Copycat California pizza kitchen BBQ chicken chopped salad

8 months ago
111

This salad is inspired by California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ chicken salad, with crisp lettuce and jicama, sweet BBQ chicken and juicy corn kernels. You can cook the chicken thighs on a grill pan, or use an outdoor grill if the weather permits. Tortilla strips add a welcome crunch to the salad—find them in the salad dressing aisle at major supermarkets.

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon canola oil

¾ teaspoon salt, divided

⅓ cup reduced-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt

¼ cup whole milk

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

⅓ cup barbecue sauce

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce hearts

1 (15.5 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed

1 ½ cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 small avocados, cut into 18 slices

1 cup peeled jicama strips

1 cup tortilla strips

2 cups chopped plum tomatoes

Steps:
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; brush with canola oil and season both sides evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, turning occasionally, until grill marks appear on both sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate; let cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, milk, olive oil, lime juice, dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth.

Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces; place in a medium bowl. Add barbecue sauce; toss until well coated.

Combine lettuce, black beans, corn, 3/4 cup cheese, basil, cilantro and the dressing in a large bowl; toss with tongs until well coated.

Divide the salad among 6 bowls (about 1 1/2 cups each). Top each with 3 avocado slices, about 3 tablespoons jicama, about 3 tablespoons tortilla strips and 2 teaspoons cheese; add 1/3 cup tomatoes around the edges of each bowl. Top each bowl with 1/2 cup barbecue chicken. Garnish with additional cilantro and serve with lime wedges, if desired.

NB: Refrigerate dressing (Step 2) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Loading comments...