Copycat Panera BBQ Chicken Salad

Panera copycat BBQ chicken salad in white bowl.

5 from 10 votes

If you love Panera's BBQ Chicken Salad, then you'll love this copycat recipe! This hearty restaurant-style salad is packed full of juicy chicken and crisp vegetables tossed with black bean corn salsa and homemade BBQ Ranch dressing.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Jeri Walker

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!

Notes

*Homemade Smoked Chicken Rub

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