Chicken BLT Salad
Published Aug 18, 2026
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Chicken BLT Salad takes everything you love about the classic sandwich — crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and fresh Romaine lettuce — and turns it into a hearty, satisfying salad with chicken that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. This easy dinner salad is loaded with flavor and texture, and a creamy avocado dressing ties everything together for a fresh yet filling meal that comes together without a lot of fuss.
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
My BLT Chicken Salad recipe takes everything you love about a classic BLT sandwich and turns it into a fresh, hearty main-dish salad you’ll put on repeat. Tender chicken and smoky bacon make it satisfying, while a creamy Avocado Jalapeño Ranch Dressing adds a cool, zesty kick that takes it beyond the ordinary BLT.
This Chicken BLT Salad recipe is:
- Quick and easy! The chicken cooks in about 10 minutes, as does the bacon, but with cooked chicken on hand, this satisfying salad comes together in much less time.
- Fresh yet filling and flavorful! Crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes keep things light and fresh, while chicken and smoky bacon make it hearty enough for a main course. You get juicy chicken, crispy bacon, fresh vegetables, and creamy dressing in every bite.
- Meal-prep friendly! Prep the ingredients ahead of time, then assemble and dress the salad just before serving.
My BLT Chicken Salad is the kind of easy, fresh, colorful meal that works just as well for a busy weeknight as it does for a casual lunch with friends. Best of all, every forkful delivers a little something different!
How to Make Chicken BLT Salad:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this BLT Chicken Salad recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Chicken: You’ll need 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (approximately 1 pound) to serve 4 people. If the breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally into thinner cutlets or pound them to an even thickness. Avoid especially large chicken breasts, which can take considerably longer to cook and may become dry on the outside before the center is done.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes that are firm enough to hold their shape when cut. Roma, Campari, or medium vine-ripened tomatoes are all good choices. Remove some of the excess seeds and juice if the tomatoes are especially juicy so they don’t water down the salad. You can also use cherry or grape tomatoes because they’re reliably flavorful and won’t make the salad as watery.
- Bacon: Use your favorite smoked bacon that’s not flavored. If you don’t consume pork, use turkey or beef bacon.
- Avocados: You’ll need three avocados: one for the salad and two for the salad dressing. Choose ripe but still slightly firm avocados, so they’re creamy without becoming mushy when tossed with the salad. A ripe avocado will yield gently to pressure.
- Mayonnaise: Use a good-quality, full-fat mayonnaise for the richest, creamiest dressing. Light mayonnaise can be substituted, but the dressing won’t be quite as rich or creamy. I’m a Duke’s fan! If you’re not a mayonnaise fan, substitute whole Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise. Because yogurt is more tangy, start with 1/2 cup instead of a whole cup.
- Buttermilk: Full-fat or low-fat buttermilk both work well.
- Jalapeños: Jalapeños can vary considerably in heat. For a milder dressing, remove the seeds and membranes; for more kick, leave some or all of them in.
- White Wine Vinegar: Adds bright acidity that balances the richness of the mayonnaise and avocado, giving the dressing a fresh, tangy finish. To substitute for distilled white vinegar, use 1 1/2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar with 1/2 tablespoon of water added or a pinch of sugar, as it has a harsher, more pungent flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Combine the avocados, jalapeño peppers, garlic, and white wine vinegar in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, buttermilk, chives, and dill, and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, smooth-side down, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F. (Depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, they may require additional cooking time.) Transfer to a plate and let rest while cooking the bacon. Alternatively, grill the chicken on an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill until it reaches 165°F.
- Cut each bacon strip in half crosswise, then cut each half lengthwise to create four shorter, narrower strips.
- Place the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Slice the chicken breasts into strips.
- Arrange the lettuce on serving plates or in large bowls. Top with the sliced chicken, red onion, tomatoes, avocado wedges, bacon, and croutons. Drizzle with the Avocado Jalapeño Ranch Dressing and serve immediately.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Instead of just cooking and crumbling the bacon over the Chicken BLT salad, I like to garnish with mini bacon strips. Simply cut a strip of bacon in half widthwise, then cut it lengthwise. Cook until crispy.
