Name: Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Shredded chicken ((~8 oz cooked, or 10-11 oz before cooking)); 4 slices Cooked bacon; 6 oz Romaine lettuce ((chopped; ~4 cups)); 1 cup Cherry tomatoes ((cut in half)); 3/4 cup Cucumbers ((cut into half or quarter moons)); 1/4 cup Red onion ((sliced into thin quarter moons)); 1 medium Avocado ((diced)); 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese ((shredded)); 1/2 cup Ranch dressing

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In This Post

My Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad Will Have You Eating More Salads
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
My Recipe Tips
Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad Recipe card
More Meal Salad Recipes
Recipe Reviews

My Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad Will Have You Eating More Salads

I took inspiration for this chicken bacon ranch salad from my chicken bacon ranch casserole, a.k.a. my most popular casserole ever. Instead of being warm and cheesy, this one has a cool and creamy vibe, and I love it just as much. Here’s why I think you will, too:

Family approved flavors – I’ve made this bacon ranch chicken salad like 100 times without measuring, but I finally took the time to dial in the exact ratios. We had it for dinner recently, and even my elementary-age kids happily ate a full 2-cup serving each.
Ready in just 10 minutes – If you have leftover chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing, this recipe comes together in just 10 minutes. It’s one of those easy meals I throw together when I need something quick and fresh, but also need to clean out my fridge.
Perfect for meal prep – This is one of my go-to healthy lunches, and a lot like a heartier version of my BLT salad. It also works really well layered into mason jar salads for grab-and-go meals.

When I get bored with salads, this chicken bacon ranch salad always brings me back to eating more of them. Make it with me!

Fresh, crunchy, and creamy chicken bacon ranch salad in a bowl.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken bacon ranch salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Shredded Chicken – You can also use diced oven baked chicken breast, air fryer chicken breast, or simply shred a rotisserie chicken. The ranch dressing clings to every little crevice, so for this reason I prefer shredded over diced or sliced chicken in this recipe.
Cooked Bacon – I usually make my bacon in the air fryer or on the stove for this chicken bacon ranch salad, since you only need 4 slices. You can also do microwave bacon or cook a larger batch of bacon in the oven if you want more for later. For a lighter option, turkey bacon works here, too.
Romaine Lettuce – My go-to crisp, fresh base. Feel free to use any greens you like, such as iceberg, butter lettuce, spinach, or even spring mix.
Fresh Veggies – I use cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and avocado. You can easily add or swap in other veggies, like bell peppers, corn, mushrooms, green onions, or celery.
Cheddar Cheese – I like using sharp cheddar for the most flavor, but any shredded cheese works here. Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or even a little mozzarella are all great options.
Ranch Dressing – I’ve made this chicken bacon ranch salad with my homemade ranch, my new yogurt ranch recipe, as well as store-bought. All are delicious — as long as you like the ranch you picked, of course. It really shines here, so choose one you love! My favorite when I don’t have time to make my own is the kind in the refrigerated section near the produce, as these are usually tastier (and cleaner ingredients) than the ones in the aisles at room temperature.

Labeled recipe ingredients: Shredded chicken, cooked bacon, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, avocado, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing.

How To Make Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Prep the chicken and bacon. If you don’t already have them ready, cook the chicken and bacon using your preferred method, then chop or shred as needed. (Air fried bacon and Instant Pot chicken both cook in about 10 minutes, so they’re my favorite methods!)

Make the ranch. If you’re not using store-bought, whip up my 5-minute homemade ranch dressing with mayo and sour cream, or yogurt ranch for a lighter option. For both, you’ll need basic pantry staples, including dried dill, parsley, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Build the salad. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, avocado, bacon, and cheese. I like to add everything except the chicken first, so it stays fresh.
Toss and serve. Add the chicken bacon ranch salad dressing and the chicken, then toss. Enjoy!

Drizzling ranch dressing over the salad.

Chicken bacon ranch salad tossed together with tongs.

My Recipe Tips

Cut the veggies all the same size. I usually slice cherry tomatoes in half, and cut cucumbers into either half moons or quarter moons depending on their size. Onions taste best sliced thin, so they don’t overpower any bite.
Warm your leftover chicken if needed. If it’s cold from the fridge, I usually gently heat it in the microwave or on the stove with a little broth to keep it juicy.
If not serving immediately, save the avocado for last. That way it stays fresh and doesn’t get mushy or brown. If you don’t want to use the whole avocado, I love this special container for storing leftover halves.
Variation: Add hard boiled eggs for extra protein and richness. It gives this a bit of a Cobb salad vibe, which I love, but it does add another step, so I kept them out of this chicken bacon ranch salad recipe base.

Recipe Card

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Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

My chicken bacon ranch salad is loaded with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, fresh veggies, and creamy dressing. A quick & easy lunch or dinner!

Prep: 10 minutes

Total: 10 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

1 1/2 cups Shredded chicken (~8 oz cooked, or 10-11 oz before cooking) ▢
4 slices Cooked bacon ▢
6 oz Romaine lettuce (chopped; ~4 cups) ▢
1 cup Cherry tomatoes (cut in half) ▢
3/4 cup Cucumbers (cut into half or quarter moons) ▢
1/4 cup Red onion (sliced into thin quarter moons) ▢
1 medium Avocado (diced) ▢
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese (shredded) ▢
1/2 cup Ranch dressing (or Greek yogurt ranch for a lighter option) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

If you don't already have shredded chicken and cooked bacon, the fastest ways to make them are my Instant Pot chicken breast recipe and air fryer bacon recipe.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, avocado, bacon, and shredded cheese.
Pour the ranch dressing over the salad and use tongs to toss together.
Optional step: If your chicken is cold and not freshly made, heat it gently in the microwave, or on the stove with a little broth.
Add the chicken to the salad right before serving and toss again.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

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Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 2 cups

Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best flavor and texture in this chicken bacon ranch salad, plus a variation I make sometimes.
Storage & meal prep: Like most salads, this one is best fresh, but it keeps in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. For meal prep, you can precook the chicken and bacon, and chop the veggies (except avocado) in advance. Store them separately, or you can layer them in mason jars with the dressing on the bottom. Shake or pour into a bowl to toss!

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 495

Fat 41.6g

Protein 21.8g

Total Carbs 10.3g

Net Carbs 5.3g

Fiber 5g

Sugar 2.6g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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