July 28, 2016
BLT Chopped Salad with Chicken & Avocado
BLT Chopped Salad – easy and flavorful! Loaded with chicken, bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, white cheddar, arugula, and a basil pesto vinaigrette.
Alterations to this salad…
Add pasta for an amazing, fresh summer pasta salad.
You could use rotisserie chicken instead of grilled chicken. Or sub out the grilled chicken for steak or salmon. I love this frozen salmon from Costco. And this sliced beef sirloin.
Add corn for more sweetness. Add hard boiled eggs for extra protein.
You could use a different dressing, like balsamic. But I love the basil and tomato flavor combo.
What to serve with this BLT Chopped Salad…
It’s totally a meal on it’s own.
But you could also serve this with our perfect 30-minute baked sweet potatoes. Or our tuscan herb artisan bread for a deconstructed BLT!
BLT Chopped Salad
Easy and flavorful! Loaded with chicken, bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, white cheddar, arugula, and a basil pesto vinaigrette.
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Servings: 2
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the salad:
- 6 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3-4 strips thick cut bacon, cooked to crispy and crumbled
- 1/2 cup diced white cheddar cheese
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
For the vinaigrette:
- Combine all the ingredients for the basil vinaigrette in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
For the salad:
- Preheat the grill to medium. You can use a grill plate if you don’t have a grill.
- Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Grill the chicken. Cook for 3 minutes and then flip and cook for 3-4 more minutes until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In two medium bowls, add the arugula, tomatoes, bacon, and avocados. Top with the grilled chicken and serve with the basil vinaigrette drizzled on top and sprinkled with chives.
