I know I’m totally dating myself with this Seinfeld reference, but I absolutely agree with Elaine’s love of the Big Salad! Part of my love is the eating of the salad itself, but the other part is coming up with what to add to it. I kind of geek out over thinking of fun, new mix-ins to add to a big salad. And I’m biased toward the greens either – I am an equal supporter of all greens, from spinach to romaine to kale to plain old iceberg. Put ’em all in a bowl, toss with some awesome ingredients, and drizzle a tasty dressing on top and I am good to go!
Fortunately, everyone else in this house seems to enjoy the big salad too, as long as I don’t make it too much. If I put a big salad of any kind on the menu plan once or twice per month, I know it will be happily eaten up by all of us. Any more than that though, and it just won’t get eaten as well. In fact, when I made this BBQ Ranch ‘Fried” Chicken Salad last week, there were fights over who would get seconds.
This one is definitely one of our favorites. Surprisingly, it even beats out taco salad. I rarely serve any sides with this when I make it, but some plain fruit is always a good option.
BBQ Ranch ‘Fried’ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- Pre-made chicken fingers (frozen or refrigerated – we use gluten free refrigerated chicken fingers when we’re in a hurry, or the GF version of Homemade Chicken ‘Things’ when we have time)
- 2 tsp butter
- 2 cup frozen corn
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Romaine or Iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup quartered grapes tomatoes
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, cubed
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For the Dressing
- 3/4 cup Ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp barbecue sauce
Instructions
For the Salad
- Cook chicken according to package directions, if using refrigerated or frozen, or per the recipe. Slice or cube once warmed.
- Melt butter in a small skillet, add the corn and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until corn starts to crisp and brown. Remove from heat.
- Add all ingredients into a large bowl and toss to combine.
For the Dressing
- Stir all ingredients together until well combined. Toss with the salad, or serve on the side for individual dressing preferences.