Chicken BLT Salad

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course / Dinner Salads

Cuisine: American

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Carol Borchardt

Equipment

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.

TIPS:

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.

MAKE AHEAD:

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