BBQ Chicken Salad – Easy Meal Prep Lunch

It’s been so nice and sunny lately, I just want to live in my swimsuit! Load the cooler up with snacks, sandwiches, and cold drinks – and we’re off! This BBQ Chicken Salad is an easy meal prep lunch recipe the whole family will love! It’s so simple to make, it’s packed with protein, and it’s delicious! I feel like with some cooked chicken on hand, the opportunity is endless! This was tangy, creamy, and herby! It’s delicious smeared on some bread, loaded into a wrap, eaten with crackers, or sprinkled over a green salad. The perfect cold salad for on the go!

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Why is chicken salad such a summer staple?

Chicken salad is light, refreshing, and warm weather friendly! It’s typically packed with crunchy veggies and herbs, and while it’s creamy and tangy, it’s not too heavy! During the heat wave, nobody wants to heat up the kitchen! That’s why having cooked chicken already on hand is the best in times like these.

This chilled salad is also a crowd pleaser. It’s perfect for picnics, the beach, and potlucks! It’s great for meal prepping and it travels well!

Did you know?

BBQ sauce dates all the way back to the 1600’s, with the earliest versions featuring a vinegar base in Colonial America! The sauce was extremely simple, often appearing with just vinegar, salt, and pepper. No smoke, no tomato, no sugar! Pretty wild, right?

By 1909, the very first bottled BBQ sauce was sold commercially, thanks to “Georgia Barbecue Sauce Company,” from Atlanta. And shortly after, Heinz dropped their version in 1940, with Kraft’s version becoming the top seller in the 1960’s!

What ingredients do I need to make this?

For the BBQ chicken salad:

Cooked Chicken – rotisserie or try my recipe!
BBQ Sauce
Mayo
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Lemon
Garlic
Green Onion
Pickle Relish
Dill
Salt
Cayenne
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

For serving:

Bread, Tortillas, or Crackers
Pickle Chips

What equipment do I need?

• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Zester
• Juicer
• Mixing Bowls

How do I make it?

To prep the ingredients:

To get started on this recipe, first wash and dry all your produce and herbs.
Zest and juice the lemon. Then mince the green onion, garlic, and dill. Chop or shred the cooked chicken, then set everything to the side.

To make the bbq chicken salad:

Add the mayo, lemon juice and zest, salt, cayenne, freshly cracked black pepper, dill, pickle relish, bbq sauce, chopped chicken, and shredded cheddar to a large mixing bowl.

Stir to combine, then cover and chill for a while to marry those flavors!

To serve:

Smear the chilled bbq chicken salad over bread and load it up with some dill pickle chips. Serve with potato chips and whatever else you want on the side. This is also awesome wrapped up in a tortilla, eaten with crackers, even made into a melt. Lots of opportunity here. Enjoy!

Tips:

• Use whatever cooked chicken you want! My smoked beer can chicken leftovers would be awesome with this too!
• If you don’t have pickle relish, just mince up some dill pickle chips and add 1/4 tsp of granulated sugar to get that sweetness to come through!
• This bbq chicken salad will keep for 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you need to make a WHOLE BUNCH for meal prepping, just double the recipe!

Looking for more chicken salad recipes?

• Avocado Chicken Salad
• Cajun Chicken Salad

Need some more summer meals for on the go?

• Creamy Egg Salad
• Tuna Avocado Wraps

BBQ Chicken Salad – Easy Meal Prep Lunch

The Wholesome Spoon

It’s been so nice and sunny lately, I just want to live in my swimsuit! Load the cooler up with snacks, sandwiches, and cold drinks – and we’re off! This BBQ Chicken Salad is an easy meal prep lunch recipe the whole family will love! It’s so simple to make, it’s packed with protein, and it’s delicious! I feel like with some cooked chicken on hand, the opportunity is endless! This was tangy, creamy, and herby! It’s delicious smeared on some bread, loaded into a wrap, eaten with crackers, or sprinkled over a green salad. The perfect cold salad for on the go!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Chill Time 30 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 176 kcal

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Zester
• Juicer
• Mixing Bowls

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Ingredients

  

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For the BBQ chicken salad:

• 2 cups Cooked Chicken – rotisserie or try my recipe!
• 2 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 Green Onion minced
• ¼ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• ¼ cup BBQ Sauce
• 2 tbsp Mayo
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Pickle Relish
• 1 tsp Dill minced
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Cayenne
• ¼ tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

For serving:

• Bread, Tortillas, or Crackers
• Dill Pickle Chips

Instructions

 

To make the bbq chicken salad:

• Add the mayo, lemon juice and zest, salt, cayenne, freshly cracked black pepper, dill, pickle relish, bbq sauce, chopped chicken, and shredded cheddar to a large mixing bowl.
• Stir to combine.
• Cover and chill for a while to marry those flavors! That's it, so easy!

To serve:

• Smear the chilled bbq chicken salad over bread and load it up with some dill pickle chips.
• Serve with potato chips and whatever else you want on the side. This is also awesome wrapped up in a tortilla, eaten with crackers, even made into a melt. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupsCalories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 7.5gProtein: 17gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 2.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.7gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 430mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 5.5gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 0.6mg

Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide

Keyword BBQ Chicken Recipes, Chicken Salad Recipes, Easy Meal Prep Lunch, Easy Summer Salads, No cook lunch, What to make with rotisserie chicken

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