue sauce to coat. Grill for about 5 minutes per side, until lightly charred and cooked through. 3. In a medium bowl, stir together the corn kernels, olive oil, cilantro, and a dash of chili powder. Season with salt and pepper.4. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, black beans, and tomatoes. Top with the corn mixture, sliced avocado, and bacon. Finish the salad with the chicken, a drizzle of the avocado ranch (recipe below), and hard-boiled eggs, if desired. Serve with the remaining ranch alongside.
Avocado Ranch
- 1. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the buttermilk, avocado, cilantro, chives, and lime juice and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The avocado ranch can be made up to 1 day in advance.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This is the perfect summer dinner! It is so fresh and tasty.
Thank you so much Jackey! xTieghan
Outstanding! I followed the recipe exactly and it was a hit with everyone (teenager included)! I could eat this dressing by the spoonful.
TBH, I’m on an HBH kick right now. I’ve made at least 5 of your recipes in the last 10 days. Love your blog and your book!
That is so great to hear! Thank you so much for making this Michelle! I am so glad you loved it! xTieghan
Hi is this a difference in using cultured vs unfiltered buttermilk?
HI there! HOnestly, I am not sure, but here is what it says online. https://www.finecooking.com/article/the-difference-between-cultured-and-old-fashioned-buttermilk
Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Followed the recipe, Five minutes per side didn’t come close to cooking the chicken and by the time I got it up to the correct temperature, the sugar in the BBQ sauce had burned (not charred) and the cast iron (well seasoned skillet was nearly impossible to clean.
I would suggest cooking the chicken until done with a spot of oil and no BBQ and then rolling it in the sauce.
The outcome was great but the glares from my wife as she took all of our cast iron tools to the skillet to no avail might not have been worth it.
Hi Charles! I am sorry the cleanup was hard for you two! I hope the recipe still tasted great! xTieghan
Love the receipe! But no cheese? I added farmhouse shredded cheddar! So yum.
Love that! Thank you Abigail! xTieghan
Perfect dinner to take to a friend tonight! She loved it and so did I! That avocado dressing is awesome! Keep it coming Tieghan!
That is so sweet! I am so glad you both loved this Karoline! Thank you! xTieghan
Loved it! Great meal and so healthy. Modified without the buttermilk.
I am so glad you loved this Kim! Thank you! xTieghan
So easy and yummy! This is perfect for early spring.
To make this dairy-free, I used Tessemae’s Avocado Ranch dressing. I also used their BBQ sauce since it is free of added sugars.
Thank you so much Katie! xTieghan
This is the most beautiful salad I have ever seen – looks fantastic!
Thank you so much Alexandra! I hope you try this! xTieghan
This looks scrumptious, but Ihappen to be one of those people who sadly hate cilantro. Would you recommend replacing it with another herb or just omitting it?
HI! I recommend using fresh basil! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Is there any way this could be made dairy free or any suggestions for a different (but yummy) dressing?
HI! Try using coconut yogurt or tahini in place of the Greek yogurt. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Awwwww! This salad makes me LOVE Spring all the more! Not only is it a gorgeous display of freshness, but the flavors from all the ingredients sound amazing. What an incredible start to your cookbook!! Love it.
Thank you so much Linger! xTieghan
Tieghan, what is your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce for this recipe?
HI! I typically buy the Primal Kitchens (linked below), but I recommend something organic with no corn syrup and a LOW sugar content. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
https://rstyle.me/+gDjYHxvdZCHRnwl22cCEaw
Like your book? Nooo…I LOVE your book!!! ??? And, your photos are amazing!! I think this salad will be on the menu this weekend!!!
Thank you!! This is so amazing Rosa! xTieghan
now I want to eat this…
I hope you love it Ruth! Thank you! xTieghan