If you also grew up going to California Pizza Kitchen, then you know how incredible this salad is! This is just one of those nostalgic cravings that hit me hard the other day and I knew I had to make it: chopped romaine, fresh corn and tomatoes, tangy bbq glazed chicken, cilantro ranch and crunchy tortilla chips. Is your mouth watering yet or just me? Even better, this one is dairy-free friendly, gluten-free and lightened up a bit!

For the cilantro ranch:

· 1 cup mayo

· 2 tablespoons white vinegar

· 1 tablespoon water

· ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

· 2 green onions, roughly chopped

· 1 teaspoon garlic powder

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt

· ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the bbq chicken:

· 1lb rotisserie chicken, chopped or shredded

· ½ cup BBQ sauce of choice (I like Primal Kitchen unsweetened classic)

For the salad:

· 10oz hearts of romaine, chopped

· 4oz butter lettuce

· 2/3 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

· 2/3 cup fresh or frozen corn

· 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

· 3 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, divided

· 1 cup of tortilla chips, crumbled (I like Siete)

· 2/3 cup monterey jack cheese

Method:

For the cilantro ranch: In a blender, combine all cilantro ranch ingredients and pulse until fully combined. Set aside.

For the bbq chicken: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the chicken and bbq sauce and toss until all the chicken is well coated. Set aside.

To assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl add the romaine, butter lettuce, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 of the green onion and ½ cup of the cilantro ranch dressing reserving some for drizzling. Top the salad with bbq chicken and tortilla chip crumbles. Drizzle with more BBQ sauce, cilantro ranch and garnish with the remaining green onion. Serve immediately.

*Note: This recipe is super meal prep friendly and lasts in the fridge up to 4 days. Store the chicken bites in one container and the remaining salad ingredients all together in a separate container, so you can easily reheat the chicken bites separately from the salad when ready (about 1 minute per serving). Store the cilantro ranch in a tightly sealed mason jar.

CPK Inspired BBQ Chicken Salad