Chopped Chicken Salad With Bacon

3.87 from 46 votes

Chopped Chicken Salad With Bacon

This chopped chicken salad is the kind of recipe I reach for when I want something fresh, filling, and easy to put together without a lot of effort. Tender baked chicken breast, crispy bacon, avocado, cucumber, and red onion, all tossed together with a bright lemon olive oil dressing. Every bite has so much flavor and texture, and it comes together in about 30 minutes. It is also one of the best recipes I know for meal prep, because everything holds up beautifully in the fridge for up to four days. Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner, a satisfying lunch to pack for work, or a easy meal prep idea for the week, this chopped chicken salad recipe is going to be your new favorite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Resting Time5

Total Time33

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose

Keyword: avocado, baked chicken breast, Chicken Breast, chopped chicken salad, cucumber, lettuce, meal-prep salad

Servings: bowls

Author: Olivia Ribas

Ingredients

For the chicken breast

2 small chicken breasts
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

For the salad

5 cups lettuce chopped
1 cup cucumber sliced
1 avocado sliced
½ cup red onions sliced
¼ cup cooked bacon chopped

For the salad dressing

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
a pinch red crushed pepper
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the chicken

Preheat oven to 425F. Season chicken with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Line baking dish or roasting pan with parchment paper and place the chicken breasts in a single layer. Pour olive oil on top of the chicken breast; rub over with your fingers.
Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until it gets the internal temperature of 165˚F. To know exactly when it is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow cooling down for about 5 minutes before chop them.

For the salad

In a large salad bowl, add first the lettuce, and then top it with cucumber, avocado, red onions and cooked bacon.
In a mason jar, pour the lemon juice, olive oil and add salt and black pepper. Whisk everything together until combine.
Taste to check the seasoning and pour over the salad. Add the diced breast chicken. Enjoy!

Meal-Preping

Place an even amount of chopped chicken salad into 4 different medium glass containers. Cover with the lid and place in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Video

Notes

You can use chicken leftovers in this recipe if you already have cooked chicken in the fridge and you also can use cooked bacon as a salad topper to save time.

Meal Prep and Storage

This chopped chicken salad is one of my favorite recipes to meal prep for the week. I divide it evenly into four glass containers right after assembling, and it stays fresh in the fridge for up to four days.

The one thing I always do is keep the avocado and the dressing separate until I am ready to eat. The avocado browns once it is cut, so I slice it fresh each day. The dressing can go into a small jar in the fridge and gets drizzled on just before eating to keep the lettuce from getting soggy.

The baked chicken on its own freezes really well for up to three months. I sometimes make a double batch of the chicken and freeze half so I always have it ready when I want to throw this salad together quickly.

Nutrition