How to make California Pizza Kitchen-inspired BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad with grilled corn, fresh vegetables, and homemade herby ranch dressing in 65 minutes.
This BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad captures the smoky, tangy flavors of summer grilling in one complete meal. Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s famous dish, it pairs tender marinated chicken with grilled corn, fresh vegetables, and a homemade herby ranch that will change how you think about salad dressings. I started making this recipe during our family barbecues three summers ago, and it quickly became our most-requested meal for warm evenings on the patio.
There’s something special about a salad that feels like a complete meal without leaving you hungry an hour later. This BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad delivers exactly that with juicy grilled chicken skewers glazed in tangy barbecue sauce, sweet charred corn, and crisp romaine lettuce tossed in a creamy ranch packed with fresh herbs. The best part? Everything comes together in about an hour and 15 minutes, including a quick marinade, making it perfect for weekend entertaining or special weeknight dinners. The combination of smoky, tangy, and fresh flavors creates a balanced meal that satisfies everyone at the table. Let’s get cooking!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad
I always start by gathering all my ingredients before firing up the grill. This recipe has three components, but each one is straightforward. For barbecue sauce, I use Primal Kitchen because it’s clean and naturally sweetened, though any quality sauce works well here.
For the Chicken Skewers:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to uniform thickness)
8 wooden skewers (6-inch, pre-soaked in water for 30 minutes)
For the Herby Ranch:
1 cup light tasting oil (avocado or light olive oil)
1 egg (room temperature works best)
½ cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cloves garlic (minced) – fresh garlic is better than garlic powder here
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill fronds
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley – I chop these together for efficiency
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the Salad:
4 ears fresh corn (husked)
2 tablespoons avocado oil (for corn)
8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (about 2 small heads)
6 green onions (green parts only, thinly sliced)
2 cups grape tomatoes (quartered, approximately 16 ounces)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans (drained and rinsed)
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves (chopped)
1 avocado (diced medium) – add this just before serving to prevent browning
Step-by-Step Instructions
I recommend starting with the ranch dressing so it has time to chill and let the flavors blend together while you prep everything else.
Step 1: Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken breasts until they’re a uniform ½ inch thickness throughout for even cooking on the grill. Cube the chicken into 2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of barbecue sauce. Stir until every piece is well coated, then set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature (this happens while you prepare the other components), or refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
Step 2: Make the herby ranch by pouring the oil into a wide mouth jar (one that holds at least 2 cups and is slightly larger than your immersion blender head). Crack the egg into the oil and let it sink to the bottom. Insert the immersion blender and rest the blade directly on top of the yolk without moving it. Blend for about 10 seconds until a thick, creamy mayo forms at the bottom, then slowly raise and lower the blender until the entire jar has emulsified into mayo. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, onion powder, and garlic, then blend again to combine. Stir in the dill, parsley, and black pepper by hand. If the ranch is too thick, thin with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 3: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the pre-soaked wooden skewers, fitting about 4 to 5 pieces per skewer and leaving small spaces between pieces for even cooking. Drizzle the corn with 2 tablespoons avocado oil and rub to coat evenly. Heat your grill to medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees F) and oil the grates by dipping a wadded paper towel in oil and wiping it across the grates using tongs.
Step 4: Place the corn on the grill first and cook for 10 to 12 minutes total, giving each ear a quarter turn every 2 minutes (you’ll turn them 5 to 6 times) until tender and lightly charred. Add the chicken skewers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side without moving them. If chicken sticks slightly, wait another 30 seconds before trying to flip. When golden-brown grill marks with distinct lines appear, flip the skewers and generously baste the grilled side with the remaining cup of barbecue sauce. Continue cooking with the grill lid closed for 3 to 4 more minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and both sides have beautiful grill marks. Transfer the corn and chicken to a plate and let the corn cool enough to handle.
Step 5: In a large bowl, combine the sliced romaine, green onions, quartered tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, and basil. Add your desired amount of ranch dressing (start with half and add more if needed) and toss until the lettuce is well coated. Hold each cooled corn cob upright in the bowl to catch kernels as you cut them off with a sharp knife. Add the corn kernels to the salad along with the diced avocado. Gently toss once more to combine. Serve immediately with the grilled chicken skewers on top.
Perfect Pairings for BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad
This salad is hearty enough to stand alone, but a few simple sides can round out your meal beautifully.
Garlic Bread: Crusty garlic bread adds a satisfying crunch and helps soak up any extra ranch dressing at the bottom of your bowl, creating the perfect textural contrast to the tender chicken and crisp vegetables. Try these garlic bread rolls for a homemade touch.
