• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Totes In My Lunchbox
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • All Recipes
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Lunch Salads

    Best Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad (Low Carb)

    Author: admin | Published: Aug 8, 2022 | Modified: Oct 5, 2022

    • Facebook
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This bacon chicken ranch salad is amazingly versatile, and just bursting with flavors. Great stuffed into lettuce leaves for a light but filling lunchbox option, or in a wrap or sandwich for something more substantial. Make a big batch at the start of the week and use it in so many different ways, either for a quick lunch, or a main dish salad. No more boring salads here!

    Bacon ranch chicken salad stuffed into a gem lettuce leaf
    Serving this delicious chicken salad into a lettuce leaf makes for a great light lunch.

    🥗 Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad

    Before jumping to the recipe please note that the below information contains HOT TIPS for this recipe. We try and answer all your questions to guarantee a perfect lunchbox recipe every time.

    Jump to:
    • 🥗 Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
    • 🧂 Ingredients You Need
    • 📋 How To Make This Chicken Salad
    • 💭 Important Teaching Tips
    • 📖 Optional Extras
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Meal Prep Tips
    • 🍽 Serving Suggestions
    • 🍱 What Else To Include In The Lunchbox
    • 👪 Frequently Asked Questions
    • The Best Bacon Chicken Ranch Salad

    If you need a treat to add to your lunchbox to go with your bacon chicken salad then try out these two-bite chocolate brownie muffins. The perfect little bite of sweetness to satisfy that afternoon craving.

    You are going to LOVE this bacon chicken ranch salad recipe. It is so easy to make and is super versatile. I love to make a big batch at the start of the week and use it in everything from lettuce wraps, actual wraps, chicken pasta salad, and chicken bacon sliders. Even the kiddos love it, making it perfect for the entire family.

    🧂 Ingredients You Need

    There’s nothing fancy about this savory chicken salad recipe unless you follow a whole30 diet, in which case you will want to track down some specialty ingredients I have listed for you below.

    You will need:

    • boneless skinless chicken breasts: these can be organic and free range/RSPCA approved if that is something that is important to you. Look for chicken breasts that are similar in size so that they cook evenly. Alternatively, you can use leftover chicken breasts, leftover rotisserie chicken, or chicken thighs cooked in a similar fashion.
    • bacon: Here in Australia, I tend to use the short-cut bacon rounds which come without the added fat. If you are in the US you might want to look for Canadian bacon. The aim is to have super crispy bacon that can be crumbled in with the rest of the ingredients, so choose appropriately.
    • creamy Greek yogurt: you will want full-fat Greek yogurt to make sure this salad is super creamy. Alternatively, you can use a mayonnaise of preference, or some ranch dressing.
    • chicken broth: this is used to deglaze the pan, so only a little is needed.
    • celery ribs: try to cut these into smallish pieces to ensure the salad is easy to eat.
    • ranch seasoning
    • kosher salt
    • freshly cracked black pepper
    • Butter or gem lettuce, for serving: this is completely optional, but my favorite way to serve this yummy salad.
    Overhead ingredient shot of all ingredients required for a chicken and bacon ranch salad

    📋 How To Make This Chicken Salad

    This salad is super easy to put together and will be ready in no time at all.

    To start with you will want to cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally. This is an important step as it helps to reduce the cooking time and ensures the chicken all cooks evenly.

    Set the chicken aside and cook the bacon until nice and crispy.

    Now for another important step. We are going to cook the chicken over medium heat in the bacon fat. You do not want to toss that fat and use some oil instead, as using the bacon fat is the perfect way to add extra flavor to the chicken. Trust me on this one.

    3 slices of bacon cooking in a saucepan
    Cook the bacon until crispy.
    a chicken breast sliced in half and being cooked in a saucepan
    Cook the chicken in the bacon fat.

    Another important step: deglaze the pan with some chicken broth after you have removed the cooked chicken. This is crucial as it adds so much extra flavor to the chicken salad. Do not miss this step!

    Once everything is cooked and you have cold bacon and cold chicken, it’s just a matter of crumbling the bacon, chopping the chicken, and tossing them into a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

    All of the ingredients for a chicken and bacon salad added to a large glass bowl
    Crumble bacon, chop chicken and mix everything together.
    Chicken salad ingredients combined in a large bowl
    Mix until well combined and chicken is covered in ranch dressing.

    Too easy!

    For more detailed instructions please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

    💭 Important Teaching Tips

    Pro tip: slicing the chicken breasts in half reduces the cooking time in half and makes sure that the chicken breasts cook evenly. Try to make sure the breasts are cut to similar sizes as well.

    The best method for checking the doneness of the chicken is by using a meat thermometer. It should reach 165F (80C) when cooked through. Remove the chicken just before it reaches this temperature as the internal temperature of the chicken will continue to rise once it has been removed from the heat. This will help to keep it nice and moist and prevent it from drying out.

    Lots of lettuce leaves filled with a creamy chicken salad and served on a wooden chopping board
    Optional: serve salad in small lettuce leaves.

