Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad With BBQ Ranch Dressing

This Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad is packed with black beans, tomatoes, grilled corn, bacon, avocado, and romaine lettuce, topped with BBQ Ranch Dressing.

This Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad is bursting with bold southwest flavors. Black beans, juicy tomatoes, grilled sweet corn, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and tender grilled chicken, all piled high on a bed of crunchy romaine lettuce. And let’s not forget the star of the show: Incredibly Good BBQ Ranch Dressing.

When it comes to salads, this one’s a total game changer!

And I don’t say that lightly. This salad is so good that even David, who normally gives salads the side-eye, actually asks for this one. That’s right. Besides my Caesar Salad and the Apple Pecan Blue Cheese Salad recipe, this Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad has officially joined the elite club of salads David actually enjoys. Miracles happen, folks.

Whether you’re serving it as a hearty lunch, a side dish, or a full-on dinner, this salad brings the flavor. It’s satisfying, colorful, and downright delicious.

How to Make Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad

With a few fresh ingredients and a hot grill, you can whip up a salad that eats like a meal. Here’s how to bring it all together, step by step (full recipe in recipe card below).

1. Fire up the grill.
Set your grill for a two-zone indirect heat. You’ll want a hot side and a cooler zone for finishing the chicken.

2. Grill the chicken.
Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Place the chicken over the hot coals until browned with grill marks; about 5 minutes per side. Then, move it to the cooler side, close the lid, and cook until done (internal temp should hit 170 degrees F – 165 is too rubbery), about 35 to 40 minutes. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.

3. Grill the corn.
Shuck the corn, removing all husks and silk. Toss it on the hot side of the grill and turn occasionally until charred and tender; about 10 minutes. Let it cool, then slice the kernels off into a bowl.

4. Assemble the salad.
Start with chopped romaine lettuce. Top with grilled chicken, corn, diced tomatoes, black beans, avocado, and bacon bits. Drizzle generously with BBQ Ranch Dressing just before serving.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• Keep the components separated: I usually keep all the components separate until we’re ready to eat. It helps everything stay fresh longer, and the lettuce stays nice and crisp.
• One avocado at a time: Only use one avocado at a time so it doesn’t brown too quickly if you’re saving leftovers.
• Marinate the chicken for extra flavor. If you’ve got a little time, marinate the chicken before grilling. A quick mix of olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and a dash of chili powder adds some extra oomph. Just 30 minutes makes a big difference!
• Use leftover grilled chicken: This salad is perfect for using up leftover grilled chicken. We’ve even used leftover smoked chicken, and boy did it add a whole new level of smoky flavor.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and bacon, and pile on more grilled veggies like squash, peppers, or mushrooms.
• Keep the dressing on the side (if storing for later): If you’re making this salad ahead of time or packing it for lunch, keep the BBQ Ranch Dressing in a little jar or container until you’re ready to eat. It keeps everything from getting soggy.
• Don’t skip the bacon: Seriously. It’s just a small amount, but it adds this salty, smoky crunch that pulls the whole salad together. Worth it.
• Warm up the corn before serving: Even if you grilled the corn ahead of time, a quick warm-up (like 20 seconds in the microwave) before adding it to the salad really brings the flavor back to life. Cold corn just doesn’t hit the same.
• Customize it! This salad is super flexible. Add shredded cheese (pepper jack is amazing), pickled red onions, sliced jalapeños, or even a handful of crushed tortilla chips for extra texture.

I hope you love this Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad as much as we do. It’s a flavor-packed, feel-good kind of meal, and it is absoultely perfect for soaking up the last warm grilling days of the season.

Let me know if you give it a try and comment below!

With Love and Flavor,

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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad

This Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad is packed with black beans, tomatoes, grilled corn, bacon, avocado and romaine lettuce, topped with BBQ Ranch Dressing.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Calories 662kcal

Author David & Debbie Spivey

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast
• ▢ Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 ears of corn
• ▢ 4 strips bacon cooked and chopped into bits
• ▢ 4-6 cups romaine lettuce chopped
• ▢ 15 ounces canned black beans rinsed and drained
• ▢ 8 ounces small cherry or grape tomatoes quartered or halved
• ▢ 2 medium Hass Avocados pitted, peeled and diced
• ▢ BBQ Ranch Dressing to taste

Instructions

• Prepare the grill for indirect heat.
• Rinse the chicken with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place the chicken directly over the hot coals. Move the chicken to the cooler zone after the flesh of the chicken has browned and grill marks form, on both sides, about 10 minutes (5 minutes on each side).
• Continue to grill the chicken over indirect heat with the lid closed. This will help maintain a constant temperature, about 300 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes until done (165 degrees F). Remove chicken from the grill and allow to rest at least 5 minutes, before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
• Shuck the corn, removing the husks and silk. Add the ears of corn directly over the hot side of the grill. Cook turning occasionally until charred on all sides and tender; about 10 minutes. Remove the corn from grill and allow to cool. Then remove the kernels from the cob into a small bowl.

Assemble The Salad:

• Place the chopped romaine lettuce on the bottom of a salad bowl or plate. Top with avocado, chopped tomatoes, black beans, corn, and chopped chicken. Top with bacon bits and BBQ ranch dressing just before serving.

Notes

When making this salad, I like having leftovers for another day. I only use one avocado at a time and keep all the ingredients separate, until needed. It keeps the lettuce crisp and the ingredients stay fresher also.

Nutrition

Calories: 662kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1658mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 5095IU | Vitamin C: 23.1mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 4.4mg

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