Sweet Potato Wedges: Roasted sweet potato wedges bring natural sweetness that balances the tangy barbecue sauce while adding extra fiber and vitamins to make this meal even more nutritious.
Fresh Fruit Salad: A light fruit salad with watermelon, berries, and mint provides a refreshing palate cleanser between bites of the rich, savory chicken and creamy dressing.
Tortilla Chips with Guacamole: Crunchy tortilla chips and creamy guacamole complement the Southwestern flavors in the salad while adding healthy fats and a fun, casual element to your dinner spread.
Coleslaw: A tangy coleslaw adds an extra layer of crunch and acidity that cuts through the richness of the ranch dressing while keeping the meal light and fresh for summer dining.
Make-Ahead Magic and Storage Solutions
This BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad stores beautifully when you keep the components separated. Store the grilled chicken, ranch dressing, and prepped vegetables in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the avocado uncut and the corn kernels separate until you’re ready to serve.
When you’re ready to eat, you can enjoy the chicken cold over the salad, or reheat the skewers in a 350-degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until warmed through. The ranch dressing actually tastes better after sitting for a day as the herb flavors intensify, and it keeps for up to one week in the fridge.
This recipe is incredibly versatile for meal prep. Grill extra chicken at the beginning of the week and you’ll have protein ready for quick lunch salads. The components also work great in grain bowls, wraps, or even as taco fillings when you want to switch things up.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe Whole30 compliant?
Yes, simply omit the corn and black beans, and use a Whole30-approved barbecue sauce. The herby ranch as written is already Whole30 compliant when you make the mayo from scratch.
What if I don’t have an immersion blender for the ranch?
You can substitute 1 cup of store-bought mayo and skip the oil and egg. Just blend the mayo with the coconut milk, lemon juice, vinegar, and seasonings, then stir in the fresh herbs.
How do I prevent the wooden skewers from burning?
Soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken. This prevents them from catching fire on the grill while still allowing proper heat transfer to cook the chicken.
Conclusion
This BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad brings restaurant-quality flavor to your home kitchen with minimal effort and maximum reward. The combination of smoky grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, and that incredible homemade herby ranch creates a meal your family will request again and again. Fire up that grill and give this one a try tonight!
BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad
Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen, this grilled BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad features tender marinated chicken, grilled corn, fresh vegetables, and homemade herby ranch dressing.
Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken breasts until they’re a uniform 1/2 inch thickness. Cube into 2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of barbecue sauce. Stir until well combined and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature (this happens while you prepare other components), or refrigerate for 4-8 hours for deeper flavor.
Make the herby ranch by pouring 1 cup oil into a wide mouth jar (one that holds at least 2 cups). Crack the egg into the oil and let it sink to the bottom. Insert the immersion blender and rest the blade on top of the yolk without moving. Blend for about 10 seconds until thick mayo forms at the bottom, then slowly raise and lower the blender until the entire jar has emulsified. Add coconut milk, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, onion powder, and garlic, then blend again. Stir in dill, parsley, and black pepper. If too thick, thin with 1-2 tablespoons water. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto pre-soaked wooden skewers, about 4-5 pieces per skewer, leaving small spaces between pieces for even cooking. Drizzle corn with 2 tablespoons avocado oil and rub to coat evenly.
Heat grill to medium-high heat (350-400 degrees F) and oil the grates. Place corn on the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, giving each ear a quarter turn every 2 minutes (you’ll turn them 5-6 times) until tender and lightly charred.
Add chicken skewers to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving. If chicken sticks slightly, wait another 30 seconds before flipping. When golden-brown grill marks with distinct lines appear, flip the skewers and generously baste the grilled side with the remaining cup of barbecue sauce. Continue cooking with grill lid closed for 3-4 more minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer corn and chicken to a plate and let corn cool.
In a large bowl, combine romaine, green onions, tomatoes, black beans, cilantro, and basil. Add desired amount of ranch dressing (start with half) and toss until well coated. Hold each cooled corn cob upright in the bowl and cut off kernels with a sharp knife. Add corn kernels to salad along with diced avocado. Gently toss to combine and serve immediately with grilled chicken skewers on top.
Notes
For Whole30 version, omit corn and black beans and use compliant BBQ sauce. Herby ranch keeps for up to 1 week refrigerated. Can substitute 1 cup store-bought mayo if you don’t have an immersion blender. Pre-soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes to prevent burning. Chicken internal temperature should reach 165°F.
a recipe developer, food enthusiast, and busy parent based in Denver, CO. I created Yumnights because I believe that delicious, healthy dinners shouldn’t require hours in the kitchen or a culinary degree to master.
