BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Brined Chicken Breast, Rye Whiskey BBQ Sauce, and Cilantro Ranch

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.