This Loaded BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad is one of my favorite make ahead meals!!
I throw around the term on brand a LOT! I'll say something like, this restaurant is totally on brand. Wearing yoga pants daily is on brand. My bright red bike helmet... on brand. You get the idea! Today and every other day for that matter, it's safe to say that loaded salads are totally ON BRAND. They make life colorful and delicious and it's a great way to use whatever is left in my fridge. Yesterday I whipped up a ton of these salads for the week! I just assemble the entire thing, minus the avocado, so then we can grab them for lunch when we're hungry and add some avocado right before we eat. Layers of quinoa, grilled corn, black beans, shredded BBQ chicken, diced avocado, BBQ sauce and a little cheese give this salad about 324 dimensions and each bite was packed with flavor.
It's kind of like a BBQ chicken pizza but subbed with quinoa which makes it healthier! Hands down this is one of my favorite salads that you absolutely have to try!
BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- ½ cup fresh corn cut from the cob
- ½ cup black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded BBQ chicken can use a store bought chicken and tossed with a little BBQ sauce
- 1 avocado chopped
- 3-4 tablespoons White Cheddar cheese shredded
- BBQ sauce
- 2 scallions chopped
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, corn, black beans, chicken and avocado. Season with salt and pepper
- Transfer mixture onto a bowl and top with shredded cheese, BBQ sauce, scallions and cilantro.
- Serve
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
I love this recipe! So good for make ahead lunches. I add more chicken on top to increase my protein.
Gaby, is this 3 or 4 servings?
4!
This is one of my all time favorite WGC recipes. I make with shrimp, serrano pepper, bell pepper, and sauteed mushrooms. Chef's kiss!!
What brand of quinoa do you use?
Yum!
Do you really just put your chicken thighs in the crock pot with just an onin and 1/2 cup of bbq sauce?! Easy peasy and sounds delicous!
Thank you!!!
yup!
Yum- this was so delicious and I am so happy to have leftovers for lunch!
How many does the recipe serve?
4
Delicious! I’m so glad my daughter introduced me to www:whatsgabbycookingthisweek! I doubled the recipe for leftovers.
How many does this serve? Thank you!
4
Love this recipe! I make it all the time!! Do you happen to know the nutritional info?
This is so good! We love it in the spring/summer and is SO quick and easy to make.
I made this true to recipe and loved it, my husband too! I even last min changed my entry for a potluck this weekend so I can make this for my girlfriends! I like that it uses ingredients I often have on hand, but in a different way than I normally would. The fresh cilantro really brightens up all of the flavors. Thank you!!
My husband and I LOVE this salad for a weeknight meal, and its gluten free!
I just recently discovered your website and have enjoyed every recipe I've tried from here. Thank you!! I looked at this recipe a week ago, and somewhere I read instructions for cooking chicken thighs in the crockpot with barbecue sauce (I thought?). For some reason I can't find those instructions now.
thanks for catching that!! some of my recipe notes didn't come over with the redesign! It's there now! xx
Hi there! I’ve got a question. Everytime I save one of your recipes to Pinterest & go to it later, after I tap on the picture there is never a recipe attached. I’ve tried it several different ways & it always seems to be with your website. Do you have any suggestions? Thx!