BBQ chicken salad

Ingredients:

• ½ cup canned tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp honey mustard
• 1 tbsp dried seasoning mix, BBQ variety
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lb uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded 1/4-inch thick
• ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce, shredded
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• ½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup canned yellow corn
• ¼ cup reduced-fat ranch dressing
• ¼ cup semisoft goat cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup uncooked scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat.
2. In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, mustard, BBQ seasoning, sugar, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken, flipping once until almost done, about 2 minutes per side. Next, baste the chicken with reserved sauce a few times, flipping on the grill while coating both sides with sauce, and cook until done, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes before slicing.
4. In a large serving bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, pepper, beans, corn, and dressing; toss to coat. Top salad with chicken; garnish with cheese and scallions.
5. Serving Size: Yields about 2 1/2 cups of salad, 3 ounces of chicken, 1 tablespoon of cheese, and 1 tablespoon of scallions per serving.

Notes

The BBQ sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead – feel free to play with other types of mustard or seasonings. The chicken can be grilled, sliced, and chilled until ready to serve. The beauty of this salad is that you can really use any mix of greens and veggies you have on hand –try baby spinach, sliced celery, chopped or shredded carrot, cucumber, mushrooms, and other types of peppers. Use up leftover plain tomato sauce with this quick and easy BBQ sauce recipe.