Barbecue Chopped Chicken Salad

Ok, I might be a little bit embarrassed to admit that I have never eaten at Panera Bread. I know exactly where one is… it’s actually across the street from Pei Wei and we love to eat there. But Panera Bread?!? Have I been missing out on something yummy and delicious? Are you guys eating there often and I’m missing out? I’m thinking so! When I saw a recipe for a Barbecue Chopped Chicken Salad over at Cheerios and Lattes I thought it looked really yummy and that I might want to try it. I was especially interested in it because it was a Panera Copy Cat Recipe and since I haven’t eaten there yet I thought it would be a good indicator if I would like their food. I’m happy to say that we all loved this salad! Even my picky teenager. I switched out the tortilla chips for Nacho Cheese Doritos and I think it complimented the salad perfectly!

 Ingredients

 lettuce of your choice (we used pre-washed mixed greens... romaine or butter lettuce would be delicious too) 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (using a rotisserie chicken would be faster) garlic salt 1 can of sweet corn; drained 1 can of black beans; drained 1/2 of a red bell pepper, diced Monterrey Colby Jack cheese, shredded Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips, crushed into smaller pieces 1 large avocado, chopped into bite sized pieces 1/8 - 1/4 cup of your favorite Barbecue Sauce (you can always add more if you want) 3/4 cup Ranch Dressing

 Instructions

Begin by lightly sprinkling your chicken breasts with garlic salt. Cook them on the barbecue until the chicken is done and the internal temp reaches 165°. Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray and add your red bell pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add your corn. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes and then add your black beans until they are heated through. Once this mixture is done cooking dump your mixture out on a large plate to allow it to cool so that it won't cook your lettuce when you add it to your salad. When your chicken is done cooking chop it into bite sized pieces and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes too. Mix your barbecue sauce and ranch dressing in a small bowl. Add more or less barbecue/ranch depending on your taste. Now it's time to assemble your salad 1. lettuce / mixed greens 2. bell pepper, corn & black bean mixture 3. chopped chicken 4. chopped avocado 5. crushed Doritos chips 6. shredded cheese 7. barbecue/ranch dressing mix Notes Super important... don't add hot ingredients directly over the top of your lettuce. Let it cool for a while so it won't cook your lettuce.