This BLT Chicken Salad is packed with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and a creamy dressing that is out of this world.
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When I think about this recipe, it brings me right back to doing my first Whole30 in 2017. This recipe was one of the first recipes I ever developed after doing Whole30 and realizing how wholesome real food meals doing have to be boring and tasteless. It quickly became a favorite staple meal for us!
I love throwing this chicken salad together on busy weeknights or meal prepping this on the weekend to have for quick lunches throughout the week. It's especially great alongside easy favorites like my Buffalo Turkey Meatballs or my Strawberry and Cucumber Salad for a fresh little boost of color and crunch.
What makes this chicken salad unique?
This Chicken Salad has that perfect mix of cozy and fresh that's hard to beat. The classic BLT flavors are all here, but they get an upgrade with flavorful rotisserie chicken, a creamy dressing made with real food ingredients, and that crisp bacon that brings everything to life. It's also naturally gluten free and fits right into the way I love to cook at home. You get all the familiar comfort of a BLT sandwich, just in a lighter, more nourishing bowl that works for quick lunches, meal prep, game day, or an easy weeknight dinner. It's simple, it's satisfying, and it's one of those recipes that somehow tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! This salad holds up really well, especially if you keep the bacon separate until you're ready to serve, so it stays nice and crisp. I love making it the night before or during my Sunday meal prep. The flavors deepen as it chills, so it tastes even better the next day.
What substitutions can I make for the ingredients?
There's lots of room to play with the ingredients in this recipe. You can swap the chicken for turkey, use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon (just check ingredients if you are doing a Whole30), or try cherry tomatoes. For the dressing, any mayo works great, or you can mix in a little plain dairy free greek yogurt to lighten it up (this will make it not Whole30 or dairy free). Feel free to add extras like avocado, chopped pickles, or even a handful of fresh herbs to make it your own.
Step by step
- Step 1: Cook the bacon till crispy, then debone and shred the rotisserie chicken and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Step 3: Crumble the crispy bacon into pieces and add it to the chicken salad mixture and stir to combine.
Kaleena's Tips
- Season to taste. A little extra salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon brightens everything up, especially after it chills.
- Make it your own. Add avocado, fresh herbs, chopped pickles, or even a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you want a little kick.
- Serve it however you love. This salad is so good in lettuce wraps, tucked into gluten free pita, or piled over mixed greens for a lighter twist.
Storing and meal prep
Storing: Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The bacon will lose its crispiness but will still taste great. Give the salad a gentle stir before eating, and if it thickens a bit in the fridge, you can loosen it with a tiny splash of lemon juice or a little extra mayo.
Meal prep: This chicken salad is one of my go tos for easy meal prep. You can make it on Sunday and portion it into containers for grab-and-go lunches all week. If you want everything to stay extra crisp, keep the bacon and tomatoes separate and mix them in right before eating.
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think! Leave a star rating or drop a comment below. Your feedback means so much to me! And if you snap a photo, tag me on Instagram at @kaleenas.kitchen so I can see your version!
Recipe
Simple BLT Chicken Salad (Gluten Free + Whole30)
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup diced grape tomatoes
- 1 cup roughly chopped baby spinach
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the bacon till crispy and set aside.
- Debone and shred the rotisserie chicken and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Dice your tomatoes, onions, and spinach and add them to the mixing bowl with the chicken.
- Add the mayo and seasonings to the bowl and mix everything together.
- Crumble the crispy bacon into the bowl with the chicken salad and mix everything together till it's all combined.Serve cold.
Notes
- Season to taste. A little extra salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon brightens everything up, especially after it chills.
- Make it your own. Add avocado, fresh herbs, chopped pickles, or even a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you want a little kick.
- Serve it however you love. This salad is so good in lettuce wraps, tucked into gluten free pita, or piled over mixed greens for a lighter twist.
Nutrition
*nutrition information is an approximate
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Hi, I'm Kaleena!
I'm a 30-something wife and dog mom who shares mostly gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30, and Paleo friendly recipes. Since doing my first Whole30 in 2017, I have completely changed my way of cooking. I love to create recipes made from real, flavorful ingredients that the whole family will love!
Shara
I have NEVER been a chicken salad girl so I wasn’t sure how I personally was going to like it! Omg I wish I had known about my love for this salad during tournament weekends! Now I know! It will be traveling with me bc it’s so good fresh out of the fridge and will make the perfect on the go dish for our whole family!