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BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

This leftover chicken salad is so hearty it’s hard to remember it is, in fact, a salad. The warm bacon dressing on top is just the best thing ever.

chicken salad on a dish with bacon

This salad is so hearty and filling I have a hard time remembering it is, in fact, a salad.

BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing | paleo recipes | salad recipes | BLT dressing | bacon dressing | perrysplate.com

It starts off with what looks like a great salad by itself… shredded chicken, chopped tomatoes, avocados and bacon crumbles over a giant bowl of baby spinach. Would be great with a light vinaigrette or buttermilk dressing!

Not today, though.

BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing | paleo recipes | salad recipes | BLT dressing | bacon dressing | perrysplate.com

We’re going for the dark stuff. It looks a lot like the remnants of an oil change, but it’s way better.

BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing | paleo recipes | salad recipes | BLT dressing | bacon dressing | perrysplate.com

Pay attention now. Seriously.

After the bacon was cooked, I left all of the drippings in the pan and added balsamic vinegar and thinly sliced onion to sizzle away for a couple of minutes. The result: a warm bacon “vinaigrette.” A quick meal for a hot day. (Unless it’s so hot you can’t handle cooking bacon. Then I would definitely save it for later.)

You can’t switch out the bacon. Then it would be a “Chicken LT Salad with Warm… Dressing.” What that warm dressing would be made out of is beyond me.

See why leaving the bacon out makes no sense? That’s pretty much my stance on most things.

Speaking of bacon and salads… have you seen this Spinach and Scallion Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing from the blog, Healthy Seasonal Recipes? Love this slimmed down version!

BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing | paleo recipes | salad recipes | BLT dressing | bacon dressing | perrysplate.com
 
 
BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

BLT Chicken Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Yield: Serves 4
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

When I learned you could make a vinaigrette with bacon drippings, my head nearly exploded. I love this take on a BLT in salad form using fresh baby spinach and a warm bacon vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices uncooked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 medium red onion, sliced very thinly
  • 3 T balsamic vinegar
  • 10-12 ounces of fresh baby spinach or mixed salad greens
  • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, stirring frequently. Transfer the bits to a stack of paper towels to drain. Remove all but 3 T of bacon drippings from the pan and return it to medium heat. (I had just slightly more so I left all the drippings in the pan.)
  2. Add the onion and vinegar to the drippings and stir to heat through, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Top with shredded chicken, chopped tomato and avocado.
  4. Pour the warm onions and dressing over the top. Toss to coat and sprinkle the bacon bits over the top.

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Nancy

Tuesday 6th of September 2011

This sounds fabulous and I love the addition of the caramelized onions!!!

Budget Gourmet Mom

Wednesday 31st of August 2011

I love warm salads and I make far too little of them! Bacon always makes everything better and salad is no different!

STAY AT HOME CHEF

Wednesday 31st of August 2011

Oh my goodness this salad looks amazing! Love the balsamic onion goodness to top it all off...I just might have to make this for dinner tonight.

Jolene - EverydayFoodie

Tuesday 30th of August 2011

That looks like the perfect salad. Anything with bacon makes me really happy :-)

Denise

Sunday 28th of August 2011

I love ALL things bacon...can't wait to try this!

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