BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

For the BBQ ranch dressing, crush 1 garlic clove and whisk it with 3 tablespoons sour cream, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 0.5 cup buttermilk, 0.5 teaspoon garlic salt, 0.5 teaspoon parsley, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then refrigerate until needed.

In a bowl, combine 0.25 cup lemon juice, 0.5 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, and salt and black pepper to taste.

Coat the 2 chicken breasts with the marinade. Grill, bake, or cook on an electric grill until fully cooked.

Let the cooked chicken rest for 3–5 minutes, then cut it into bite-size cubes.

Peel the 1 sweet onion and slice it into thin rounds. Cover the onion slices with water and let them soak for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine 0.75 cup cornstarch with salt and black pepper to taste. Drain the onions, separate them into individual rings, and toss them in the seasoned cornstarch until evenly coated.

Pour frying oil as needed into a heavy pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 3/4–1 inch. Heat until very hot, then fry the onion rings in small batches until lightly golden and crisp. Drain and set aside.

Chop the 2 heads romaine lettuce, thinly slice the optional 0.25 head purple cabbage, dice the 1 large tomato and 1 avocado, drain the 0.5 can black beans, prepare the 0.5 cup corn, and chop fresh cilantro as needed.

Arrange the romaine, optional purple cabbage, tomato, avocado, black beans, corn, and cilantro in a large salad bowl or on serving plates.

Add the diced BBQ chicken, top with the crispy onion strings, and drizzle with the prepared BBQ ranch dressing. Serve immediately.