This slow cooker BBQ chicken ranch salad is a great option for dinner on a busy night. We love that this meal can be mostly prepped ahead of time so dinner comes together in a pinch. It's fresh and balanced and the BBQ ranch is the perfect finishing touch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is simple and comes together quickly without a lot of prep time.
- The BBQ chicken comes together in the crockpot so you can set the crockpot and forget about it until dinner!
- This flavorful salad is a great recipe to prep ahead of time and enjoy for meal prep.
- You can easily customize the toppings based on what you have on hand.
Try out some of our other favorite slow cooker chicken recipes: slow cooker chicken tikka masala, crockpot southwest chicken recipe, slow cooker creamy chicken tortilla soup.
Ingredient Notes
- Ranch dressing - feel free to use any ranch dressing of choice, we like Primal Kitchen Ranch or Bolthouse Greek Yogurt Ranch.
- Chicken breast - we typically use chicken breasts, but chicken thighs are also a great option. You can also use grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken and simply toss it in bbq sauce if you want to skip the crockpot.
- Barbecue sauce - feel free to pick your favorite bbq sauce.
Looking for other BBQ recipes?
- BBQ ranch turkey smash burgers
- Easy hot honey BBQ chicken flatbreads
- BBQ turkey sandwiches
- Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Feel free to add any other desired toppings! Some ideas include green onion, shredded cheddar cheese, bell peppers, bacon bits, crispy onion straws, etc.
How to Make This BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Start by preparing the BBQ chicken. Plan accordingly to allow the chicken in the crockpot enough time to cook. Place the chicken in the crockpot and evenly pour the BBQ sauce over. Add the apple cider vinegar. Cook in the crockpot for 3-4 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low.
Step 2: Once the chicken is fully cooked and easily shreds, shred the chicken using two forks. Mix well and turn off the crockpot. Let the chicken sit for 15-20 more minutes with the crockpot lid off to allow it to absorb some of the barbeque sauce.
Step 3: In a large bowl, add the chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, red onion, and grape tomatoes. Toss the ingredients until well combined. Add the BBQ chicken you prepared and toss the salad again.
Step 4: In a small jar, add the bbq sauce and ranch dressing. Shake until well combined.
Step 5: Toss the salad with the desired amount of dressing. If you are planning to have leftovers, we recommend tossing each individual salad to prevent the salad from getting soggy. Top the salad with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and tortilla strips if desired.
BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad FAQs
Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. We recommend storing the dressing and tortilla strips separately and adding those just before serving.
This recipe is gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free with the choice of a dairy-free ranch like Primal Kitchen.
Other Delicious Salads
If you make this chicken BBQ ranch salad, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad
Ingredients
For the slow cooker chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (if your BBQ sauce isn't very sweet, you can add a tablespoon of honey)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
For the salad:
- 6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup corn
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup crispy tortilla strips
Optional Toppings:
- Diced avocado, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro
For the Dressing:
- ¾ cup ranch dressing (dairy-free if needed)
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Start by preparing the BBQ chicken. Plan accordingly to allow the chicken in the crockpot enough time to cook. Place the chicken in the crockpot and evenly pour the BBQ sauce over. Add the apple cider vinegar. Cook in the crockpot for 3-4 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked and easily shreds, shred the chicken using two forks. Mix well and turn off the crockpot. Let the chicken sit for 15-20 more minutes with the crockpot lid off to allow it to absorb some of the barbeque sauce.
- In a large bowl, add the chopped romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, red onion, and grape tomatoes. Toss the ingredients until well combined. Add the BBQ chicken you prepared and toss the salad again.
- In a small jar, add the bbq sauce and ranch dressing. Shake until well combined.
- Toss the salad with the desired amount of dressing. If you are planning to have leftovers, we recommend tossing each individual salad to prevent the salad from getting soggy. Top the salad with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and tortilla strips if desired.
Notes
- Save time: purchase pre-chopped romaine lettuce.
- Make ahead: Make the dressing beforehand. Chop and prepare the toppings beforehand.
- This recipe is gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free with the choice of a dairy-free ranch like Primal Kitchen.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Salad." The nutrition is calculated with Bolthouse Greek Yogurt Ranch. The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Nancy Smith
I will give the BBQ Chicken Salad a try this summer. It's look and sound like it going to be delicious.
Begin With Balance
Hi Nancy, it's a perfect recipe for the summer months! Please let us know how you like it!