I’m on a roll with the salads right now. Monday brought us crunchy Thai peanut chicken salad. Yesterday, we shared an Italian pasta salad (that I’m so into right now). And today, we’ve got the perfect spring/summer chicken salad. I feel like I’ve shared this story before, but as you all know, I spent a good chunk of my summers as a kid hanging out with my Nonnie. She’d have me over to her house. We’d shop for flowers, hit up the mall, and then grab lunch. When we returned, she’d take a little nap while I watched a movie. Later, we’d start setting the table for dinner. My Nonnie was my best friend growing up, especially since I didn’t have a sister. We did so much together! Some of my favorite memories of spring breaks and summers were those spent hanging with Nonnie. And especially our lunch dates. Nonnie loved to go out to lunch! She was a lunching pro and knew all the best places. I was kind of an odd kid and remember ordering a lot of chicken and bacon salads. I think back to those memories a lot. Those salads I shared with Nonnie really stuck out. So I decided it was time to recreate it but make it even better!
These are the details
Step 1: let’s make the chicken I wanted the chicken crispy and with a little more spice. I seasoned the chicken breasts with smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili flakes. Nothing fancy, but a combination I often use. Toss the chicken with olive oil, then roast it in the oven until it starts to get crisp.
Step 2: mix the salad While the chicken is roasting, grab a giant salad bowl. Add all the salad greens, tomatoes, and pickles. For the greens, I love to use shredded romaine, but I like to mix in some spinach too!
Step 3: the honey mustard dressing Most of us love creamy honey mustard dressing—you can’t go wrong with it. But as I was making my go-to dressing, I started to wonder how I could make it better, a little more different. I loved the sound of pickled jalapeños together with the bacon in this recipe, so I tried blending a few into the dressing. It could not have been more delicious. The spice from the jalapeño is a really nice balance to the sweetness of the honey.
Step 4: toss the salad Combine all the ingredients. First, toss the greens with some of the dressing to ensure they are evenly coated before adding everything else. Then, add the hot chicken to the greens. Throw on the avocado, tomatoes, feta cheese, and fresh herbs. Next, take the honey mustard dressing and add spoonfuls over the chicken and greens. The last ingredient I love to add is the crispy bacon. You can chop it up or simply break it into pieces.
Step 5: eat Serve the salad warm or cold. It’s great for lunch and dinner. You could even serve it this weekend for Easter. Either way, it will be delicious. It’s a great salad for the summer months too. It never disappoints! Looking for other fun recipes? Here are a few ideas: Caprese Caesar Pasta Salad Everything Cheddar Tomato Bacon Grilled Cheese Picnic Style Brie and Prosciutto Sandwich Grilled Vegetable Burrata Sandwich Spinach and Artichoke Pita Grilled Cheese Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch Lastly, if you make this Avocado Bacon Chicken Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
