Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Salad Makes a Quick Meal

This simple keto friendly salad is a delicious healthy meal perfect for hot summer nights or busy weeknights.

You could use leftover chicken to make this, but chicken cooked in bacon grease is all kinds of amazing. Even if you just heat leftover chicken for a minute or two in the bacon grease your taste buds will thank you.

Do NOT use store bought salad dressing. Not just on this salad, but on any salad. Whisk together a few basic ingredients and you have so much more flavor with far less salt and preservatives. It takes 2 minutes... at most!

Ingredients for Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Salad

This is a salad, not a baked item that could be ruined if you don't use an adequate substitute. Though, the dressing might separate if you don't use ingredients to help it emulsify (fancy cooking term for oil and vinegar blending and staying together)

If you don't like an ingredient, leave it out. Or serve it on the side for those that do want to add it.

For the dressing:

• olive oil, or other salad oil
• white balsamic vinegar, or other vinegar or citrus juice
• honey, or maple or agave syrup (balances the flavor and helps emulsify the oil and vinegar)
• whole grain and Dijon mustard or all of one (for flavor and to help emulsify)
• shallots, or finely minced onion (for flavor)
• salt and pepper (to balance the other flavors)

For the salad:

• thick-cut bacon (use your favorite pork, beef, turkey or tempeh)
• boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or cooked chicken)
• mixed salad greens (lettuce of choice)
• grape or cherry tomatoes (or diced larger tomatoes)
• avocados 
• lime (or lemon, or lime/lemon juice)

More Chicken Recipes from #OurFamilyTable

Am I the only one that can always use some new chicken recipe ideas? I didn't think so. Check out these fabulous creations:

Favorite Chicken Recipe

• Blackened Chicken from Art of Natural Living
• Chicken and Avocado Salad from That Recipe
• Chicken Macaroni Salad from Leftovers Then Breakfast
• Chicken Ramen Stir Fry from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Chicken Tortillas from The Freshman Cook
• Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas from The Spiffy Cookie
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Creamy Chicken with sun Dried Tomatoes from Lemon Blossoms
• Easy Slow Cooker Italian Chicken from Blogghetti
• Garlic and Ginger Caramel Chicken Thighs from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Hot Chicken and Pancake Tacos from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• One Skillet Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Pasta from Family Around the Table

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Chicken and Avocado Salad

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Ingredients

 

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon shallots (finely minced)
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Salad Ingredients:

• 8 slices thick-cut bacon (diced)
• 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into strips)
• pepper (to taste)
• 6 cups mixed salad greens (lettuce of choice)
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 2 large avocados (pitted and sliced)
• 1 large lime

Instructions

 

Vinaigrette

• Combine honey, both mustards, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and shallots in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Bacon and Chicken

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally until just crispy, about 5-6 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spatula and transfer to a bed of paper towels to drain.
• Drain all but approximately one tablespoon bacon grease from the skillet and return to medium heat.
• Add chicken slices to skillet and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Salad

• Add salad greens and tomatoes to a large salad bowl and top with the cooked bacon and chicken.
• Toss avocado slices with fresh lime juice to prevent browning and add to salad bowl.
• Drizzle with half the salad dressing and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately with remaining dressing on the side.

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More Salad Recipes

Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey