The Ultimate BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado Feta Salad: Your New Favorite Healthy Meal
Say goodbye to boring salads and hello to a culinary masterpiece! This BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado & Feta Salad is not just a salad; it’s a vibrant, flavor-packed experience that takes the classic BLT sandwich and transforms it into an irresistible bowl of goodness. Forget the bread – with juicy, balsamic-marinated chicken, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, tangy feta, and a dressing so good it doubles as a marinade, you won’t miss a thing. This mega-loaded salad is truly heaven in a bowl, offering a satisfying meal that’s both healthy and incredibly delicious.
Imagine tender chicken, perfectly infused with a rich balsamic dressing, pan-fried to golden perfection. Add to that the smoky crunch of bacon, the freshness of crisp lettuce and ripe tomatoes, the buttery texture of avocado, and the salty kick of crumbled feta. Each bite is a symphony of textures and tastes, making this salad a standout dish that’s perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a quick weeknight dinner or a vibrant lunch. It’s designed to impress even the most discerning palates and convert any “anti-salad” skeptics!
The Secret Weapon: Our Dual-Purpose Balsamic Dressing and Marinade
While every component of this BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado & Feta Salad plays a crucial role, the balsamic dressing truly is a gift from the salad gods. What makes it so special? It’s a dual-purpose marvel! Half of this exquisite concoction is used to marinate the chicken, infusing it with deep, aromatic flavors before it even hits the pan. The other half is reserved to generously dress your freshly assembled salad, ensuring every leaf and ingredient is coated in pure deliciousness.
This isn’t just any balsamic dressing. Beyond the obvious rich balsamic vinegar and luxurious olive oil, prepare for your taste buds to be delighted by a carefully balanced blend of aromatic Italian herbs, a pungent kick of minced garlic, and a hint of sweet honey. The honey beautifully offsets the acidity of the balsamic, creating a perfectly rounded flavor profile that is both complex and incredibly satisfying. When you whisk it all together, it transforms into a mesmerizing “whirlpool of balsamic lava lamp” – a visual and gastronomic treat. You’ll find yourself reaching for this dressing again and again, not just for this salad, but for countless other culinary creations.
Making Meal Prep a Breeze with Flavorful Chicken
One of the many reasons this BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado & Feta Salad is a fan favorite is its incredible ease and efficiency. The dressing doubles as a marinade, streamlining your cooking process and ensuring maximum flavor with minimal effort. Simply coat your skinless, boneless chicken (thighs or breasts work wonderfully) in a portion of the dressing and let it soak up all those incredible flavors for just 10 minutes while you prepare the bacon. This short marinade time is enough to tenderize the chicken and imbue it with a depth of flavor that pan-frying then locks in.
Once marinated, the chicken is pan-fried to achieve that coveted crispy, golden-brown exterior while remaining incredibly tender and juicy on the inside. The balsamic marinade caramelizes slightly on the chicken, creating a fantastic crust that adds another layer of texture and taste to the salad. This method ensures your chicken isn’t just a protein component, but a star ingredient that elevates the entire dish. This simple yet effective step is what makes this salad so much more than just a mix of greens.
Assembling Your Epic BLT Salad Creation
Once your chicken is cooked and your bacon is perfectly crispy, it’s time to assemble your masterpiece. This salad is all about generous portions and a delightful abundance of fresh, high-quality ingredients. We believe that a truly satisfying salad is anything but “skimpy rabbit-food,” and this recipe delivers on that promise. Start with a generous base of mixed salad greens, Romaine, or Cos lettuce, providing that essential crisp freshness.
Layer in the vibrant colors and textures: juicy chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion for a slight bite, and the star additions that elevate it beyond a simple BLT. The creamy, rich slices of ripe avocado add healthy fats and a smooth contrast to the crispier elements. Then, it’s time to let it rain bacon and feta all over the place! The smoky, savory crunch of diced bacon pieces and the tangy, crumbly feta cheese are scattered liberally, ensuring a burst of flavor in every forkful. A final sprinkle of extra Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, followed by a generous drizzle of the remaining balsamic dressing, brings all the magnificent flavors together. This BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado & Feta Salad is a testament to how vibrant, hearty, and utterly delicious a healthy meal can be.
This salad defies the stereotype of bland, unsatisfying greens. It’s a meal designed to be substantial, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying, proving that healthy eating can be a truly indulgent experience. It’s so loaded with vibrant ingredients and rich flavors that you’ll feel completely nourished and content after every serving.
Why This BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado Feta Salad Will Become Your Go-To
We’ve heard from so many of you how much you’re loving our dressing/marinade salads, praising their convenience and how they’re making your lives easier. Some of you are even demanding more salads, and this BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado & Feta Salad is our answer – it will NOT disappoint! Just like our beloved Avocado and Salsa, this recipe has a magical way of winning over everyone, whether it’s your anti-salad husband, skeptical children, discerning family, or any friends and neighbors you might be sharing it with. That’s if you’re sharing, of course!
Beyond its crowd-pleasing taste, this salad offers incredible versatility. It’s naturally gluten-free and can easily be adapted for different dietary needs. Serve it as a light yet filling lunch, a robust dinner, or even as a vibrant side dish for a gathering. The fresh ingredients, lean protein, and healthy fats make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to eat well without sacrificing flavor. Its vibrant colors and inviting aroma make it a feast for all senses, promising a delightful culinary journey with every forkful.
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BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado Salad
Ingredients
Balsamic Dressing / Marinade:
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water or more oil if you wish
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to your tastes
- 4 skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets or breast fillets
Salad:
- 5 ounces bacon diced and trimmed of all fat
- 8 cups mixed salad lettuce leaves or Romaine or Cos lettuce leaves
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 pinch Italian seasoning extra
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch pepper to taste
Instructions
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Whisk balsamic dressing / marinade ingredients together until well combined. Pour 2-3 tablespoons into a shallow bowl. Add the chicken thighs and coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper; set aside for 10 minutes while the frying bacon.
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Fry bacon until crisp in a skillet over medium-high heat. Wipe pan over with paper towel.
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Cook chicken fillets until crisp and cooked through (about 7 minutes each side).
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Arrange all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Top with the bacon, chicken, avocado and sprinkle with feta, extra Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to your tastes. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
