According to California Pizza Kitchen, their Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad has been their “most popular salad since 1985.” The chopped salad has a great medley of textures, from mushy beans to crunchy tortilla strips—all smothered with a very generous serving of barbecue sauce. And since the salad’s primary flavor comes from the barbecue sauce, we recommend picking up a good brand.
Ingredients
BBQ Chicken
2 grilled chicken breasts, diced
½ cup barbecue sauce
Dressing
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
4 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup singkamas (jicama), diced
¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
½ cup fried tortilla strips
¼ cup cilantro
¼ cup basil, torn
Garnish
¾ cup tomato, diced
¼ cup spring onion, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
Prepare chicken: Toss grilled chicken breast in barbecue sauce. Set aside.
Make the dressing: Whisk sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, cilantro, and parsley together in a bowl. Add milk, whisking until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss salad: Combine romaine, black beans, corn, jicama, cheese, tortilla, cilantro, and basil in a bowl. Add enough dressing to coat all the ingredients, tossing in between each addition so that the vegetables are well coated.
Assemble: Transfer salad onto a large platter. Top with tomatoes and coated chicken. Garnish with spring onions and serve with lime on the side.
