Savory Southwestern BBQ Chopped Salad

Fresh and healthy never tasted so good!

Chopped salads make awesome meals during the summertime and year-round. This one combines several fresh vegetables, plenty of protein with the beans and chicken, and it’s better for you than traditional BBQ chicken salads since it uses a Greek yogurt-based dressing and isn’t topped with tortilla chips and/or fried onions.

I didn’t make too many changes to the recipe that inspired this post. I just swapped the iceberg lettuce for romaine, snuck in a cup of spinach, tossed in another type of onion, dropped the mayo and ranch seasoning from the dressing, and—most important—added a little barbeque sauce at the end that, in my humble opinion, is the star ingredient of this tangy and delicious salad.

Savory Southwestern BBQ Chopped Salad
Serves  4

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ cup white onion, chopped
½ cup green onion, sliced
½ cup cilantro, chopped (a little extra for garnish if desired)
1 cup bell pepper, chopped (color up to you, I used yellow and orange)
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup yellow corn
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 packet reduced-sodium taco seasoning
¾ cup low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt
2-3 tablespoons water (to thin dressing)
2-4 tablespoons barbeque sauce
1 avocado, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken (I used an Albertson’s cooked rotisserie chicken), romaine, spinach, white and green onion, cilantro, bell pepper, tomatoes, corn, and black beans. 

Chopped veggies and beans ready for tossing.

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt and taco seasoning. Gradually whisk or stir in a few tablespoons of water to thin dressing to desired consistency.

Easy and healthy dressing.

Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Add the avocado and stir gently to combine. (I like to add the avocado last so it doesn’t get too mushy.) Drizzle with your favorite barbeque sauce and garnish with cilantro (if desired).

Results:
If you can believe it, the barbeque sauce was an afterthought on this one…which is funny since it’s kind of the star ingredient. The hubs and I were eating the salad and though it was good, we were a little underwhelmed. Then the “Aha!” moment struck. We added a little barbeque sauce and the salad went from so-so to delicioso!

I’m not gonna lie, the prep on this one takes a while since it involves cutting up so many fresh veggies, but it’s totally worth it in the end. If you are looking for a light, tasty, and healthy chopped salad, this is the recipe for you.

Until next time,
Ryann