Quick, healthy meals are important year round and sometimes it seems harder to manage as Thanksgiving and the winter holidays approach. Between getting ready for the aforementioned holidays, preparing for colder weather, and leaning into the hearty fare that is often in step with autumn and winter, eating healthy without foregoing an afternoon in the kitchen seems difficult at best and sometimes impossible. Enter this quick and clever main dish salad.
Before you rush to inform me that bacon isn't exactly healthy, let me assure you that a little bacon on an otherwise stellar salad is actually quite fine and even good for you. A little bit of crunch and salt sprinkled on top is sure to get those fussier eaters around your table to dig in and those forks will mostly be heaping fresh greens, tender tomatoes, crunchy red onion, and chunks of juicy chicken into your mouth. And who is going to argue with freshly made croutons? They are better and better for you than anything you get from the store. So enjoy and feel free to tweak the recipe to make it just the way you'd like.
This is a meal unto itself in my house. We dig in and enjoy glasses of cider and share the memorable moments from our day with one another. It's excellent food that's good for us and gives us a chance to reconnect during these ever-busier days. Enjoy!
BLT Chicken Salad
- 5 strips thick cut bacon
- 2 c. chopped, cooked chicken
- 12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half if needed
- 2 c. cubed day old baguette
- 1 generous bunch of baby arugula
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato, sliced into wedges
- ¼ c. olive oil
- 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 3 T. honey
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Cook the bacon, starting with a cold pan, until crisp. Remove to a plate and crumble; set aside.
In the same pan you cooked the bacon, warm the chopped chicken and cherry tomatoes; set aside.
Again, in the same pan, toss the cubed baguette until lightly toasted. Add additional oil and/or seasoning as needed; set aside.
In a large serving bowl or platter, arrange the arugula, crumbled bacon, warmed chicken and cherry tomatoes, homemade croutons, red onion, and sliced fresh tomato; set aside.
Combine the remaining ingredients (olive oil through ground black pepper) in a small resealable container. Seal and shake vigorously to combine. Drizzle the dressing generously over the salad and serve immediately.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes