BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts (boneless)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil (for pan)
• 3/4 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand)
• 1 head romaine lettuce (chopped)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 1/2 cup canned sweet corn kernels (drained)
• 1 cup canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 ripe avocados (sliced)
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (to taste)
• 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
• Water (as needed to thin out the dressing)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pound chicken to ½ inch thick evenly. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. 2

   If pan searing, heat some olive oil on a large skillet. If grilling, heat up your grill and brush the grates with oil. Cook chicken for about 6 minutes per side until fully cooked through. Brush both sides with some BBQ sauce. Cook for another few seconds until slightly caramelized.

3. 3

   Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Then, slice or chop, and brush with some more BBQ sauce to taste. Set aside.

4. 4

   Make the dressing: In a food processor, combine all the avocado ranch dressing ingredients. Process until evenly combined. Thin it out with more water until you get the desired consistency.

5. 5

   Assemble salad: Arrange a bed of lettuce, then top with tomatoes, corn, black beans, sliced onions, shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, and the BBQ diced chicken.

6. 6

   Drizzle with the prepared avocado ranch dressing and more BBQ sauce. Enjoy!