If you've ever ordered Panera's BBQ Chicken Salad and thought, "I wish I could make this at home", you're in the right place. This easy copycat recipe has everything that makes the restaurant version so good, including smoky BBQ chicken, crispy lettuce, colorful black bean corn salsa, crunchy tortilla strips, and a drizzle of tangy BQ ranch dressing.
I used to grab this salad on busy days running errands, but now I make it at home whenever I want a delicious salad that feels like a meal. It's fresh, filling, and way cheaper than takeout.
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If you love Panera as much as I do, check out my Panera Tomato Basil Cucumber Salad and Panera Lemon Drop Cookies.
For another delicious copycat salad, check out this La Scala Salami Chopped Salad.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Restaurant flavor at home - The smoky chicken, sweet-tangy dressing, and crunchy toppings make this just like Panera's version.
- Easy to prep - Grill, smoke, or air fry your chicken, mix a quick salsa, whisk a dressing, and you're done.
- Meal prep friendly - Keep the components separate, and you've got lunches ready for days.
- Customizable - Use chicken breasts, thighs, or even rotisserie chicken. Swap toppings to fit what's in your kitchen.
- Perfect summer salad - Fresh, crisp, and full of flavor without weighing you down.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
To make this Panera copycat salad, you'll need:
- Chicken breasts. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs, leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
- Chicken Rub: I used my homemade Dry Rub for Smoked Chicken - a reader favorite. It contains brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper. You can also use your favorite chicken seasoning.
- Lettuce. Romaine lettuce is my favorite and closest to Panera, but you can also use green leaf lettuce or even spinach.
- Tomatoes. I used grape tomatoes cut in half, but you can also use cherry tomatoes or diced Roma tomatoes.
- Black bean corn salsa. You can use store-bought, but it is quick and easy to make at home. All you need is a can of black beans, canned corn, olive oil, red onion, red pepper, white vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, sugar, salt, and pepper. Instead of canned corn, grill or make Smoked Corn on the Cob if you can. The extra flavor takes this salad from good to great.
- Crunchy tortilla strips. I think these take any salad to the next level. I just used jalapeno-flavored tortilla chips and broke them into strips. You can use tortilla strips, french fried onions, or french fried jalapenos - even crushed Doritos!
- BBQ ranch dressing. This is also quick to make using your favorite BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, and taco seasoning.
- Lime. A squeeze of fresh lime juice ties the flavors together beautifully!
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a complete list of ingredients.
How To Make Copycat Panera BBQ Chicken Salad
Prepare the chicken. If making the homemade chicken rub, combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, paprika, onion powder, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and generously sprinkle the dry rub over the chicken breasts.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat to cook the chicken on the stove. Place the chicken on the grill pan and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Alternatively, you can make Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Smoked Chicken Breast, Oven Baked Chicken Breast, or Grilled Chicken Breast.
I cooked mine on the smoker at 225°F for one hour, flipping it over halfway through the cooking time. Slather the chicken on both sides with your favorite barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of cooking.
Make the Black Bean Corn Salsa: Combine drained black beans, corn, diced red pepper, and sliced red onion in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, white vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is well mixed.
Let the salsa sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together.
Make the BBQ ranch dressing: Combine BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, and taco seasoning in a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble the Panera BBQ chicken salad: Place lettuce in a large salad bowl or dinner plate. Top with sliced chicken breast. Add black bean corn salsa, sliced tomatoes, and tortilla strips. Top with a drizzle of BBQ ranch dressing, and finish it off with a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Variations
Protein swaps - Try grilled shrimp, steak strips, or crispy tofu.
Different greens - Use mixed spring greens, kale, or spinach if you don't have romaine.
Cheesy - Add crumbled feta, cotija, or shredded cheddar.
Spicy - Add sliced jalapeños, a spicier BBQ sauce, or a pinch of cayenne to the rub.
Vegetarian - Skip the chicken and pile on extra beans, corn, and sliced avocado.
Make Ahead
- Chicken - Cook up the chicken up to 2 days in advance. Slice and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Salsa - Mix the black bean corn salsa 1 day ahead. It tastes even better after sitting overnight.
- Dressing - BBQ ranch dressing can be whisked together 3-4 days in advance and stored in a jar in the refrigerator.
- Assembly - Keep all components separate until just before serving so the lettuce stays crisp and the tortilla strips crunchy.
Storage Tips
Fridge - Store undressed salad components in separate containers for up to 3 days. Add dressing and tortilla strips only when serving.
Leftover chicken - Stays fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. Slice thin and serve cold.
On-the-go lunches - Layer salad ingredients in a mason jar: place the dressing at the bottom, followed by salsa, chicken, and then lettuce on top. Add tortilla strips just before eating.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Store the chicken, salsa, and dressing separately. Toss everything together right before serving.
Absolutely! If you're short on time, you can use rotisserie chicken. I would toss it in BBQ sauce before adding it to the salad.
This salad is quite hearty on its own, but it pairs well with a slice of crusty bread, a cup of soup, or even some fresh fruit on the side.
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Printable Recipe
Copycat Panera BBQ Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
- 1 tablespoon dry rub for chicken *see ingredients below (or your favorite chicken rub)
- 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
Dry Rub For Chicken
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning a Club House seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Black Bean Corn Salsa
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 can (15 oz) corn niblets (drained, or 1½ cups fresh corn)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup red onion, slivered
- ½ cup red pepper, diced
- ⅛ cup white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
BBQ Ranch Dressing
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
BBQ Chicken Salad
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 heads romaine lettuce (washed and chopped)
- ½ cup tortilla strips (or French fried onions)
- 1 fresh lime, cut in wedges (for serving)
Instructions
Cook Chicken Breasts
- Preheat the grill or stovetop to medium-high heat or your pellet grill to 225℉.
- Season chicken breasts liberally on both sides with chicken rub. Grill chicken breasts over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, flipping every 4-5 minutes. If you have a pellet grill, smoke chicken breasts for one hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. Brush with BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.
- Remove the chicken from the heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice chicken against the grain into strips or bite-sized pieces.
Make Black Bean Corn Salsa
- While the chicken is cooking, combine black beans, corn, olive oil, red onion, red pepper, white vinegar, sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir until everything is well mixed.
- Let the salsa sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Make BBQ Ranch Dressing
- Whisk together barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, and taco seasoning in a small bowl.
- Set in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble the Copycat Panera BBQ Chicken Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, sliced BBQ chicken breasts, black bean corn salsa, cherry tomatoes, and tortilla strips. Drizzle with BBQ Ranch dressing and finish with a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Notes
- Do not overcook the chicken. Remove it from the heat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Prepare the black bean corn salsa while the chicken is grilling and store it in the refrigerator.
- Instead of canned corn, use freshly grilled corn on the cob or Smoked Corn on the Cob and cut off the kernels.
- For optimal freshness, serve the salad right after you finish assembling it. The longer it sits dressed with dressing, the soggier the greens may become.
- If you need to prepare this salad ahead of time, keep components separate until just before serving. Store dressing separately in an airtight container and toss everything together right before serving.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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