BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

Last week the weather was warm so we had mom & dad down for a socially distanced backyard dinner to celebrate a late Father's Day.  The occasion was a little last minute and I didn't have much time to prep an elaborate meal, so I went to my old standby, the original Half Baked Harvest cookbook, and came up with her BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch.  The salad was super easy and customizable to make {I skipped the black beans and hard boiled eggs and used canned corn instead of fresh} but the part not to miss is the simple but flavorful Avocado Ranch dressing that everyone agreed was a hit.  Paired with some fresh sliced watermelon and cold drinks, it was the perfect backyard meal to enjoy while celebrating dad {and welcoming my parents to my house for the first time since February!}.

BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

Ingredients
Avocado Ranch
1 cup buttermilk
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 Tblsp fresh chives
1 lime, juiced
Salt & Pepper

Salad
1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts {I used 3 large}
BBQ Sauce {we used Stubbs}
1 can corn, rinsed, drained, and charred in skillet for about 10 minutes {or several ears corn, grilled}
1 Tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Chili powder
Salt & Pepper
2-3 heads romaine lettuce or green leaf lettuce, shredded
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
4 bacon slices, cooked and chopped

Instructions
1. Make dressing.  In food processor or blender, combine buttermilk, avocado, cilantro, chives, and lime juice and puree until smooth.  Taste and season with salt & pepper.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use {can be made up to 1 day in advance}.
2. In medium bowl, combine corn, olive oil, cilantro, and a dash of chili powder.  Season with salt & pepper and set aside.
3. Grill chicken.  Heat grill to medium high heat.  When hot, add chicken to grill and coat with bbq sauce.  Flip on grill and brush bbq sauce on remaining side of chicken.  Continue flipping and cooking chicken until done, adding more sauce as needed.
4. Assemble salad.  In large bowl, toss together lettuce, black beans, and tomatoes.  Top with corn mixture, sliced avocado, and bacon.  Finish with chicken and dressing.

Serves 4

adapted from half baked harvest

xoxo,
stephanie marie