Description
Crisp, refreshing BLT chicken salad combines classic sandwich flavors in a light, summer-ready dish. Bacon, lettuce, and tender chicken mingle with creamy dressing, offering you a delightful meal that satisfies lunch cravings with Mediterranean-inspired simplicity.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein Base:
- 3 cups (710 ml) cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 pound (454 g) bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
Fresh Vegetables:
- 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/2 small red onion, diced small
Seasoning and Dressing:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) mayonnaise (light)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Dice the roasted chicken into uniform bite-sized pieces, ensuring consistent texture throughout the salad.
- Crumble crispy bacon strips into small, irregular fragments that will distribute evenly across the mixture.
- Slice cherry tomatoes into halves, removing excess seeds to prevent watery consistency.
- Finely chop red onion and celery into delicate, thin pieces to provide balanced crunch and flavor.
- Whisk mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice, creating a smooth and tangy base for the dressing.
- Incorporate garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper into the creamy mixture.
- Gently fold the prepared dressing into the chicken, bacon, tomato, onion, and celery blend, ensuring each ingredient is thoroughly coated.
- Refrigerate the salad for 45-60 minutes at 40°F to allow flavors to harmonize and develop deeper taste profiles.
- Before serving, give the salad a final gentle stir to redistribute the dressing and ingredients.
Notes
- Swap mayo for Greek yogurt to create a lighter, protein-packed version that’s lower in calories and fat.
- Chop ingredients uniformly to ensure balanced flavor and texture in every bite of the salad.
- Add fresh chopped lettuce just before serving to maintain crispness and prevent soggy greens.
- Customize the salad by incorporating additional herbs like dill or chives for extra brightness and complexity.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 512 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg