Bacon Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad

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avocado chicken bacon salad

I love chicken salad not only for its delicious taste but it’s incredible texture too. The best chicken salad is made with a little bit of crunch, a hint of heat and bursts of tangy sweetness throughout.


Chicken salad is great because of how versatile it is. You can make it with practically any combination of chicken + mayo + your favorite add ins! For me, I love a good chicken salad with lots of texture but also one that is piled high with other ingredients to enhance the flavors even more.

For this chicken salad recipe, I kept it classic but added lots of bits and bobs like shallots and sweet pickles to give it plenty of crunch.


Fresh herbs like dill make all the difference in chicken salad recipes – dill especially can taste wildly different fresh versus dried. If you can grow it on your own or find it fresh, I highly recommend you use the freshest dill you can get your hands on! Dried dill will work in a pinch, but to really highlight those ranch-y flavors, you’ll want to use fresh dill.


In addition to sliced avocado and mixed greens like arugula and baby spinach, bacon makes for a great topping on all chicken salads. Bring on the bacon baby!

This sweet and crunchy chicken salad is one of my favorites. It’s easy to customize with whatever you have on hand and always ends up with delicious results.

easy chicken salad recipe

Bacon Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad

The Starving Chef
The best chicken salad is made with a little bit of crunch, a hint of heat and bursts of tangy sweetness throughout. 
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Brunch, Lunch, Sandwiches
Cuisine Quick & Easy, Sandwich
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup ranch dressing
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • ½ shallot chopped
  • 4 oz diced green chiles drained
  • 1 tablespoon bread & butter pickles chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 5 strips bacon cooked, for topping
  • 1 avocado sliced, for topping
  • croissants for serving
  • lettuce for topping

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add in the chicken breasts and cook through, about 25-30 minutes. Place the cooked chicken breasts into a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to shred the chicken breasts. Cool until no longer steaming.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, ranch dressing, dill and parsley.
  • Place the cooled chicken into a large mixing bowl and add the celery, green onion, shallot, chiles and pickles. Pour on the mayonnaise mixture and stir until everything is well combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill for at least one hour or overnight for best flavor.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 F. Cook bacon strips for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Meanwhile, cut and slice the avocado into thick strips.
  • Assemble the chicken salad onto sliced croissants and top with avocado slices and cooked bacon. Add your favorite sandwich toppings as desired. Enjoy!
Keyword avocado, bacon, chicken, croissant
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