I posted this prep-ahead BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad on Instagram stories after spending the day at the pool with my Aunt Buggie and got so many questions I had to ask Buggie for more details! It’s a prep-ahead BBQ chicken chopped salad with corn, black beans, and avocado. The best part is that you can prep it a day early, making it perfect for potlucks, picnics, and busy weeknights. I love cooking with my family and they have some amazing recipes that have been passed down through the generations, or made up on the fly! To find all of my family’s best recipes, I created a playlist here on Youtube.

Buggie wants you to know she adapted this from @thecookierookie by shortcutting the chicken and leaving out the cheese. Recipe here. Using Costco prepared chicken, canned black beans, and other easy no-cook ingredients, there are so many great shortcuts in this that make it an easy prep-ahead salad that you can get on the table fast! With the protein in the chicken and black beans, it also serves as a full meal. What’s not to love!

If my Aunt Buggie looks familiar, you likely remember her from the viral “Buggie’s Fire Crackers” which she made for the first stop of my book tour in Charleston last year. My book, I Just Wish I Had A Bigger Kitchen, is available everywhere books are sold. Learn more about my book here.

My Aunt Buggie is one of three sisters — my mom, Berta, and their other sister Bella are best friends, and I affectionately refer to them as “the other Holy Trinity.”

But enough talk about how amazing Buggie and her sisters are!! The base of this summer dinner salad is a ton of chopped romaine with all these yummy fixins’ on top. If there is an ingredient that your family wouldn’t love, feel free to scrap it or swap it for something else. For example, red onion to white onion or swap bell peppers for the cherry tomatoes. Don’t be afraid to make this salad work for your family or your picky eater!

You will need:

For The Salad:

• Romaine lettuce, 8-12 cups. Depending on the crowd you could stretch this to make the salad bigger. 
• Barbecue chicken, 1-2lb depending on crowd/preference. 
• 1 can black beans (15 oz)
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 cups corn, canned or frozen
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup tortilla strips

For The Dressing:

• 3/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  

Note: You could totally prep barbecue chicken however you prefer. Buggie bought this fully cooked chicken from Costco as another easy shortcut. It was great!!

To watch my Costco hauls and learn what I buy at Costco and what I skip, click here.

 

Buggie then mixed 3/4 cup ranch and 1/4 cup barbecue sauce to make the dressing. Hidden Valley also has a BBQ Ranch dressing in grocery stores if you’re looking for a faster alternative.

That’s it! You can prep everything well in advance with the romaine on the bottom, then dress, toss, and add the tortilla strips when you’re ready to eat!

I am calling it the prep-ahead salad of the summer and fully intend on repeating this all summer long.

If you know that you’re planning to eat this over a period of multiple days, I recommend making the dressing in a container like this from Amazon and only dressing each portion of salad as you eat it vs. the whole thing! That way you can just pull out the dressing, shake it up again, and pour fresh right before serving.

 

FAQ’s

What can I substitute for the Costco marinated chicken?

Rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken breast, or even canned chicken all work if you’re short on time. For a vegetarian version, swap in extra black beans or chickpeas.

How long does the salad keep in the fridge?

Store dressed salad (minus avocado) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add avocado just before serving to prevent browning.

Can I freeze it?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing the salad once ingredients are combined because the fresh vegetables and dressing don’t hold up well frozen.

What other ingredients would be good in this recipe?

Shredded cheddar, bacon bits, fresh lime juice and cilantro would all be great additions.

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