Incredible BLT Chicken Salad

Name: Incredible BLT Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-479430H37M47S
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken; 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped; ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered; ½ cup green onions, chopped; ¼ cup red onion, chopped; 2oz sharp white cheddar, cubed (optional); ½ cup plain greek yogurt; ⅓ cup mayo; 1 lemon, juice of; ½ teaspoon each salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried dill, onion powder and smoked paprika; Romaine lettuce leaves, for serving

by Erica on August 7, 2024 11 comments

Jump to Recipe· 5 from 5 reviews

It’s your favorite classic BLT sandwich in chicken salad form! This BLT chicken salad features crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, shredded chicken, green onions, crunchy romaine and a creamy dressing with ranch flair. It is perfect for meal prep lunches, a light summer dinner or high protein snack!

large bowl with BLT chicken salad and a red napkin

Jump to:

1 Erica’s thoughts:
2 What you’ll need to make this BLT chicken salad recipe:
3 How to make:
4 Expert tips and variation ideas:
5 FAQs
6 If you love this BLT chicken salad you’ll love these other easy recipe ideas for lunch!
7 Incredible BLT Chicken Salad

Erica’s thoughts:

I’ve never considered myself a “protein girlie”. In fact, for several years I was vegetarian and for years after that I was perfectly content with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch or even a bowl of cereal. Ooof. Lol.

But now, I find that focusing on a good-quality source of protein in each meal truly helps me feel my best. And I find that that’s especially true for breakfast and lunch but not necessarily dinner… is that weird!? Out of all the meals, I love a plant-based or lower-protein option for dinner. But breakfast has got to be avocado toast + eggs and then some sort of protein sitch for lunch.

three romaine lettuce cups filled with BLT chicken salad

In a pinch I’ll often turn to tuna salad, but lately I’ve been loving CHICKEN SALAD. Why do I always forget about creamy chicken salad, it is so good and a great way to boost your midday protein intake. I love many varieties of chicken salad but right now with the gorgeous summer tomatoes and crispy lettuce I knew a BLT rendition needed an appearance in my lunch rotation. This chicken BLT salad has all the flavors of a classic BLT and I like to pile it high on a toasted bagel or in crispy romaine lettuce wraps.

It stores beautifully in the fridge and is a good salad for meal prep- I love to take it for a picnic, pile it in a lettuce cup for a quick meal or scoop it onto a cracker for a satisfying snack. Let’s make it!

What you’ll need to make this BLT chicken salad recipe:

picture of the ingredients needed for the recipe: lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, red onion, green onions, seasonings, mayo, greek yogurt, chicken.

Shredded chicken: roast your own chicken, bake up some chicken breast or (do what I do) and snag a rotisserie chicken for dinner and use the leftovers for this recipe. I love to use my stand mixer to make perfect shredded chicken. Plop the chicken in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, hit go for a few seconds and voila!

Cooked bacon: I love to bake my bacon for a perfect, even cook. We’ll bake an entire package for a weekend breakfast and I use the leftover pieces to make this salad!

Tomatoes: small grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes work well for this recipe but you can also use a chopped, larger tomato if that’s what you have.

Green onions: also called scallions, green onion adds fabulous flavor. You can find them with other fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley in the produce section.

Red onion: doubling down on the onions in this recipe! Something about red onion in a chicken salad that just totally make it. Make sure to chop them up small for best flavor and texture!

Sharp white cheddar: this is optional, but recommended! Little cubes of cheddar cheese studded throughout the salad is oh so yummy.

Plain Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt gives a boost of protein and provides the creamy base for this salad. I recommend 2% or full fat yogurt but nonfat will also work.

Mayo: I like to use avocado oil mayo which is made with satisfying healthy fats. You can find in the condiments aisle or natural foods aisle of the grocery store.

Lemon: fresh lemon juice adds tang and brightness to the chicken salad dressing.

Seasonings: sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried dill, onion powder and smoked paprika all provide flavor as well as a slight ranch dressing vibe that works amazingly well with the BLT ingredients.

Lettuce: I like to eat this chicken salad in a lil romaine lettuce boat but you could also eat it on a bed of lettuce or any leafy salad greens.

How to make:

In a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, chopped bacon, tomatoes, green onions, red onion and cheese.

bowl with unmixed chicken salad ingredients

Whisk together the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice and all of the seasonings.

small bowl with the unmixed chicken salad dressing ingredients within

small bowl with mixed dressing and small red spatula

Pour the dressing over the chicken and veggies and toss everything well to combine.

large bowl filled with featured recipe in this post

lettuce cups with chicken salad, cherry tomatoes and crispy bacon pieces

Scoop the chicken salad into romaine lettuce leaves or onto crackers, toasted bread, English muffin or bagel.

Expert tips and variation ideas:

Bake up this seasoned chicken breast if you don’t have any leftover rotisserie chicken. You could also throw a pound of chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in your crockpot or instant pot, add a splash of salsa or chicken broth, come back when they’re cooked and shred ‘em up!
To make perfect, crunchy bacon- bake it! Line a baking sheet with foil and lay your bacon evenly with a tiny bit of space between each piece. Pat off any moisture and bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes until desired level of crispiness is reached.
Make a BLT chicken salad sandwich: toast up some sourdough bread and add a THICC layer of this chicken salad between slices.
Add more veg! Try adding cucumber, celery, radish or any other vegetables you love into this hearty salad.

close up view of salad with black pepper on top

FAQs

Can I use canned chicken?

Yes. The texture of canned chicken is a little different, but the recipe will still turn out delicious! One 12.5oz can of chicken is usually about 1.5 cups of chicken, so use 2-3 cans total.

How should I store the leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How can I make this dairy-free?

Replace the Greek yogurt with additional mayo and omit the cheese.

If you love this BLT chicken salad you’ll love these other easy recipe ideas for lunch!

Honey mustard chicken wrap

Greek spinach salad with quinoa and fried feta

Salmon lettuce wraps

Crispy chicken tender salad

Tuna pesto pasta

If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!