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This BLT chicken salad is loaded with juicy shredded chicken, crumbly bacon, ripe cherry tomatoes, and crispy red onion tossed with the creamiest Dijon mayo dressing!
BLT Chicken Salad takes everything you love about a classic BLT and turns it into a creamy chicken salad. Shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and fresh tomatoes tossed in a flavorful dressing, it’s the perfect balance of savory, fresh, and hearty.
Table of Contents
This recipe combines the flavors of a BLT sandwich with the creamy, tangy flavors of a classic chicken salad. It’s the kind of recipe you want on hand for easy summer lunches when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven! I keep the ingredients simple, but there’s plenty of flavor. Every bite is loaded with tender bites of creamy chicken, crispy bacon, and juicy tomatoes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
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- Chicken – You can use any cooked chicken (either a whole chicken or chicken breast) and shred it, or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store.
- Bacon – I usually make a quick batch of air fryer bacon and then crumble it.
- Tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Parsley
For the Dressing
- Mayonnaise – You can also substitute plain Greek yogurt or sour cream for a no-mayo chicken salad dressing.
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Dijon Mustard
- Seasonings – Onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
BLT Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 12 ounces cooked and crumbled bacon
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Dressing
- ⅔ cup Mayo, or Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together all of the ingredients for the dressing until well blended and creamy.⅔ cup Mayo, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon paprika
- In a large bowl combine chicken, bacon, tomatoes, onion and parsley. Pour over the dressing and mix until well combined.3 cups cooked and shredded chicken, 12 ounces cooked and crumbled bacon, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup diced red onion, 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make BLT Chicken Salad
- Make the dressing. First, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
- Put it all together. In a larger bowl, add the shredded chicken, bacon, and salad ingredients. Pour over the dressing and toss everything to coat. That’s it! Refrigerate the chicken salad until you’re ready to serve it.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Different dressing. The dressing I use here mimics the flavors you’d find in a classic BLT sandwich (mayo, mustard, etc.), but you can absolutely swap it out for any dressing you’d like! Try homemade ranch dressing, Caesar salad dressing, or Thousand Island dressing for a different flavor profile.
- Bulk it up. Try a variation similar to my chickpea chicken salad and bulk up this bacon and tomato chicken salad with drained and rinsed canned chickpeas.
- Make it spicy. Give your BLT chicken salad a little kick with red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or jalapeño slices. You could also season the chicken with Cajun seasoning or stir a dash of chili sauce, like Sriracha, into the dressing.
- More add-ins. Replace cherry tomatoes with sun-dried tomatoes, and add in more ingredients like diced avocado, halved grapes, diced or shredded cheese, and different herbs, like basil.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover BLT chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s great to make ahead for easy lunches during the week! I also love turning leftovers into a BLT pasta salad. It’s as easy as combining the chicken salad with cooked pasta (any kind) and extra dressing.
Add some cooked pasta. Now it’s a side dish