Growing up, I always chose to go to BJs Brewhouse on my birthday (after I was tired of going to the Olive Garden for about 5 years straight…). The only thing I would ever order was their BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad and I was obsessed. Well, now that we live in Texas and are back in suburbia land, there of course is a BJs Brewhouse right near us and whenever I drive by I think about that salad. You can see where this is going. I had to have that salad but figured my own version might be a little healthier than theirs.
To make this salad even healthier, I decided to make my own vegan ranch dressing. The dressing was a total experiment, but it worked. Now whenever I have a salad (or slice of pizza) that needs ranch, I know I can easily make it on my own. It comes together super easily and is made with protein-rich hemp seeds and nutrient dense cashews! The salad is also really easy and versatile. You can add whatever toppings you like, but I chose cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, fresh raw corn off the cob and avocado. Just chop all of your ingredients, lay them prettily onto your greens and toss with ranch and a drizzle of BBQ. Yumm. Bacon or a hard boiled egg would be amazing additions and I was sort of sad I thought about the bacon after we had finished dinner. Try it with bacon and let me know how it is! Enjoy this fresh, easy, end-of-summer chopped salad. You will love it!
- For the Salad
- 2 large handfuls mixed greens
- 2 heads or romaine - chopped
- 3 green onions - chopped small
- 1/2 c cilantro - chopped
- 1 ear of organic raw corn on the cob - sliced off the cob
- 2 tomatoes - chopped
- 1 avocado - sliced
- 2 chicken breasts
- BBQ sauce to coat the chicken breasts & to drizzle on the salad - make sure it is free of High Fructose Corn Syrup!
- Salt and pepper to taste - for chicken breasts and the salad
- For the Dressing
- 1/2 c hemp seeds
- 1/2 c raw cashews
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp green onions that you are using for the salad
- Water - enough to cover the cashews and hemp seeds while they soak
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- While your oven preheats, place your chicken breasts onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper and set aside
- Place all of the vegan ranch dressing ingredients into a bowl or mason jar and set aside so that the seeds and cashews can soak in the water
- As soon as your oven is preheated, bake the chicken breasts into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cover with BBQ sauce and place back into the oven for another 15 minutes
- While your chicken is baking, place your mixed greens and chopped romaine into a large salad bowl
- Chop the rest of your ingredients and place onto the top of your greens
- When your chicken is ready, take out of the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting
- While the chicken is resting, blend your vegan ranch dressing in a blender until smooth
- Chop your chicken into bite size pieces and place onto your salad
- Drizzle your vegan ranch and BBQ sauce onto the salad and serve and enjoy!
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