- Even out the chicken breasts before grilling or searing. If they vary significantly in thickness, pound the thicker end or slice them horizontally into cutlets so they cook evenly and stay juicy. Then, let the chicken rest before slicing. Give it 5 minutes so the juices redistribute.
- Avocados vary in size, so your dressing may be thicker or thinner from one batch to the next. Add buttermilk a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Recipe FAQs:
Can I make this Chicken BLT Salad in advance?
You can prepare certain parts in advance. Cook the chicken and bacon and make the dressing ahead of time, but cut the avocado, tomatoes, and red onion and assemble the salad shortly before serving.
How do I keep the avocado dressing from turning brown?
It’s next to impossible to keep avocado’s original color because it will naturally darken when exposed to air. To keep the dressing green longer, store it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to minimize air exposure. Keep refrigerated and use within 2 to 3 days for the best color and freshness. Stir before using, because what’s underneath the surface is often a more appealing color, and any slight darkening on top will be blended back into the dressing and be barely noticeable.
Serve with:
More great Dinner Salad recipes!
- Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad with Sourdough Croutons
- Vietnamese Chicken Salad
- Salad Nicoise
- Sichuan Bang Bang Chicken
- Italian Chopped Salad with Chicken
- Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Get all my main course salad recipes at Dinner Salads – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Chicken BLT Salad
Chicken BLT Salad takes everything you love about the classic sandwich — crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, and fresh Romaine lettuce — and turns it into a hearty, satisfying salad with chicken that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. This easy dinner salad is loaded with flavor and texture, and a creamy avocado dressing ties everything together for a fresh yet filling meal that comes together without a lot of fuss.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 large ripe avocados
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded if desired
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, (approximately 1 pound)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
- 8 strips thin bacon
- Romaine or red leaf lettuce
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Roma tomatoes
- 1 large avocado, pitted and cut into wedges
- Croutons
Instructions
Dressing
- Combine the avocados, jalapeño peppers, garlic, and white wine vinegar in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, chives, and dill, and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Salad
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, smooth-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F. (Depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, they may require additional cooking time.) Transfer to a plate and let rest while cooking the bacon.
- Alternatively, grill the chicken on an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill until it reaches 165°F.
- Cut each bacon strip in half crosswise, then cut each half lengthwise to create four shorter, narrower strips. Place the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Slice the chicken breasts into strips.
- Arrange the lettuce on serving plates or in large bowls. Top with the sliced chicken, red onion, tomatoes, avocado wedges, bacon, and croutons. Drizzle with the Avocado Jalapeño Ranch Dressing and serve immediately.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- You can also use cherry or grape tomatoes.
- I prefer Romaine for the crunch factor, but you can use red leaf, green leaf or iceberg lettuce if you prefer.
- If you don’t consume pork, use turkey or beef bacon.
- If you’re not a mayonnaise fan, substitute whole Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise. Because yogurt is tangier, start with 1/2 cup instead of a full cup.
- To substitute distilled white vinegar for white wine vinegar, use 1 1/2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar with 1/2 tablespoon of water added or a pinch of sugar.
- Instead of crumbling the bacon over the salad, cut each strip in half crosswise, then lengthwise. Cook until crisp for a fun, eye-catching garnish.
- Pound thicker areas or slice the breasts horizontally into cutlets for even cooking. Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing to keep it juicy.
- Adjust the dressing consistency. Avocados vary in size, so add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- You can prepare certain parts in advance.
- Cook the chicken and bacon and make the dressing ahead of time.
- Cut the avocado, tomatoes, and red onion and assemble the salad shortly before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Calories: 780kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 18gFat: 73gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 29gMonounsaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 499mgPotassium: 1067mgFiber: 10gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 521IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 1mg
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
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