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.
Ingredients For the Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe
- 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.
How to Make 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.
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.
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.
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!
PrintAir Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
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
Instructions
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Start by marinating the chicken breasts. Place them in a resealable plastic bag and pour 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce over them. Seal the bag and massage the sauce into the chicken to ensure it’s well coated. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer for a richer flavor.
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Preheat your Air Fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes.
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Place the chicken breasts in the preheated Air Fryer basket. Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the chicken is cooked through.
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While the chicken is cooking, prepare your salad. In a large bowl, combine the mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, and red onion.
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Once the chicken is done, remove it from the Air Fryer and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, slice it into strips or bite-sized pieces.
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Assemble your BBQ Chicken Salad by placing the sliced chicken on top of the salad mixture. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce over the chicken.
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Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top and drizzle with ranch dressing.
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Garnish your salad with fresh cilantro leaves if desired.
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Serve your Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Salad immediately and enjoy a flavorful, satisfying meal!
