Barbecue Chicken Salad with Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This is my all-time favorite salad!  I’ve been addicted to barbecue sauce ever since I was little, and this is a healthy way to support my obsession. Your standard salad ingredients (lettuce, tomato, onions) are greeted with some cheddar cheese, avocado, and a homemade corn and black bean salsa, and then topped with sliced barbecue chicken breast with a drizzle of barbecue ranch dressing. Simply delish.  And the beauty of this recipe is that it makes a ton of salsa, so you can get some tortilla chips and snack on the salsa all week long!

*Feeds 2-3 people, but you will have plenty of leftover salsa for another day!

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about ½ inch thick
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray
Chopped lettuce (whatever kind you like)
Thinly sliced red onion
Chopped tomato
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced avocado
Corn and black bean salsa  *recipe follows
3/4 cup barbecue sauce, divided
½ cup ranch dressing
Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the Corn and Black Bean Salsa:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears corn on the cob, husked
½ cup diced red onion
½ cup diced red bell pepper
1 avocado, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Step 1: Make the salsa! Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add the corn and boil for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove the corn and let it cool. *You can grill or roast the corn if you prefer, or skip this step and use canned corn- whatever floats your boat. Cut the corn off the cob and gather the corn in a large bowl.  Add the rest of the salsa ingredients and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl, combine the ranch dressing with ¼ cup barbecue sauce.  Set aside.

Step 3: Make the chicken! Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, then place the chicken on the skillet.  Cook approximately 3-4 minutes, then flip the chicken and cook the other side for another few minutes or until juices run clear. Remove the chicken and keep warm.

Step 4: Prepare the salads! Toss the lettuce with a bit of dressing. Then layer your salad ingredients in a bowl or on a plate: lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, and salsa (as much or little as you want).  Feel free to add any other toppings that you like on salad.

Step 6: Warm the remaining 1/2 cup barbecue sauce in the frying pan that the chicken was in. Slice the chicken and put back into the pan with the barbecue sauce. Stir to combine.  Top the salads with the chicken, then drizzle with more dressing.  Garnish with more cilantro and enjoy!