This Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad is a satisfying, protein-packed option that’s great for quick lunches or easy meal prep. The creamy base is made from blended avocado, greek yogurt and lots of fresh, ranch-inspired herbs. Tossed with shredded chicken, crispy bacon, celery, and red onion, it’s a well-balanced salad that works just as well on its own as it does in a sandwich or wrap.
A few months ago when we were back home in Vermont, Kyle got a bacon avocado chicken salad from a local grocery store and he immediately was like “you need to re-create this.” Well…twist my arm! I’ll take any excuse to make a new chicken salad variation, and I’m kinda hoping that it’s socially acceptable to continue this obsession into the fall and winter months.
The base of this delicious chicken salad is an herby, ranch-inspired sauce that’s made creamy with ripe avocados and greek yogurt (no mayo required)! Avocados are a nutritional powerhouse, rich in fiber, healthy fats & micronutrients, and also lend a beautiful green color to this chicken salad. The sauce is so bright and flavorful, that we’re keeping the add-ins minimal — just some bacon, crisp celery and diced red onion.
Enjoy this bacon avocado chicken salad on some whole wheat toast, in a wrap or on a lettuce cup. It makes for a mean meal-prep lunch or dinner, paired with some veggies on the side! Truthfully, I think it’s one of my favorite chicken salad recipes that I’ve made thus far and I can’t wait for you to see what I mean.
Why You’ll Love this Avocado Chicken Salad with Bacon
- It’s perfect as a healthy meal prep lunch.
- The base is made creamy from avocados and greek yogurt – no mayo required!
- It’s easy to make, and comes together in 30 minutes or less.
- This bacon avocado chicken salad has 33g of protein & 6g of fiber per serving!
- It’s full of bright, herby ranch-inspired flavors.
What You Need to Make this Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad
- Applewood Smoked Bacon: I used this one from Whole Foods, but any bacon will work! I like to oven-bake it for easy clean-up, but you can pan fry it if you prefer.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast: I prefer to boil mine and then shred it, but you could also substitute rotisserie chicken or canned chicken for added convenience.
- Avocados: You’ll need 1.5 medium-large hass avocados (pitted), which adds creaminess, healthy fats, fiber, and lots of micronutrients to this chicken salad.
- Greek Yogurt: Instead of using mayo for this bacon avocado chicken salad, we’re using full-fat plain greek yogurt (or skyr) which adds protein and probiotics.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds tang while also preventing the avocado from turning brown.
- Fresh Chives, Parsley & Celery: Fresh herbs are a must in here, and almost add a ranch-like flavor to this bacon avocado chicken salad!
- Garlic: 1-2 cloves, peeled – no need to mince, as they’ll be blended up!
- Celery: For that refreshing crunchy texture that’s classic in chicken salad.
- Red Onion: The onion-y flavor just works so well with the salty bacon.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste.
How To Make this Avocado Chicken Salad with Bacon
Cook the Bacon:
First, preheat your oven to 400F. Then, add bacon to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and dab off excess grease before cutting bacon into chunks.
Boil the Chicken:
Then, add chicken breasts to a medium pot and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Cover with at least 1″ of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. The timing will vary slightly depending upon how large/thick your chicken breasts are.
Shred the Chicken:
Next, transfer cooked chicken to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer and shred it. Alternatively, you can use 2 forks to shred it, but I like the mixer method because it’s quicker!
Blend together Herby Avocado Sauce:
Add avocado, greek yogurt, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, salt & pepper to the blending cup of your immersion blender, or to a small food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the amount of salt & pepper as needed.
Mix together Chicken Salad & Let Chill:
Pour the blended avocado mixture over the shredded chicken, and then add in the crumbled bacon, celery and red onion. Use a spatula to stir until combined. Finally, place chicken salad in the fridge until is has cooled down and the flavors have melded together. Enjoy!
Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken or Canned Chicken Instead?
Absolutely! I typically go with the boiling method for chicken because it’s quick and cost effective, but if you’re in a rush you can substitute shredded rotisserie chicken or canned chicken. 1 cup of raw chicken breast yields about 2.5 cups of shredded chicken, so that’s how much rotisserie or canned chicken you would want to substitute.
Substitution FAQS:
This Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad is very simple in nature — I wanted to keep the add-ins light so that the herby avocado sauce would really be the star! But feel free to use this as your base recipe, and add in whatever your heart desires such as chopped nuts, seeds, cucumber, etc. Chicken salad is very forgiving!
- I’m dairy free, what can I use instead of Greek yogurt? You can substitute a thick, non-dairy yogurt such as Siggi’s plant-based OR use mayonnaise instead.
- Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh? I really wouldn’t recommend skipping the fresh herbs as they carry the flavor in this bacon avocado chicken salad. With your leftover herbs, you can make some of my other recipes like these green goddess chicken thighs, chopped salad with greek yogurt ranch, etc!
What Should I Serve with this Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad?
My preferred way to enjoy this bacon avocado chicken salad is on some toasted whole wheat bread (for added protein and fiber), and then served alongside a roasted veggie or a side salad. This chicken salad is already a great source of protein, healthy fats and a decent amount of fiber, so it’s just missing some veggies to make it a full, well-rounded meal! It would also be delicious in a wrap, a lettuce wrap or in a sandwich. You can’t go wrong!
How Should I Store Leftover Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad?
This Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and will stay good for about 3 days. The lemon juice helps it slow down the oxidation of the avocado, but it may start turning brown towards day 3 and beyond. The bacon will also get less crispy, so feel free to leave that out until you’re ready to eat, if you want!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Chicken Salad Recipes?
- Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
- Cranberry and Pecan Chicken Salad
- Southwestern Chicken Salad
Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad
Equipment
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- large plate
- paper towels
- medium pot with lid
- hand or stand mixer
- immersion blender or food processor
- spatula
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon (I like applewood smoked)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- 1.5 medium avocados
- ¾ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- juice from 1 lemon
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 400F. Then, add bacon to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and dab off excess grease before cutting bacon into chunks.6 oz bacon
- Add chicken breasts to a medium pot and season with kosher salt & black pepper. Cover with at least 1" of water and bring to a boil. once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165F.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, kosher salt & black pepper
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, and shred it. Alternatively, you can use 2 forks to shred it, but I like the mixer method because it's quicker!
- Add avocado, greek yogurt, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, salt & pepper to the blending cup of your immersion blender, or to a small food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the amount of salt & pepper as needed.1.5 medium avocados, ¾ cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or skyr, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp chopped chives, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tbsp chopped dill, juice from 1 lemon
- Pour the blended avocado mixture over the shredded chicken, and then add in the crumbled bacon, celery and red onion. Use a spatula to stir until combined.½ cup finely diced celery, ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- Place chicken salad in the fridge until it has cooled down and the flavors have melded together. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.