Cheesecake Factory BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad Recipe
The Cheesecake Factory's BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad combines tender, grilled chicken topped with tangy BBQ sauce, creamy ranch dressing, fresh greens and a mix of crispy bacon, avocado and shredded cheese, creating a hearty and flavorful salad that balances smoky, creamy and savory flavors in every bite. Make our Cheesecake Factory BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad Recipe at home. With our Secret Restaurant Recipe your BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad will taste just like Cheesecake Factory.
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
BBQ Ranch Dressing
- 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons BBQ Sauce store bought or homemade, of choice
- 1 tablespoon Ranch Powder such as Hidden Valley
- 1 small clove Garlic peeled and grated
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste
Crispy Onion Straws
- 1 large Red Onion about the size of a grapefruit
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Buttermilk
- 1 2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- Dash of Cayenne Pepper
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste
- Canola Oil enough to cover the bottom of the pan by 1/2-3/4 inch
Salad
- 4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce store bought or homemade, of choice, divided
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
- 3 – 4 heads Romaine Lettuce chopped
- 2 Tomatoes diced
- 2 Ears Corn shucked, rinsed and kernels cut from the cob
- 1 can Black Beans rinsed and drained
- 1 Avocado peeled, pitted and diced
- Fresh Cilantro chopped, to garnish
Instructions
BBQ Ranch Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients under BBQ Ranch Dressing above - mayonnaise, buttermilk, BBQ sauce, ranch powder, grated garlic and freshly cracked black pepper - until smooth and well-combined.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (This can be done in advance. Store in a tightly sealed container, in the refrigerator, until ready to use, up to a week.)
Crispy Onion Straws
- Slice red onion into thin rings, ensuring the slices are as thin as possible.
- Place the onion rings into a shallow baking dish.
- Cover with buttermilk (about 1 1/2–2 cups). Let the onions soak for 30 - 45 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together these ingredients under Crispy Onion Straws above - flour, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
- Heat canola oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 - 375°F.
- Using tongs, remove a small batch of onions from the buttermilk and allow excess liquid to drip off.
- Toss onions in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
- Carefully place onions into the hot oil. Fry for 2 - 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove fried onions and drain on paper towels. Continue frying until all onions are cooked. Set aside.
Chicken
- Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper on both sides.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- When grill is hot, grill chicken for 4 - 6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F). During the last few minutes of grilling, baste the chicken with 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, ensuring both sides are covered.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from grill and let rest for 3 minutes.
- Cut into bite-sized cubes.
Assemble the Salad
- Divide the chopped romaine lettuce evenly among four large salad plates.
- Evenly distribute diced tomatoes, corn kernels, black beans and diced avocado over lettuce.
- Top each salad with cubed grilled chicken and a generous handful of crispy onion straws.
- Drizzle prepared BBQ Ranch dressing over the top of each salad.
- Then drizzle remaining BBQ sauce over top.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!