    📖 Optional Extras

    I use this recipe as a base and make additions depending on what I have in the fridge. Why not try adding:

    • finely chopped red onion
    • finely sliced green onions
    • grated cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese
    • chopped bell pepper
    • chopped fresh veggies like cooked sweet corn for a bit of sweetness and crunch
    • steamed and chopped broccoli florets
    • a little bit of sour cream replacing some of the mayonnaise for a flavor twist
    • a squirt of lemon juice
    • some chopped fresh herbs

    Use what you have on hand to make yourself a delicious lunch that ticks all of your boxes.

    Creamy chicken salad served in a lettuce leaf with a hand holding it and a bite having been taken
    Creamy and delicious, this chicken salad ticks all the boxes.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Meal Prep Tips

    This chicken ranch salad can be meal prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 3-5 days if the salad and the lettuce leaves are stored properly in separate airtight containers.

    🍽 Serving Suggestions

    There are so many different options when it comes to using this bacon ranch chicken salad recipe! My personal favorite is stuffing the chicken salad into a lettuce wrap to keep it nice and light, however, you can also try it:

    • on top of a bed of salad greens
    • on top of some tortilla chips for bacon chicken ranch nachos
    • on top of a pizza for some chicken bacon ranch pizza or flatbread
    • loaded on top of some wild rice and shredded lettuce for a fun chicken bacon ranch bowl
    • in some mini buns for chicken bacon ranch sliders, or
    • stuffed between some bread or in a wrap for something more traditional
    Little lettuce leaves full of chicken ranch salad and served on a wooden chopping board

    🍱 What Else To Include In The Lunchbox

    Alongside this chicken bacon salad, I would add some fresh fruit, a little baked treat (like the Ultimate Two Bite Chocolate Brownie Muffins), a handful of cashews, and a little chia pudding like this lemon and vanilla chia pudding.

    Lunchbox perfection if you ask me!

    👪 Frequently Asked Questions

    How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?

    Chicken salad should last about 3-5 days in the fridge if stored correctly.

    How long can chicken salad sit out in a lunchbox?

    If not a super hot day then chicken salad should last about 2 hours without refrigeration. If you will be taking this to work or school you will only want to be doing this if you have access to a fridge once you get there. In warmer weather adding an ice pack to the lunchbox would be a good idea while traveling to work or school to maintain a cool temperature.

    If you thought this was a great recipe then be sure to leave a star rating on the recipe card or leave a comment below the recipe card.

    A bacon and chicken ranch salad with mayo stuffed into a gem lettuce leaf on a wooden background
    Print Recipe

    The Best Bacon Chicken Ranch Salad

    This bacon chicken ranch salad is amazingly versatile, and just bursting with flavors. Great stuffed into lettuce leaves for a light but filling lunchbox option, or in a wrap or sandwich for something more substantial. Make a big batch at the start of the week and use it in so many different ways, either for a quick lunch, or a main dish salad. No more boring salads here!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Active Time20 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bacon chicken ranch salad, chicken salad, ranch salad
    Yield: 4 serves
    Calories: 293kcal

    Materials

    • 1 lb (500g) boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally
    • 6 slices bacon
    • ¼ cup chicken broth
    • ½ cup Greek yogurt (see notes)
    • 2 celery ribs diced
    • 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning
    • kosher salt to taste
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • butter or gem lettuce to serve

    Instructions

    • Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally
    • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon and place it on a plate lined with paper towels.
      6 slices bacon
    • Keeping the pan on the heat, add in the chicken and season with salt and pepper whilst cooking. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through to 165F or 80C.
      1 lb (500g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
    • Remove the chicken from the pan and allow it to cool.
    • While the pan is still hot, add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the chicken bits on the bottom of the pan.
      ¼ cup chicken broth
    • Chop the cooled chiken into bite-sized pieces and crumble the bacon or chop the bacon into small pieces.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, add the chicken, bacon, broth mixture, Greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, and celery. Give everything a good stir until it is all combined and the chicken is coated in the yogurt mixture.
      ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning, 2 celery ribs
    • Season with salt and pepper to your liking and serve on top of butter lettuce leaves.
      kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

    Notes

    Alternatives To Greek Yogurt
    To keep things lighter I use Greek yogurt mixed with some ranch seasoning.
    You could also sub in a mayonnaise of choice if preferred or you could use ranch dressing.
    Storing
    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
    If packing in a lunchbox be sure you will have access to refrigeration as chicken should not be out of the fridge for more than two hours. Packing an ice pack in the lunchbox is always a good idea with cold salads when transporting to work or school.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
    Best chicken bacon ranch salad pin

    More Lunch Salads

    • Chickpea pasta salad served on a white plate with fresh basil leaves and lemon on the side
      Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Macaroni vegetable salad served on a white plate with a pale pink linen underneath it
      Deli Style Macaroni Pasta Salad With Egg
    • Creamy dragon fruit waldorf salad with grapes served on top of lettuce leaves on a textured plate
      Creamy Dragon Fruit Waldorf Salad Recipe With Grapes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Donna!

    Move over boring old ham and cheese sandwiches, we are all about revolutionizing the modern lunchbox with fun and creative lunch options everyone will be excited to eat.

    From cute bento boxes to healthier instant noodles, you will find recipes that will have everyone in the family waiting to dig in.

    Get ready for those lunchboxes to come home empty.

    More about me →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    Copyright © 2022 Totes In My Lunchbox.