BLT Chicken Salad (Lightened Up)
This lightened up BLT chicken salad is a must have in the summertime! It’s the best appetizer and lunch, plus super refreshing.
We are officially knee-deep in salad season, so I had to come up with something new!
Last time I made dill pickle chicken salad and fell in love, but wanted to add a little crunch factor with bacon.
Normally we rotate between tuna salad and chicken salad with pecans and cranberries during this time of year, but you know me. Always switching things up because I literally eat some type of salad every day!
This healthy salad recipe makes the perfect low carb and high protein lunch!
Ingredients Needed
- Shredded chicken – needs to be cooked ahead of time.
- Turkey bacon – adds so much crunch and is healthier than pork bacon.
- Veggies: Tomatoes, onions, celery, iceberg lettuce.
Dressing Ingredients
- olive oil
- plain Greek yogurt
- dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- onion powder
How to Make Healthy BLT Chicken Salad
Cook the chicken ahead of time until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, then shred with a hand mixer or forks.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper. I like these pre-measured ones!
Place the bacon slices on the prepared pan, and bacon for 10-15 minutes or until it’s nice and crispy.
Allow the turkey bacon to cool to room temperature, then crumble.
While the bacon cooks, prep the veggies.
Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or large bowl. Whisk or blend until all ingredients are combined.
In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken and toss in the dressing.
Mix in the chopped bacon and veggies.
Tips for Making
- Use an electric mixer to shred the chicken fast!
- If desired, air fry the turkey bacon instead of baking it.
Substitutions and Variations
Bacon: pork bacon can be used, we just like the turkey bacon as a healthier alternative.
Rotisserie chicken: if you don’t feel like cooking and shredding boneless skinless chicken breasts, use rotisserie instead.
Veggies: feel free to add more veggies to bulk up the salad.
Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt is a healthier alternative and adds more protein, but regular or light mayo could also be swapped out.
How to Store
Keep leftover BLT chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ways to Serve
- On your favorite bread like a sandwich or a croissant
- In a tortilla wrap
- Make lettuce wraps or lettuce cups
- On crackers
- Serve with veggies and use it as a dip
More Healthy Salads You’ll Love
- Mediterranean Potato Salad with Tzatziki – No Mayo, No Mustard
- Healthy Egg Salad with Dill
- No Mayo Healthy Mediterranean Tuna Salad | Easy 10 Minute Recipe
- Broccoli Crunch Salad
- Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
- 24 Easy and Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes
Healthy BLT Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 3 turkey bacon slices
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered or halved
- ¼ cup red onion minced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup chopped lettuce I like iceberg because it is crispy
Dressing
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
Instructions
- First, make sure your chicken is cooked and shredded. You can prepare this yourself or use rotisserie chicken.
- Next, Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and cook bacon in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Let cool to room temp and finely dice.
- While bacon is cooking, prepare your veggies by chopping them to your desired size.
- To a blender or bowl, add olive oil, Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Blend/whisk until fully mixed.
- Add cooked, shredded chicken to a large bowl and pour the dressing over the chicken. Toss well.
- Add tomatoes, chopped turkey bacon, red onion, celery, lettuce and toss.
- Serve on your favorite bread, on lettuce, in a wrap, or on crackers! Great as a dip with veggies as well.
