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Home » Salad

Published: Apr 27, 2021 · Modified: Feb 23, 2025 by Kathy

Chicken Bacon Salad

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A bowl filled with a chicken salad with cilantro and bacon.

Make leftover chicken a star with this tasty chicken bacon salad. Filled with chopped bell peppers, red onions, celery and fresh cilantro, this chicken salad is bursting with flavor.

Whip this quick salad together in less than 15 minutes and you have yourself a delicious lunch or light dinner.

A white dish filled with a colorful chicken bacon salad.

Chicken salad with leftover chicken

Finding a delicious recipe to use up leftover chicken is such an amazing thing. This chicken salad is extra delicious and you'll find yourself cooking up some chicken just to make this salad.

This chicken salad has a light dressing and you control how much of the dressing gets added to the salad. If you like it a little dry, add a bit less or if you like it a bit creamier, add a bit more dressing.

Any leftover chicken works in this chicken salad. Try using leftover beer can chicken, oven baked chicken thighs, grilled lemon chicken or beer basted grilled chicken.

Key ingredients

Small bowls filled with peppers, onions, celery and chicken.

This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.

  • Chicken - cooked and chopped
  • Veggies - bell peppers, celery and red onions
  • Bacon - cooked crisp and chopped
  • Cilantro - chopped
  • Lemon - zest and juice

Making chicken bacon salad

In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.

  • Add chopped chicken, bell peppers, celery, onions, bacon and cilantro to a large bowl. Toss all ingredients together
Chicken salad ingredients in a large glass bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the dressing ingredients
A blue bowl filled with mayonnaise, mustard and seasonings.
  • Add half the dressing to the salad. Toss to coat. Add a bit more dressing, depending on your taste.
  • Add additional salt and pepper if needed
Salad dressing on top of a chopped chicken and vegetable mixture.

Recipe tips

  • Try to cut all the veggies about the same size
  • Don't add all the dressing at once. Start with half the dressing and then continue adding until it to your desired consistency
  • Use any remaining dressing as a spread on bread or a tortilla wrap
  • Store salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

Variations and substitutions

  • Use cooked turkey in place of chicken
  • Replace red onion with chopped scallions
  • Substitute cilantro for freshly chopped parsley
  • Add pepperoncini peppers for a little extra spice

Serving suggestions

Eat this tasty salad in several different ways

  • Add to a tortilla wrap
  • Make it into a sandwich
  • Eat plain or on crackers
  • Hollow out a tomato and stuff with this chicken salad
  • Eat on a leaf of lettuce
A tortilla wrapped filled with chopped chicken.
Lettuce wraps filled with chicken salad.

Recipe Faqs

How long will chicken salad last?

When stored covered in the refrigerator, this salad will be good for up to four days.

What kind of mayonnaise can I use?

Use your favorite type of mayonnaise in this salad. Any type will work, regular, light or Miracle Whip.

More great chicken salad recipes

  • Chicken salad with cranberries and pecans
  • Orzo chicken salad
  • Barley chicken salad
  • Oriental chicken salad
A white bowl filled with chunks of chicken with a light dressing.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

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A white dish filled with a colorful chicken salad.

Chicken Bacon Salad

Kathy Berget
Chunks of Chicken mixed with celery, peppers, bacon and a light dressing. 
5 from 39 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 365 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Large Mixing Bowl
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked chicken (chopped)
  • 4 slices bacon (cooked and chopped)
  • 2 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 1 bell pepper (chopped)
  • ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
  • ¼ cup red onion (chopped)

Dressing

  • ⅔ cup mayo
  • 1 Tablespoon coarse ground mustard
  • lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • lemon juice from ½ lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl
  • Mix dressing ingredients together
  • Add half the dressing to the salad mixture. Toss to coat. Add a bit more dressing until it's the consistency you like.

Notes

Tips
  • Try to cut all the veggies about the same size
  • Don't add all the dressing at once. Start with half the dressing and then continue adding until it to your desired consistency
  • Use any remaining dressing as a spread on bread or a tortilla wrap
  • Store salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Variations
  • Use cooked turkey in place of the chicken
  • Replace red onion with chopped scallions
  • Substitute cilantro for freshly chopped parsley
  • Add pepperoncini peppers for a little extra spice
Serving suggestions
  • Add to a tortilla wrap
  • Make into a sandwich
  • Eat plain or on crackers
  • Hollow out a tomato and stuff with this chicken salad
  • Eat on a leaf of lettuce

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 4gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 444mgPotassium: 192mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1143IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

This recipe was originally posted in January 2015. The photos, text and recipe have all been updated with additional information.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rudy says

    March 12, 2023 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars
    Did not have the pepper or the bacon and it was absolutely fabulous. Best Chicken salad I have ever tasted.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      March 12, 2023 at 11:24 pm

      Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Valentina says

    May 04, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    Such a healthy, hearty and scrumptious looking salad. I often just serve a big main course salad like this for dinner -- especially during the warmer months. Love this one. Thanks, Kathy. 🙂 ~Valentina

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      May 05, 2021 at 5:53 am

      I agree! This becomes one of our summertime staples. So easy to pop into a cooler and take to the lake or out on a picnic.

      Reply
  3. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

    May 03, 2021 at 8:48 am

    5 stars
    Now this is a chicken salad! So many yummy uses! Can't wait to give this one a try, Kathy! Looks too good not to!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      May 05, 2021 at 5:53 am

      Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply
  4. David @ Spiced says

    April 28, 2021 at 4:30 am

    5 stars
    Ah, I absolutely love chicken salad, and this version looks fantastic, Kathy! We always keep rotisserie chicken meat in the freezer for recipes like this. I don't think we've ever added cilantro to chicken salad, though...what a fun twist! Definitely trying that next time we make a batch. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      April 28, 2021 at 4:59 am

      Keeping ready to go chicken in the freezer is such a great idea. Perfect for this salad and so many other quick recipes. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Fred G says

    November 21, 2018 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    Can canned chicken be substituted?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 22, 2018 at 6:38 am

      Yes, just be sure to drain it well.

      Reply
  6. Matt says

    August 04, 2016 at 8:26 am

    Thanks for sharing, I like the idea of serving them on lettuce wraps. Good idea!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      August 04, 2016 at 11:18 am

      Thanks! I like to have lots of options!

      Reply
  7. CakePants says

    February 23, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    I love chicken salad too! This looks great - so many ideas for things I haven't tried in chicken salad. The cilantro and bacon sound especially tasty 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      February 23, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      Chicken salad certainly is versatile!

      Reply
5 from 39 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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