BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad - Easy Budget Recipes (2024)

The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.

This hearty BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad is a flavor explosion in a bowl! Tender shredded chicken tossed in a smoky BBQ sauce paired with creamy BBQ ranch dressing, crisp veggies, and cheese. Perfect for a satisfying lunch or light dinner, this salad is sure to become a new favorite.

This recipe costs approximately $17.10 to make. It makes eight servings, which costs around $2.14 per serving.

What You’ll Love About This Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad

• Flavorful Combination:The homemade dressing, crisp green lettuce, tender chicken, and fresh vegetables like tomatoes, and avocado create a delicious and satisfying blend of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors.
• Crowd-Pleasing:This caters to a variety of preferences, with protein from chicken, fiber from vegetables and rice, and creamy elements from the dressing and cheese.
• Easy and Customizable:The recipe is simple and allows for customization with desired ingredients and toppings.
• Functionality:This hearty salad easily feeds a large group, making it perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or meal prep. It is a great light dinner during the summertime when you do not want to heat up the kitchen.

Ingredients & Estimate Cost:

Recipe Cost: $17.10

Per Serving: $2.14

• ½ cup buttermilk – $0.25
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise – $0.37
• 1 ¼ cup barbecue sauce – $2.10
• ¼ cup and 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro – $0.35
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice – $0.06
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder – $0.04
• ½ teaspoon salt – $0.01
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin – $0.01
• 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce – $0.84
• 2 cups cooked white rice – $0.66
• 3 cups shredded chicken – $3.90
• 15-ounce can black beans – $0.79
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese – $2.49
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes – $1.82
• 14 oz can of sweet corn – $0.84
• ½ small red onion – $0.33
• 1 large bell pepper – $0.79
• 1 large carrot – $0.17
• 2 cups tortilla strips – $1.28

The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. To find out more about how we price our recipes, check outBudget Recipes Explained. The pricing for this recipe was updated in March 2024.

How to Make Easy BBQ Chicken Salad:

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

1. Blend all dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill in the fridge.
2. Add lettuce and cilantro to a large bowl and toss to combine.
3. Add rice on top of the lettuce. Toss chicken and BBQ sauce in a large bowl and place it over the lettuce and rice.
4. Layer corn, beans, red onion, bell pepper, chicken, cheese, and tomatoes on top of the salad.
5. Add carrots and tortilla strips.
6. Toss the salad and top with dressing and serve.

Recipe Variations:

• Picky eaters?Serve the salad unassembled and let everyone customize their own with their favorite toppings.
• Short on time?Use store-bought ranch or avocado dressing for a speedy option.
• Fridge Clean Out? This is a great recipe for cleaning out the refrigerator. If you have leftover chicken from another meal, make this salad the next day. You can add a variety of veggies to the salad. Almost anything works!

Recipe FAQs:

What are the main ingredients in chicken salad?

This BBQ chicken salad recipe is great because it is pretty flexible. If there is something you do not like, leave it out! If there is something else you want, add it in! For this recipe, we like to include chicken, lettuce, cilantro, rice, corn, black beans, cheese, red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and tortilla strips.

What goes well with BBQ chicken?

This is a filling meal. We recommend serving something light to accompany this salad. A few of our favorites include:

• Easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
• Easy Garlic Bread
• One-Hour Dinner Rolls
• One-Hour French Bread

Should the chicken in a chicken salad be hot or cold?

You can serve it either way, whichever way you like best!

More +$15 recipes:

• Beef Chuck Roast
• Easy Oven Baked Salmon
• Easy Taco Pizza
• Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Machaca Burritos