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Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad

Name: Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 cup BBQ sauce; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 8 cups mixed greens (lettuce, spinach, etc.); 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved); 1 cup corn (drained and rinsed); 1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed); 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced); 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded ); 1/4 cup ranch dressing

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Smoky chicken, black beans, corn and lots of veggies come together with a delicious dressing to make this easy Air Fryer BBQ chicken salad.

It’s the perfect protein-rich, meal-prep friendly salad that you can make a part of your weekday meals. Packed with wholesome and healthy ingredients and incredible flavors, this is one salad you’ll keep coming back to every single time.

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad with vibrant mixed greens and grilled chicken bites

I have to admit- I’m not a salad girlie. But there are some salad recipes that I’m mighty proud of creating! Take my Air Fryer beef taco salad, Panera Green Goddess Cobb salad or cranberry almond chicken salad for example- they’ve all been huge hits in my household.

And recently, I had a bit of Air Fryer BBQ chicken breast leftover, and I thought of putting it to use- that’s when I thought of this recipe!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Packed with flavor: This isn’t one of those bland and boring salad- in fact, it packs in a ton of flavor and deliciousness in every bite.
Easy to make: It just takes a few minutes of prep to put everything together- the salad is incredibly easy to make, all thanks to the Air Fryer.
Filling and healthy: The salad is super healthy, filling and packed with nutrition.
Meal-prep friendly: It’s perfect to meal-prep and make ahead of time too! Marinate the chicken up to 3 days in advance and just air fry it and assemble everything together when you want to enjoy it.

"Colorful bowl of Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad topped with barbecue sauce"

If you are looking for even more Air Fryer Chicken Recipes, some of my favorites are AIR FRYER NAKED CHICKEN TENDERS, AIR FRYER PESTO CHICKEN TENDERS, AIR FRYER CHICKEN CUTLETS, and AIR FRYER GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN RECIPE.

Ingredients For the Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad on kitchen table.

Chicken: I used 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can use any other cut of chicken too, if you want to. Just remember to keep it skinless to enjoy a healthy, lean protein salad.
BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce! I love using my copycat Mc Donald’s BBQ sauce or fireball BBQ sauce for this recipe.
Veggies: You’ll need a lot of these! I used mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, corn and red onion. Feel free to use whatever veggies you have at hand.
Cilantro: Lots of chopped fresh cilantro adds a nice bit of color and deliciousness to the salad.
Dressing: Ranch dressing works best, and complements the smoky BBQ flavor beautifully. I used my copycat Wingstop ranch sauce here.
Toppings: I kept it simple and just used some shredded cheddar cheese. You can also use some nacho cheese sauce if you want to bring some more salty, cheesy deliciousness.

Variations & Substitutions

For a bit of extra texture and crunch factor, you can also add some roasted nuts into the mix- I love adding my Air Fryer roasted pepitas!
If you don’t have black beans, but still want that extra bit of protein to bulk up the salad, you can use canned chickpeas too! I sometimes use my Air Fryer roasted chickpeas in the salad, which really amps up the flavor and texture.
Experiment with different veggies to add flavor and color to the salad. Bell peppers, cucumbers, sliced avocados and pan fried zucchini or portobello mushrooms are all excellent choices.
Try a different version of ranch sauce like avocado lime ranch dressing to add another dimension of flavor to the salad.
You can also top the salad with crispy bacon or crushed air fried tortilla chips to lend it a bit of crunchy deliciousness.

How to Make Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad

Preparing ingredients for Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad

Marinate chicken: In a Ziploc bag, add the chicken and the BBQ sauce, seal the bag and massage the chicken to ensure it is all coated well. Let this marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so.

Seasoning chicken pieces before air frying for salad

Air fry: Arrange the chicken breasts in the Air Fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time to get that nice and crispy exterior.

Air frying chicken bites until golden and crispy

Rest and slice: Get the chicken breasts out once they’re cooked, allow them to rest for a few minutes and cut them into thin slices.

Prep salad: While the chicken is cooking, prep all the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Chop up your greens and veggies and add in the corn and black beans.

Assembling the salad with greens, veggies, and BBQ chicken

Assemble: Add the sliced chicken on the top, drizzle some more BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, sprinkle some chopped cilantro and shredded cheese and serve!

Drizzling barbecue sauce over the completed Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad

Tips & Tricks to Make BBQ Chicken Salad in the Air Fryer

For extra flavor, marinate the chicken and refrigerate it for 30 minutes or so before you air fry it.
Play around with different greens like arugula (for a peppery twist), romaine lettuce (for a classic crunch) and kale (for added nutrition).
Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after it is out of the Air Fryer. Doing this will help seal in the juices, and you’ll get the perfect moist and juicy chicken.
You can also baste the chicken in some more BBQ sauce towards the final 2-3 minutes of cooking it to lend it an extra smoky and saucy flavor.
For a bit of tanginess and crunch, add some pickled jalapenos into the salad.
To add a nice kick of heat to the salad, drizzle your favorite hot sauce over everything, right before you serve.

"Close-up of Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad showcasing juicy chicken and greens"

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: If you have some leftover BBQ chicken salad, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you haven’t assembled the salad, you can store the elements (chicken, chopped veggies and dressing) separately in different containers and they should last for up to 3 days.

Then, when you want to have the salad, just assemble everything together and enjoy it.

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

Enjoy this hearty BBQ chicken salad on its own as a light lunch or even as a dinner during the hot summer months.

If you really want to go the extra mile, you can pair it with some Italian pull-apart bread rolls or keto cheese garlic bread. And if you’re a potato lover, team up this salad with some Air Fryer Parmesan potatoes or Air Fryer accordion potatoes.

Healthy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad featuring fresh vegetables and crispy chicken

FAQs

How will I know the chicken is cooked? To check if the chicken is cooked, you can use a meat thermometer and check its internal temperature. If the thermometer reads 165 degrees or more, the chicken is cooked and ready to be used.

Can I make the BBQ chicken salad gluten-free? You can! Just make sure the sauces, seasonings and dressings you’re using for the recipe are gluten-free, and you’ll have a quick gluten-free BBQ chicken salad.

What else can I use instead of chicken? You can swap the chicken in the recipe for almost any other protein of your choice. Shrimp, pulled pork and salmon are all excellent choices. You can also use pan fried firm tofu slathered in some BBQ sauce if you want to make a vegetarian version of the salad.

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