BBQ Chicken Salad

I love this salad! Talk about easy, fresh tasting, and delicious. It really hit the spot with my family last night. You can make it super fast if you bake the tortilla strips and cook the chicken early in the afternoon. Then all you have to do when you're ready to eat is chop some veggies, open a few cans and toss together a delicious salad! (I had to laugh when I saw this picture... where is the chicken?! The main ingredient is hidden beneath the cheese and tortilla strips but it's there, I promise!)

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad

submitted by Brittany

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 head Iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

2 Haas avocados, diced

shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar

crispy tortilla strips

Stir shredded chicken in with the BBQ sauce until well coated. Of course you can use less or more sauce, it's up to you! I like quite a bit since I love the smoky flavor of BBQ sauce in a salad. Toss together the lettuce, cilantro, corn, beans, and chopped veggies. Top with shredded chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla strips. Drizzle ranch or cilantro lime dressing over salad and enjoy!

*to make crispy tortilla strips simply slice about 10 corn tortillas in narrow strips and place on cookie sheet. Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray and sprinkle generously with salt. Place under the broiler and let bake until crispy and brown around the edges. (Thanks Mel for teaching me how to make these...they add a wonderful crunch to a salad!)