Week 32: Recipe #1--California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

My husband and love this salad from California Pizza Kitchen, so I was so happy to find this copycat recipe from the blog Deals to Meals (see link below).  It pretty much tasted just like the way I remember it, minus the cilantro, as we were all out.  It took a bit to prep, and there was quite a lot of chopping involved, but it tasted GOOD.  Plus, I have lots of leftovers for lunches in the next few days.  The girls loved the chicken and the jicama, which I hadn't tried giving them before.  They ate it like candy.  Plus, anything with black beans is a plus for both of them--they can't get enough.  I served this salad with grapes.  Makes 6 servings.

Photo from Deals to Meals

You'll Need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned well with Montreal Steak seasoning and grilled until cooked thoroughly, then cut into bite-sized pieces and smothered in BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's, as recommended)
• extra BBQ sauce, for drizzling over the salad
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4 in. strips
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can black beans
• 1 c. frozen corn, thawed
• 1 avocado, seeded, peeled, and cubed 
• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, diced (I used roma)
• 1/4 c. green onions, sliced
• tortilla strips or chips (I used the strips you can find at the store specifically for salads)
• 2 c. ranch dressing
• 1 Tblsp. green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 Tblsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. dill weed, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. basil, chopped

Preparation:

1. For the dressing, put the 2 cups ranch dressing, green onions (1 tablespoon), parsley, dill weed, and basil in the blender and blend until smooth.  Set aside until ready to serve.
2. For the salad, put all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix.  Serve with dressing and extra BBQ sauce for garnish.

Recipe and link:  http://dealstomeals.blogspot.com/2011/06/california-pizza-kitchen-bbq-chicken.html