Savory BLT Chicken Salad is my favorite way to get that classic bacon, lettuce, tomato feel in a creamy chicken salad that actually eats like a meal. It’s savory, a little tangy, and the mix of textures keeps it from feeling heavy.
What makes this version especially good is the dressing: mayo plus Greek yogurt for a creamy base that still tastes fresh, with Dijon and lemon to wake everything up. Crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy celery make it taste like a BLT, just in scoopable form.
I like serving it in a toasted sandwich or a wrap for lunch, and it’s also great piled into lettuce cups when I want something lighter. It’s one of those recipes I’ll make when I want a quick, no-fuss dinner that still feels like real food.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Fast and Easy: Once your chicken is cooked, this comes together quickly with simple chopping and mixing.
Real BLT Flavor: Bacon, tomatoes, and romaine make it taste like a BLT, just creamier and more filling.
Great Texture: Crisp bacon and crunchy celery keep the salad from turning soft or mushy.
Lunch-Ready: It’s a solid sandwich filling, but it’s just as good in wraps or lettuce cups.
Easy to Adjust: You can make it tangier, saltier, or creamier with small tweaks to the dressing.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Salad
- Cooked shredded chicken: I like a mix of shredded and small chunks so it holds onto the dressing but still has bite. Rotisserie chicken works great here.
- Bacon: Cook it until it’s truly crisp so it stays snappy in the salad. Thick-cut is nice, but any bacon works.
- Cherry tomatoes: These stay juicy without flooding the dressing as much as larger tomatoes can. If they’re extra ripe, I’ll pat them dry after cutting.
- Romaine lettuce: Romaine keeps its crunch better than softer lettuces. I usually chop it fairly small so it mixes in evenly.
- Celery: Don’t skip it if you like crunch. I dice it small so you get texture without huge celery bites.
- Green onions: These add a mild onion flavor without taking over the salad. If you’re sensitive to raw onion, use a little less.
- Fresh parsley: Fresh is best here and brightens the whole bowl. If you don’t love parsley, you can go lighter and it’s still good.
Dressing
- Mayonnaise: This is the classic creamy base. Use one you like the taste of, because you’ll notice it.
- Plain Greek yogurt: I like what it does for tang and texture, and it keeps the dressing from feeling too heavy. Sour cream works too if that’s what you have.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is ideal, but bottled is fine in a pinch. This is what makes the salad taste fresh instead of flat.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a little sharpness and keeps the dressing from tasting one-note. Yellow mustard works, but it’s a different flavor.
- Garlic powder: I prefer garlic powder here because it blends in smoothly. If you want to use fresh garlic, keep it very small and use a light hand.
- Black pepper: A little pepper matters with bacon and mayo. I usually start small and add more after tasting.
- Salt: Bacon can be salty, so I add salt at the end after everything is mixed.
Optional for serving
- Sandwich bread: Toasted bread helps keep things from getting soggy. A sturdy sandwich bread is my go-to.
- Croissants: Soft, buttery, and very good with this. I like to add extra romaine if I’m using croissants.
- Tortillas: Great for wraps, especially if you want an easy lunch to pack.
- Lettuce leaves: Crisp lettuce cups are a nice option when you want it lighter. Romaine or butter lettuce both work.
- Sliced avocado: Adds extra creaminess and makes it feel more like a full meal. I usually add it right before serving.
- Shredded cheddar: If you want a richer BLT feel, a little cheddar is a nice add-in or topping.
Recipe Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to cool, then chop into bite-size pieces.
- Prep the vegetables: Halve the cherry tomatoes, then chop the romaine, dice the celery, slice the green onions, and chop the parsley.
- Prep the chicken: Shred or dice the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces. If your chicken is warm, let it cool a bit so it doesn’t melt the dressing.
- Mix the dressing: In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
- Mix the salad: Add the chicken, bacon, tomatoes, romaine, celery, green onions, and parsley to the bowl. Fold gently until everything is coated.
- Chill and serve: Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed, then chill for 10 to 20 minutes for best texture. Serve as a sandwich, wrap, or lettuce cups.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Cook the bacon until it’s crisp. Slightly chewy bacon tends to soften even more once it’s mixed in. Crisp bacon stays nicer in the salad.
Let hot ingredients cool. If the chicken or bacon is still warm, the dressing can get a little greasy. Room temp is fine.
Cut everything fairly small. This is a scoopable salad, so smaller pieces make it easier to pile onto bread or tuck into lettuce cups. Big chunks can make it harder to eat.
Season at the end. Bacon, mayo, and chicken can all vary in saltiness. I mix it first, then add salt and an extra squeeze of lemon only if it needs it.
Don’t overmix. Fold gently so the tomatoes stay intact and the lettuce doesn’t get crushed. It should look like a salad, not a paste.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Sandwiches: Pile it onto toasted sandwich bread with extra romaine. A few slices of avocado on top are really good here.
- Croissants: Split croissants and add a little extra lettuce inside to help hold the filling. This is an easy lunch that feels a little nicer without extra work.
- Wraps: Spoon it into tortillas with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar, then roll tight. I like this with a side of chips or cut veggies.
- Lettuce cups: Use romaine leaves or butter lettuce and spoon the chicken salad right in. Add a tomato half or two on top if you want it to look a little more like a BLT.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a quick stir before serving since the dressing can settle a bit.
If you want to make this recipe ahead, I suggest mixing the chicken, bacon, celery, onions, herbs, and dressing first. It holds up better that way.
Add the tomatoes and romaine closer to serving if you can. They’re best when they stay crisp and juicy instead of sitting in the dressing too long.
I don’t love freezing chicken salad like this. The mayo/yogurt dressing can separate after thawing, and the texture just isn’t the same.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes, and I do it all the time. Just pull the meat off the bones and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces.
Can I make it lighter without mayonnaise?
You can swap the mayonnaise for more plain Greek yogurt. It will be tangier and a little less rich, but still creamy.
What can I use instead of romaine?
Any crisp lettuce works. Iceberg gives the most crunch, and butter lettuce is great if you’re using it for lettuce cups, but it’s softer and won’t stay crisp as long once mixed in.
Can I freeze BLT chicken salad?
I wouldn’t. The dressing tends to separate after thawing, and the tomatoes and lettuce don’t hold up well.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Savory BLT Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS
Salad
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 2 cup diced celery
- 1 4 cup sliced green onions
- 1 4 cup chopped fresh parsley.
Dressing
- 1 3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 4 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste.
Optional for serving
- sandwich bread
- croissants
- tortillas
- lettuce leaves
- sliced avocado
- shredded cheddar.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook and prep
- cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp about 10 to 12 minutes
- transfer to paper towels and cool then chop
- halve tomatoes and chop lettuce celery green onions and parsley
- shred or dice cooked chicken into bite size pieces.
Mix and chill
- whisk mayonnaise Greek yogurt lemon juice Dijon garlic powder pepper and salt until smooth
- add chicken bacon tomatoes lettuce celery green onions and parsley then fold gently to coat
- taste and adjust salt pepper and lemon juice
- chill 10 to 20 minutes for best texture then serve as a sandwich wrap or lettuce cups.
