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A top down shot of two salads with chicken, bbq sauce, tomatoes, and other ingredients.
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5 from 2 votes

BBQ Chicken Salad (CPK Copycat)

This BBQ Chicken Salad has all the great flavor and crunchy texture of the famous salad from California Pizza Kitchen. This quick and easy no-cook salad is perfect for a busy day and it's loaded with everything you love about the restaurant version.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 492kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

  • 6 cups well chopped romaine lettuce
  • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro leaves thick stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1 cup corn kernels frozen or fresh (see Notes section below)
  • ½ cup chopped jicama
  • 15 ounces canned black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • ⅓ cup ranch salad dressing
  • ⅓ cup BBQ sauce divided
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast I use rotisserie chicken breast meat
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 limes cut into wedges
  • 1 cup chopped roma tomatoes
  • 1 avocado chopped
  • Tortilla strips for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large salad bowl, toss the lettuce, cilantro, basil, green onions, corn, jicama, beans, and cheese. Toss with the Ranch dressing and divide the mixture between 4 serving bowls.
  • In a separate small bowl, toss the chicken with pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce, and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Spoon the chicken in the center of each of the 4 bowls of salad and drizzle the chicken with the remaining BBQ sauce.
  • Scatter the tomatoes and avocado around the edge of each salad and sprinkle with tortilla strips. Serve with a lime wedge tucked into the bowl (it’s delicious to squeeze fresh lime juice over the whole thing before eating).

Notes

If using fresh sweet corn, boil it for about 3 minutes in a large pot of water, rinse with cold water, and use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob.
If using frozen corn, thaw it in the refrigerator or place it in a colander and run cool water over it until thawed. Be sure to drain it very well before adding it to the salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Potassium: 1191mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 7243IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 4mg