Barbecue Chicken Salad

 

This salad is a copy cat of Panera's Barbecue Chicken Salad, which apparently is no longer on their menu.  I've never tried the restaurants version, but can say this version is delicious. The creator of this recipe claims it is better than Panera's. While I can neither confirm or deny that claim, I can say it is delicious and a salad my whole family loved.

The original recipe calls for tortilla strips, but I had some Fritos on hand and used those instead. 

Barbecue Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Salad

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided
• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce, about 1 head
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 3/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 ounce Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Fritos

Lime Crema Dressing

• 1/2 cup non fat greek yogurt
• 1 lime juiced, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
• 1 lime zested, about 2 teaspoons
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, lime juice, lime zest, garlic and cumin. Stir until well mixed. If dressing is too thick, add a bit of water, about 1/2 tablespoon, to thin to your desired consistency. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Coat the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-8 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook for 4-8 minutes, or util the chicken is completely cooked. About 1 minute before the chicken is done, coat both sides with barbecue sauce.
4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into bite sized pieces.
5. Add the chopped lettuce to a large bowl and top with the tomatoes, corn, beans, onion, both cheeses and chicken.
6. Top each serving with some Fritos, barbecue sauce and lime crema.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 462
Total Fat		11.7g
Saturated Fat		3.8g
Trans Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0.6g
Monounsaturated Fat		0.6g
Cholesterol		102mg
Sodium		596.7mg
Total Carbohydrates		44g
Dietary Fiber		6.3g
Sugars		20.5g
Protein		46g
Calcium		13.5%
Iron		16.4%
Potassium		740.4mg
Vitamin A		13.1%
Vitamin C		50%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Tidy Mom.