This BBQ Chicken Salad features the moist and delicious chicken that I posted a few days ago.
I wanted to create a salad that would taste great with cornbread croutons. I used my regular gluten free cornbread recipe and just cut part of it up into small cubes. I baked the cubes on a cookie sheet in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes total, turning them gently every 5 minutes.
Cornbread croutons would also be great with a steak salad or a southwest flavors salad.
I used green and red cabbage in this salad, along with shredded carrot, corn and little tomatoes. I wanted another contrasting flavor so I added Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds. The smoky flavor is great with the BBQ chicken and the cornbread. When we tasted the salad, it needed just a little bit of tartness or acid to brighten the other flavors. Frank suggested tart dried cherries and they were the perfect addition.
My original concept for this salad was to use Russian dressing on it, but the flavor wasn’t quite acidic enough and it also was not very pretty on the tossed salad. We ended up just going with Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar bottled salad dressing. If you click on the link, you will see that this dressing is pretty healthy, so it’s nice to have when you don’t feel like making homemade.
I love chopped style meat salads because they are substantial enough for lunch or dinner and you don’t get hungry again right away. Frank and I are both definitely meat eaters! You just have to listen to your body and eat according to what feels good for you.
I shared this recipe with Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade
Make cornbread. (you can use my gluten free recipe which can be made with “regular” flour if you don’t have issues with gluten)
Cut cornbread into small cubes and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes total, turning the cubes gently with a spatula every 5 minutes. Set cornbread croutons aside.
Cut cooked chicken into small cubes so that you have 4 cups. I used this recipe for my BBQ chicken.
Cut up vegies and place into a large bowl:
4 cups green cabbage, chopped fine
1/2 cup red cabbage, chopped fine
1/2 cup carrot, shredded
1 cup cooked or fresh corn kernels
1 and 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (I used a 10 and 1/2 ounce package of Cherub tomatoes), sliced in half
Add cut up chicken to the salad
Add 3/4 cup whole Smokehouse Almonds (or Marcona)
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
Stir salad ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.
Mix in a little bit of your favorite oil and vinegar salad dressing with the salad and serve.
Garnish salad with croutons right before serving so the cornbread doesn’t get soggy.
Enjoy!
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