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BBQ Chicken Salad Cilantro Lime Rice Bowls

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This robust dinner (or lunch!) salad is a little Southern, a little Southwestern and a lot delicious. Save time by using leftover cooked chicken from another meal or store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4–6 servings

Ingredients

Salad Bowl

3-4 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1-2 cups BBQ sauce
6-8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
Cilantro lime rice
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1-2 cups shredded or cubed Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combo)
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1-2 avocados, pitted and diced

Cilantro Lime BBQ Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine or white vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch black pepper
1/3 cup BBQ sauce

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use (can be made and refrigerated up to several weeks ahead of time).

    Step 2

    Toss the chicken and BBQ sauce together until the chicken is well coated.

    Step 3

    Assemble the salad bowls by placing lettuce in the bottom of each bowl (or plate). Top with cilantro lime rice, corn, black beans, red onion, BBQ chicken, cheese, tomatoes and avocados.

    Drizzle with dressing and serve.

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