Ingredients
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups BBQ sauce (Primal Kitchen recommended)
8 [6-inch] wooden skewers (pre-soaked)
1 cup light tasting oil (avocado oil or light olive oil)
1 egg (omit if using store-bought mayo)
½ cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
4 ears corn (omit for Whole30)
2 tbsp avocado oil
8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (or 2 small heads)
6 green onions (thinly sliced, green part only)
2 cups quartered grape tomatoes (about 16 ounces)
1 [15-ounce] can black beans, drained and rinsed (omit for Whole30)
¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves
1 avocado (peeled, seed removed, diced)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Pound the chicken to an even ½-inch thickness and cube it into 2-inch pieces. Add avocado oil, salt, and 1 cup of BBQ sauce. Stir to combine and marinate for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
- Make the Herby Ranch: For homemade dressing, blend light oil with an egg using an immersion blender. Add coconut milk, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, onion powder, garlic, dill, parsley, and black pepper. Blend to combine. Store in the fridge. If using store-bought mayo, combine 1 cup with the other ingredients.
- Grill the chicken and corn: Drizzle the corn with avocado oil and rub to coat. Heat the grill to medium-high (350-400°F), lightly oil the grates, and grill the corn for 10-12 minutes, turning every 2 minutes. Grill the chicken skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side, basting with BBQ sauce.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, and basil. Add desired amount of ranch dressing and toss. Remove kernels from the corn and add them to the salad, tossing gently with diced avocado.
- Serve: Top the salad with grilled chicken skewers and enjoy!
Notes
- Whole30-friendly: Omit black beans and corn from the salad and use compliant BBQ sauce and mayo.
- Vegetarian option: Replace chicken with grilled tofu or tempeh.
- Dairy-free: This recipe is already dairy-free.
- Grill alternatives: Use a grill pan or oven if you don’t have a grill.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken and salad separately. Chicken lasts up to 4 days in the fridge, salad (without dressing) lasts 2-3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat chicken at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or on a skillet for a crispy texture.
- Make-ahead: Herby ranch can be made up to a week in advance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Calorie
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg