Name: BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts; 3 tablespoons avocado oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cups bbq sauce (Primal Kitchen brand recommended); 8 6-inch wooden skewers (pre-soaked); 1 cup light tasting oil; 1 large egg (omit if using store-bought mayo); ½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 2 cloves minced garlic; ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds; ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce ((or 2 small heads)); 6 pieces green onions (thinly sliced, green part only); 2 cups quartered grape tomatoes ((or 16 ounces)); 15 ounces black beans (drained and rinsed, omit for Whole30); ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves; 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves; 1 whole avocado (peeled, seed removed and diced medium); 4 ears corn (omit for Whole30 if needed)

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How I Found This Salad

The first time I made BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad I remember standing on a tiny apartment balcony, listening to the faint sizzle of the grill from a neighbor’s rooftop while I daydreamed about summer. It started with a craving for smoky, sticky BBQ chicken and a desire for something bright and fresh to balance it. What I ended up with uses 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, a few pantry favorites like 3 tbsp avocado oil and 1 tsp kosher salt, and a generous 2 cups bbq sauce (I use Primal Kitchen brand because it tastes clean and holds up to heat). The idea came together so naturally I had to write it down, and then I tweaked it over time — if you want a version that’s closer to the original inspiration I found online, see the BBQ chicken skewer inspiration I found that nudged me toward this arrangement.

The Secret Behind Perfect BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad

What makes this salad pop is the interplay of char and herb. I thread the chicken onto 8 [6-inch] wooden skewers (pre-soaked so they do not burn), baste them with that 2 cups of bbq sauce, and get small pockets of caramelized flavor on every bite. But the other half of the magic is the herby-ranch dressing I make from scratch: 1 cup light tasting oil, 1 egg ((omit if using store-bought mayo), see note)), ½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 cloves minced garlic, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. The coconut milk adds a subtle creaminess that keeps things dairy-free but lush, and the fresh herbs brighten the whole salad.

I usually marinate the chicken briefly before building the skewers. Marinate the chicken: I cube the breasts into uniform pieces, toss them with 3 tbsp avocado oil and the 1 tsp kosher salt, and then fold in about half a cup of the bbq sauce to get flavor right into the meat. I let them sit for at least 30 minutes if I can — longer if I have the time — because that rest lets the oil and salt do their work before the sugar in the sauce starts to caramelize on the grill.

If you’re curious about other ways to handle skewers, I sometimes switch to an inside method when the weather is bad and use an air fryer technique I like; there’s a helpful guide in an air fryer version I tried that taught me how to get the same crisp edges without a flame.

Making the Herby-Ranch and Marinating

Make the Herby-Ranch: the method for the dressing is almost meditative to me. If you are making it from scratch, you combine 1 cup light tasting oil with 1 egg ((omit if using store-bought mayo), see note)), then stream in ½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk to loosen it, and add 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar for brightness. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 cloves minced garlic, and fold in ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds and ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, finishing with 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. I use a whisk or an immersion blender if I want it silky. If you are short on time, store-bought mayo works fine; skip the egg in that case and add a splash more lemon so it does not taste flat.

A small trick I learned: taste the dressing with a piece of romaine before you toss the whole salad. You can always add more lemon if it needs lift or more fresh herbs for brightness. This step has saved many salads from being under-seasoned.

Grilling, Assembling, and When It’s Done

Grill the Chicken and Make the salad: I heat the grill to medium-high and place the skewers down, brushing them with extra bbq sauce as they cook. You want to hear that satisfying sizzle and see an amber glaze forming; the chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches about 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. If you do not use a thermometer, cut one piece in half to check for any pink. While the skewers rest, I char 4 ears corn (omit for Whole30 if needed) brushed with 2 tbsp avocado oil until the kernels pop and blacken in spots, then cut them off the cob.

The salad base is simple and loud in texture: 8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (or 2 small heads) provides the crunch, while 6 green onions (thinly sliced, green part only) add a scallion bite. I toss in 2 cups quartered grape tomatoes (or 16 ounces), and usually add a 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (omit for Whole30) for heft. Freshness comes from ¼ cup loosely packed freshly chopped cilantro leaves and 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves. Finally I fold in 1 avocado (peeled and seed removed and diced medium) so you get that creamy contrast against the charred chicken. Once everything is plated, I place the skewers on top and drizzle with the herby-ranch. If you want to make it more of a composed bowl, slide the corn, beans, tomatoes, and avocado into separate little islands instead of tossing; either way it ends up disappearing fast.

A couple of quick observations about timing: the chicken benefits from a short rest so the juices redistribute; if you slice right away the juices run out on the plate. Also, if you are grilling more than a single batch, keep the cooked skewers loosely tented in foil to stay warm without steaming.

A Few Things I’ve Learned (and How I Serve It)

I love this recipe because it feels summery without being fussy. The eat-what-you-want nature of the salad means it is great for weekend gatherings; people can pick off chicken, scoop beans and corn, or heap their bowl with extra herbs. I serve it with warm corn tortillas or crusty bread, but it is also lovely over a scoop of brown rice for a heartier plate. Sometimes I will pivot and use it as a filling for tacos or salads in meal prep bowls, and one creative time I repurposed the leftover skewers into a warm, savory pudding — a wild but delightful riff on a leftover idea I once read about when I had too much bread.

Storage is straightforward: the dressing keeps separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, while dressed salad should be eaten within a day for best texture. If you have leftovers of the chicken, store the skewers or sliced meat in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat gently to avoid drying it out. For longer storage, the grilled chicken freezes well without the fresh herbs and avocado; thaw in the fridge and reheat on a hot pan to bring back some char.

Two quick variations: swap the BBQ for a spicy buffalo glaze and scatter blue cheese or feta if you are not dairy-free; for a lighter Whole30-friendly variation omit the black beans and corn and use a compliant BBQ sauce. If you want a different herb profile, try swapping basil for mint for a brighter pop — it works better than you might expect.

I often think of my mom when I make this, because she used to insist on adding herbs at the very end of cooking so they retained their scent. I do the same here, scattering the dill and parsley into the ranch at the last minute and watching the aroma lift the whole salad.

Conclusion

If you want another version to compare techniques or flavor balance, the The Defined Dish BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad is a nice reference for presentation and ingredient swaps, and for a bolder, spicy take you can look at Half Baked Harvest’s Buffalo Chicken Skewer Salad to see how heat plays with the cooling ranch. Give this a try the next time you want something that tastes like summer on a plate, and tell me which tweak became your favorite.