BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Brined Chicken Breast, Rye Whiskey BBQ Sauce, and Cilantro Ranch
Serves 4
Prep time 2+ hours (inactive)
Cook time 20-25 minutes
Chicken and marinade
4-5 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons salt-free seasoning blend (I use the 21 Season Salute from Trader Joe’s)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Salad fixin’s
8 cups of your favorite greens (I used large leaf spinach)
1 cup cubed pepper jack cheese
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
2 cups of corn
1 sliced jalapeño
1/2 cup diced green onions
2 avocados, diced
Place your chicken and all of the marinade ingredients into a gallon sized freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Mix the bag to thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate inside a leak-proof dish or bowl for at least 2 hours. You can brine the chicken up to a day in advance.
To grill the chicken, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat your grill or smoker to 350 degrees F and place the chicken just on the outside of the hottest part of the grill. Cook 5-7 minutes before flipping. Adjust heat and chicken position if you encounter flare ups. I cooked my chicken for about 20-25 minutes, rotating and flipping 3-4 times in total. You are looking for an internal temp of at least 165 F. While the meat cooks, prepare your salad ingredients. Arrange each of the ingredients in a large tray or in separate bowls for individual assembly. Allow the chicken to rest 5-7 minutes before slicing. Add the sliced chicken to the salad. Dress with the Rye Whiskey BBQ sauce and Cilantro Ranch Dressing.
Rye Whiskey BBQ Sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 ounce Heritage Distilling Rye Whiskey (aged in orange extract barrels)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Pinch of red chili flakes
Kosher salt to taste
Whisk all the ingredients together and simmer on the stove top in a sauce pan over medium heat 5-7 minutes to meld all the flavors and cook off the raw taste of the rye whiskey. Slather on all your favorite BBQ dishes!
Cilantro Ranch
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 small garlic clove
Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
1 bunch cilantro, washed and trimmed
To prepare the cilantro ranch, whirl all ingredients in a food processor until nicely minced and thoroughly mixed. Keeps 3-4 days in the refrigerator. If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the cilantro and garlic, and mix by hand.
