This copycat Chicken Salad Chick Barbie-Q is perfect for chicken salad lovers who like a little tangy barbecue sauce in their chicken salad. This is the perfect copycat recipe to make for lunch!
Chicken Salad Chick is one of my favorite restaurants to do copycat recipes for. Their copycat Jalapeno Holly and copycat Lauryn‘s Lemon Basil are two of my favorites to prep for lunch. My husband really likes their Barbie-Q so it was finally time to work on this copycat recipe.
This chicken salad goes great with toast, crackers, or on a salad. You could even make it with their copycat broccoli salad and copycat pimento cheese on the side too.
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💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
This copycat chicken salad is easy, quick, and a great dupe for the restaurant version. I love making a batch to prep for weekday lunches.
📋 Ingredients needed
For this chicken salad recipe, you will need:
- Chicken tenderloins: I recommend using chicken tenderloins because the meat is more tender in chicken salad. You can substitute chicken breast or shredded rotisserie chicken but it will not be as tender as the restaurant version.
- Mayonnaise: For all my Chicken Salad Chick and a lot of my copycat recipes (like this Copycat Jason’s Deli Ranch), I recommend using Duke’s brand mayonnaise.
- Barbecue Sauce: I recommend using Sweet Baby Ray’s brand or another barbecue sauce with hickory flavors in it.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper: The seasonings for the chicken salad.
🥘 Equipment needed
You will need a hand or stand mixer so you can shred the chicken. This helps it become very fine just like the restaurant version.
🥣 Recipe instructions (step by step guide)
Fill a large pot with water then add the chicken tenderloins and then bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook the tenderloins for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook or the chicken can become too tough or rubbery. The chicken should register at 165 degrees with a meat thermometer or you will also able to tell it is done when you shred it.
Once the chicken tenderloins are cooked, remove it from the water and let it cool. Use a mixer or food processor to shred the chicken (image 1). I find that using a hand mixer is best because it is quicker and it helps get the chicken very fine.
Add the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and seasonings to the shredded chicken (image 2). Stir well (image 3). Serve on a sandwich, crackers, or over a green salad.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- I say this with each Chicken Salad Chick recipe but I strongly recommend that you use Duke’s mayonnaise and chicken tenderloins. This will help you get the closest restaurant taste at home. You can substitute chicken breast or a different type of mayonnaise if that’s what you have on hand but it will not be exactly the same.
- I used Sweet Baby Ray’s brand barbecue sauce. It has a hickory taste to it. You may want to add less or more if you use a different brand. I would add to taste.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Store any leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in your fridge. It will be good for up to four days after making.
The use Duke’s mayonnaise.
Their Olivia’s Old South chicken salad and their egg salad have eggs in them. The other chicken salads do not.
Other copycat Chicken Salad Chick recipes:
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Jalapeño Holly
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Pimento Cheese
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Classic Carol
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Buffalo Barclay
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Kickin’ Kay Lynne
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Rice Crispy Treats
If you tried this Copycat Chicken Salad Barbie-Q or any other recipe on my site, please leave a ⭐ rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I would love to hear from you!
Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Barbie-Q
Equipment
- Large pot
- hand mixer or food processor to shred the chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins Use 2 cups of shredded chicken if you are using rotisserie or chicken breast
- ¾ cup Duke's mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce I recommend Sweet Baby Ray's brand or a hickory barbecue sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt or to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water then add the chicken tenderloins and then bring to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook the tenderloins for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook or the chicken can become rubbery. The chicken should register at 165 degrees with a meat thermometer or you will also able to tell it is done when you shred it.
- Once the chicken tenderloins are cooked, remove it from the water and let it cool. Use a mixer or food processor to shred the chicken. I find that using a hand mixer is best because it is quicker and it helps get the chicken very fine.
- Add the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and seasonings to the shredded chicken. Stir well and then serve on a sandwich, crackers, or over a green salad.
Cecilia says
My very picky, neurodivergent 4 year old loves the Barbie Q from CSC; it’s one of his safe foods. Well he wanted it today but didn’t have the time or funds to get it for him. I made this recipe using Swanson canned chicken that I had on hand and I am amazed. He ate it without a second thought. He can usually tell the slightest differences when I attempt dupe recipes. It looked the same and tasted the same as CSC. Thank you so much. Life saver!
Amy T. says
I made this today and it was delicious! I frequent Chicken Salad Chick and always order the “Barbie Q” flavor – this tastes just like it! I added a small amount of finely diced onion, even though the restaurant version doesn’t have onion either. Really yummy! So glad to be able to save money and make this homemade instead!
Elizabeth says
Love this copycat recipe – so good!
Swathi says
Copycat Chicken Salad looks delicious.