The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
This loaded chicken salad is the ultimate satisfying meal, packed with crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and tangy red onion. After making this countless times, I’ve discovered the secret to keeping it from getting soggy. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Homemade Oven Baked Chicken Legs and The Best Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken.
Why This The Best Loaded Chicken Salad Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy bacon adds a satisfying crunch
- Creamy avocado balances the tangy flavors
- Ready in just 20 minutes for a quick, satisfying meal
- Better than takeout and customizable with your favorite add-ins
What You'll Need for The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Rotisserie chicken
- Romaine lettuce
- Crispy bacon
- Avocado
- Red onion
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Optional: Shredded cheese
- Optional: Chopped hard-boiled eggs
- Optional: Sliced almonds
- Optional: Fresh parsley
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Rotisserie chicken: Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time. You'll need about 3 cups of shredded chicken.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Food processor — Speeds up prep time by easily chopping lettuce and bacon → See on Amazon
- Sharp kitchen knife — Ensures clean cuts and prevents avocado and onion from turning mushy → See on Amazon
How to Make The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
- Prepare ingredients: Shred chicken, chop lettuce, bacon, avocado, and red onion. Halve cherry tomatoes.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble salad: In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, chopped lettuce, bacon, avocado, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Pour dressing over the top and toss to combine.
- Serve: Divide loaded chicken salad among plates and top with desired optional toppings. Serve immediately.
Cook's Tips for Perfect The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
- Time-saving tip: Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Common mistake and fix: Avoid over-dressing the salad. Start with half the dressing and add more as needed to prevent a soggy salad.
- Customization tip: Add your favorite mix-ins like shredded cheese, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or sliced almonds for extra flavor and texture.
- Storage tip: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Dress the salad just before serving to keep it crisp.
Storing & Reheating The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Dress the salad just before serving to keep it crisp. Make-ahead tip: Prepare ingredients and dressing up to 1 day ahead. Combine just before serving.
Freezing The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
Not recommended for this dish.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: N/A Microwave: N/A
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise in the dressing.
- Best substitution: Substitute canned chicken for rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Make-ahead: Prepare ingredients and dressing up to 1 day ahead. Combine just before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe serves 4. To serve more, simply double or triple the ingredients.
- Troubleshooting: If your salad is too dry, add more dressing. If it's too wet, add more lettuce or serve it over a bed of greens.
Want to level up this recipe?
Salad spinner — Ensures crisp lettuce by removing excess water, preventing a soggy salad → Check price on Amazon
The Best Loaded Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Rotisserie chicken
- Romaine lettuce
- Crispy bacon
- Avocado
- Red onion
- Cherry tomatoes
Seasonings
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheese
- Chopped hard-boiled eggs
- Sliced almonds
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Shred chicken, chop lettuce, bacon, avocado, and red onion. Halve cherry tomatoes.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble salad: In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, chopped lettuce, bacon, avocado, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Pour dressing over the top and toss to combine.
- Serve: Divide loaded chicken salad among plates and top with desired optional toppings. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise in the dressing.
- Best substitution: Substitute canned chicken for rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
- Make-ahead: Prepare ingredients and dressing up to 1 day ahead. Combine just before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe serves 4. To serve more, simply double or triple the ingredients.
- Troubleshooting: If your salad is too dry, add more dressing. If it's too wet, add more lettuce or serve it over a bed of greens.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Dress the salad just before serving to keep it crisp.
- Freezer: Not recommended for this dish.
- Oven reheat: N/A
- Microwave reheat: N/A
- Make ahead: Prepare ingredients and dressing up to 1 day ahead. Combine just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 550
- Protein: 35g
- Fat: 38g
- Carbs: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Cholesterol: 105mg
- Sat. Fat: 7g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
The Best Loaded Chicken Salad FAQs
Yes, prepare ingredients and dressing up to 1 day ahead. Combine just before serving to keep it crisp.
Over-dressing the salad is the most common cause of a soggy salad. Start with half the dressing and add more as needed.
No, this recipe is not suitable for the air fryer. The air fryer is best for cooking foods that require high heat and crisping, like fries or wings.
Canned chicken or cooked chicken breasts can be used as a substitute for rotisserie chicken.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free. Be sure to check the labels on any store-bought ingredients to ensure they are certified gluten-free.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try The Best Loaded Chicken Salad and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
