Get ready for an insanely delicious (and healthy!) BBQ season by whipping up this bold-flavored BBQ Chicken Salad!
This post is sponsored by True Made Foods.
Can you all believe Memorial Day is only a week away? That means summer is almost upon us, and I couldn’t be more excited. I love spending long weekends outdoors, whether it’s in the parks of Brooklyn or upstate at the lake.
I’m also pretty pumped for summer foods – lemonade, ice cream and of course, barbeque! The only problem I face with barbeque is that a lot of sauces are bogged down with corn syrup or other additives that I can’t pronounce. Why, world, why must you be so cruel?
Just as I was contemplating trying to create my own healthy BBQ Sauce, I learned about a company called True Made Foods.
Co-Founded by two fathers, Kevin Powell and Abraham Kamarck, True Made Foods’ aims to create healthier versions of America’s favorite condiments, including ketchup, bbq sauce and hot sauce.
It all started when Kevin Powell, a detester of veggies, was on a mission to lose weight. He and his wife wanted to figure out a way to sneak veggies into his diet, so they created a ketchup that included some unlikely ingredients – spinach, carrots and butternut squash.
Powell soon teamed up with the business-savy Kamarck. Kamarack, a father of four, did a taste test of the ketchup with his kids. When it passed with flying colors, he was in! Before long, Powell and Kamarack created True Made Foods with the hope of offering healthier versions of mainstream foods to appeal to American families.
So, how are they doing with that mission? True Made Foods debuted in July 2015 and has since won accolades at several food startup events. It’s become a favorite in Blue Apron boxes (and for all my Blue Apron fans, the BBQ sauce will be shipped out in another box in June). FORBES Magazine even featured Powell and Kamarck just last month! Since it’s start, the company has sold more than $100,000 worth of ketchup, hot sauce and barbeque sauce, all of which are gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO. Saucy stuff, True Made Foods. Saucy stuff!
I was lucky enough to get to try True Made Foods’ BBQ sauce and have to say, it is DELISH! You would never know it has carrots, squash and spinach in it. If you have reluctant kids or a veggie-hating boyfriend, this is a great way to sneak some veggies into their diets.
Anywho, I decided to create a classic summer bbq staple: BBQ Chicken, but took it up a notch on the healthy scale by adding it to a scrumptious salad.
Unfortunately, my Brooklyn apartment doesn’t have a grill, so I made this guy on the stove top. However, I imagine a grill will take this to a whole other level. I will definitely be bringing this sauce up to the lake house next weekend for some grilling magic.
Besides being delicious and nutrient rich, this BBQ sauce also has half the calories of all the major BBQ sauce brands on the market and 25-50% less sugar. Plus, you can pronounce all of the ingredients on the label. Major win in my book.
- 4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 small boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp True Made Foods' BBQ Sauce
- 2-3 cups spinach
- 10 grape tomatoes, cut into halves
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- Spray a small-medium skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat.
- Toss mushrooms into the pan with garlic powder and pepper and toss until cooked through (2-3 minutes). Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Place your chicken breast in the skillet, coat with BBQ sauce and cook in the skillet - 3-4 minutes per side.*
- While the chicken is cooking, create your salad by placing spinach on a plate and tossing with cooked mushrooms, tomatoes, and avocado.
- When the chicken is done, slice and place on top of the salad.
- Optional: I used an extra tbsp of BBQ sauce for dressing, but you an use whatever you like!
- Eat up!
- *Alternatively, you can toss the chicken with the bbq sauce in a ziploc bag, allow to marinate for a few minutes, and then cook on a grill.
Let’s Chat:
Are you excited for BBQ season?
Which of the 3 sauces are you most excited to try?
This really does look like the perfect summer salad! YUM!
Annmarie recently posted…Easy Gnocchi Potato Salad {Gluten Free, Vegan}
It tis. It tis!
I love throwing a grilled protein on top of a salad. So easy to make, so delicious, and so healthy!
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…ZOOMA Annapolis Half Marathon Training Log – Week 16
Agreed! Grilled protein is the best.
You know, I never really thought about how many unnatural ingredients are in BBQ sauce. True Made sounds like a great brand and I bet th sauces are delicious! My boyfriend loves to make us BBQ chicken salad but we need to check out this sauce!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Weekly Wrap
Definitely check them out – so yummy!
Oh yum! I’m going to look for this sauce. I love making salads like this for dinner in the summer.
Wendy@TakingtheLongWayHome recently posted…Running Down the Week
You’d love it!
I am a condiment queen, and these sound delicious!
Susie @ Suzlyfe recently posted…Warm Weather? It Rocks
I’d love your opinion on these as the condiment queen.
yum!! i love bbq chicken salads, but have never made one myself. i’m going to have to find this bbq sauce!
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…summer running has begun!
I hope you find it. It’s so good!
I love spicy sauces! Haven’t seen those yet but I am excited to start grilling all my faves if it ever stops raining around here.
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…Espresso Oatmeal Blueberry Bites
Seriously, weather, what’s going on?
Will be cross border shopping later this Summer so will put these on my list.
Lois Erickson recently posted…Spicy Slow Cooker Chick Pea and Butternut Squash Stew
Woohoo! Where will you be heading?
i’m definitely excited for BBQ season! mmm… can’t wait. Love the sound of these, will have to check it out!
Mar @ Mar on the Run recently posted…Fit Foodie Race Weekend Recap #RunEatDrink
I can’t wait for Memorial Day Weekend!
I’ve never heard of this company but will definitely have to keep an eye out for them to try it out. Can’t beat the simple ingredients.
Kate @ Kate Lives Healthy recently posted…A Fresh New Look
I think you’d really like it!
We love grilling season. We do a lot of blackened seafood, but BBQ sauce is a favorite too. I would definitely be interested in trying this kind. It sounds great.
Jenn recently posted…weekly wrap: 5.15 – 5.21
ooooo that sounds pretty great, too!
I’m not much of a ketchup gal, but I do love me some BBQ! I’m gonna try to find this! Thanks for the share 😉
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Sunshine, Planking, and DOMS…Oh MY!
I hope you can find it! And if not, you can order online!
You worked magic with that salad girl! Looks amazing.
haha thanks, girl!
I dont know why or how chicken salads are just so dang good, but UGH! They are just sooo good! ha!
GiGi Eats recently posted…Crushing On A Cuisine
Love me some CHICKEN!
The salad looks fantastic!! I really would like to try the BBQ sauce. Love that it has less sugar and pronounceable ingredients!!
Natalie recently posted…Erie Marathon Training Recap: 16 Weeks Till Race Day!
It’s delicious! You and your kids would love it.
Yay for BBQ chicken! This salad looks super good! <3 I've heard about True Made Foods and they seem awesome–I love that they don't load their BBQ sauces with sugar! :]
Agreed!
This looks delicious. Definitely will try.
This looks really good. I am trying BBQ chicken salad with only tomato and carrot and I would love to try your recipe must with BBQ sauce ,for my up coming festivals. Thank you for sharing.