This coleslaw BBQ chicken salad is a fresh summer salad that is a flavor powerhouse and a unique take on Mexican coleslaw A cool coleslaw base topped with juicy shredded BBQ chicken, creamy avocado, fire roasted corn, red onion, jalapeño, blue cheese, and cilantro. The salad is so fresh right on its own but can easily be served up as a hearty, summer side dish for a BBQ. A big thank you to Litehouse for sponsoring this post, their Coleslaw dressing is a fab summer staple!
A blue bowl filled with coleslaw salad blend and topped with shredded bbq chicken.

Can you believe It’s almost time for the 4th of July?!

Hello, June?! You can slow down now!

I cherish every bit of summer, especially during these last few days on vacation. We head home to California this weekend and I know once we get back it will feel like the thick of summer.

I’ve got quite a bit of bucket list items this season! A family trip to Pennsylvania (check!), a make-over of Abbie’s rental kitchen (remember mine?!) and throwing some killer summer parties.

I’m starting off summer entertaining right with this coleslaw BBQ chicken salad that literally oozes all the summer flavors. It’s basically your standard BBQ platter tossed up into a creamy, fresh summer salad. Amazing on its own or as a loaded side dish. I could eat this over and over all summer long, it’s that addicting (and easy!).

What’s in a coleslaw BBQ chicken salad?! It sounds so fresh and creamy
It is a flavor twister in your mouth! Creamy from the coleslaw, tangy from the pulled BBQ chicken and crisp from all of the toppings.

Coleslaw: To make this feel more like a salad I combined a bag of traditional slaw mix and some chopped romaine as the salad base.
BBQ pulled chicken: A summer classic. I took it easy with seasoned pulled chicken breasts and heated it up with pleeeeenty of BBQ sauce so it was nice and juicy.
Fire roasted corn: It seems like every time we pull the BBQ out, I throw some corn on. You can also use canned corn for an easier option.
Diced Avocado: I don’t think I could eat a salad without avocado at this point in my life. Yum!
Red Onion: For a sweet bite!
Sliced Jalapeño’s: For some heat!
Blue cheese crumbles: Blue cheese and BBQ helloooo match made in heaven!
Cilantro: The perfect garnish!

How to make coleslaw

-Make life easy and grab your favorite 14oz bag of slaw mix.

-A few cups of chopped romaine lettuce. This helps bulk up the salad with added crunch.

-One jar of Litehouse Coleslaw dressing. I love using Litehouse coleslaw dressing, it’s made super thick and creamy with fresh mayonnaise for the perfect mix of sweet and tangy. I hate watered down coleslaw and this dressing always pulls through with the perfect consistency.

-A lil BBQ sauce! I love adding a little BBQ sauce to the coleslaw mixture for an added tang.

Stir the three ingredients together and you’re ready for toppings! Litehouse Coleslaw dressing is sold cold so you don’t have to wait for your coleslaw to chill in the refrigerator. Quick and delicious! #bonus

Let’s Assemble:

-Create a salad base layer with coleslaw/Romaine mixture in a large bowl

-Top off with diced avocado, shaved fire-roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno slices, and blue cheese crumbles. If blue cheese isn’t your thing you can sub out for cheddar or just leave it out!

-Create a large, mouthwatering mountain of pulled BBQ chicken right in the center of your salad.

-Serve with extra dressing on the side for self-topping.

This salad is best served right away for optimum freshness!

Other summer salads:

Coleslaw BBQ Chicken Salad

Recipe By Elizabeth Van Lierde

Servings: -8 Side servings

This coleslaw BBQ chicken salad is a fresh summer salad that is a flavor powerhouse. A cool coleslaw base topped with juicy shredded BBQ chicken, creamy avocado, fire roasted corn, red onion, blue cheese, jalapeño, and cilantro. The salad is so fresh right on its own but can be easily served up as a hearty, easy summer side dish for a BBQ.

ingredients

3 Chicken breasts small or thinly sliced
2 Teaspoons of kosher salt
2 Teaspoons of garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 ¾ Cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 14 oz Bag of slaw blend mix green & red cabbage and carrots
2 Cups of chopped romaine lettuce
1 Jar of Litehouse Coleslaw dressing
½ Cup of fire-roasted corn
1 Avocado diced
¼ Red onion diced
1 Jalapeno thinly sliced or minced
1 A handful of chopped cilantro
½ Cup of blue cheese crumbles

instructions

Season chicken breasts with kosher salt, garlic powder and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper on each side. Heat a cast iron skillet with olive oil and cook on each side for 4-5 minutes or until chicken is golden and cooked through to 165 F.
Remove chicken from pan and shred with two forks. Return to pan with 1 1/2 cups of BBQ sauce and heat on low for 5 minutes or until just simmering and combined. Remove from heat to cool slightly before topping off the salad.
In a large bowl toss together slaw blend, romaine lettuce, 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce and 1 Jar of Litehouse Coleslaw dressing. Top the salad base with fire roasted corn, diced avocado, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and blue cheese crumbles.
Top the center of the salad with pulled BBQ chicken. I like to allow the chicken to cool slightly (instead of piping hot) so the lettuce doesn't wilt.

notes

To shred chicken quickly and easily I place mine into a stand mixer while it's still warm and beat on low for 20-30 seconds. Shreds up like a dream!

Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.

Cuisine: American

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Coleslaw BBQ Chicken Salad

Other summer salads: