Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad with Candied Bacon
A fresh and flavorful meal combining grilled chicken, sweet candied bacon, and a delicious salsa ranch dressing, perfect for any day of the week.
Ingredients
For the salsa ranch
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the candied bacon
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
For the salad
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups chopped romaine
- ¼ cup black beans
- ¼ cup shredded or cubed cheddar cheese
- 1 diced tomato
- 1 diced avocado
- ¼ cup tortilla strips
Instructions
Prepare the salsa ranch
- Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, salsa, dried parsley, dried dill, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon juice into a food processor or blender.
- Blend for about 20 seconds until combined and set aside. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Prepare the candied bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lay the bacon slices on the rack.
- Brush the tops of the bacon with half of the maple syrup and sprinkle with half of the brown sugar. Bake for about 15 minutes.
- Flip the bacon strips, brush with the remaining maple syrup, and sprinkle with the rest of the brown sugar. Bake for another 10 minutes or until crispy.
- Remove and let cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Once cool, chop into small pieces.
Cook the chicken
- Season the chicken breast with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the chicken for about 6-7 minutes on one side, then flip to cook the other side until fully cooked and no longer pink inside.
- Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing.
Assemble the salad
- Place the chopped romaine in a bowl.
- Top with sliced chicken, candied bacon, diced tomato, black beans, diced avocado, tortilla strips, and shredded or cubed cheddar cheese.
- Drizzle with salsa ranch and serve immediately.
Notes
Serve the salad fresh and cold, drizzled generously with the salsa ranch dressing. It pairs well with crispy tortilla chips or warm bread on the side. Store leftover salad in an airtight container without the dressing for up to 3 days.