By Becky Hardin
Published Jan 12, 2023
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad is easy to make and great either all by itself, or sandwiched between two buns! Chicken, bacon, celery, and green onions come together in a creamy and flavorful ranch blend to create the best bite every time.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
It’s impossible to have just one bite of this chicken salad. You know when a recipe features the words “ranch” and “bacon,” it’s gonna be so good. This easy-to-make recipe isn’t just delicious, it’s downright addictive.
You can eat this ranch and bacon chicken salad all by itself, tossed on top of a bed of leafy greens, or sandwiched between two ciabatta rolls! Honestly, there’s no bad way to enjoy this undeniably good recipe. You’re going to love this protein-packed lunch or quick dinner option.
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Salad Recipe:
- Easy: This easy recipe comes together in just under 20 minutes . The steps are short, simple, and basically foolproof!
- Flavor-Packed: It’s not just the ranch and bacon that lend a great amount of flavor to this chicken salad. There’s also some garlic and onion powder to make things even more drool-worthy.
- Creamy : The ranch dressing and mayo work in tandem to create the most perfect creamy consistency for this chicken salad.
Quick Lunch
Pack up a few of these chicken salad sandwiches and bring them to your next picnic for the best lunch ever. You can also meal prep the bacon ranch chicken salad, keep it in the fridge, and make sandwiches to bring to work all week.
Or whip them up as a last-minute dinner that the whole family will love, and beg for over and over again for the following days!
How to Make Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cook and crumble the bacon.
- Whisk together the ranch, mayo, and seasonings.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Serve and enjoy!
Bacon ranch chicken salad is a delightful riff on classic chicken salad . It contains cooked cubed chicken, crumbled bacon, ranch dressing, mayonnaise, green onions, and celery!
Generally speaking, no, this is not a “healthy” recipe. It does contain a high amount of protein, but it is also high in saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium. Enjoy bacon ranch chicken salad in moderation!
Absolutely! You can use any leftover cooked chicken you have on hand, including canned chicken!
It’s best to enjoy this chicken salad within 3 days! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to retain its freshness.
I do not recommend freezing this chicken salad, as the mayonnaise will separate when thawed, changing the texture of the chicken salad.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re serving this chicken salad for lunch, you’ll want to pair it with a little something like this:
- Avocado Fries
- Ranch Potato Salad
- Panera Mac and Cheese
- Crockpot Chex Mix
- Homemade Gardetto’s Snack Mix
Fresh fruit and/or veggies on the side is another great pairing for these bacon ranch chicken salad sandwiches. They’re also pretty tasty and filling all on their own!
Make Ahead Instructions
You can cook the bacon up to 1 day in advance, store it in the refrigerator, and crumble it when ready to use.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover bacon ranch chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy cold. I do not recommend freezing bacon ranch chicken salad.
Variations
- You can use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of diced chicken.
- Feel free to add in chopped onion, avocado, or hard-boiled eggs for a richer chicken salad.
Make It A Meal
- Serve this bacon ranch chicken salad on a ciabatta roll, croissant, or wrap for chicken salad sandwiches.
- Make it into a chicken salad melt by adding a slice of cheese and microwaving or baking until melted.
- Add it to a salad for a hearty lunch!
- Serve it with chips or crackers as an appetizer.
MoreChickenSalad RecipesWe Love
- Chicken Salad Sandwiches
- Healthy Chicken Salad Sliders
- Mexican Chicken Salad Sandwiches
- Chicken Salad Pie
This chicken salad made with bacon and creamy ranch is picky-eater-approved, budget-friendly, and packed with protein and plenty of flavor. It’s great to serve as a midday lunch or as a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Did I mention there’s bacon?!
More 30-Minute Dinner Recipes to Try:
- Ramen Cups (Instant Ramen Noodles)
- Smothered Pork Chops
- Tuna Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Shrimp and Grits
- BLT Sandwich
- Taco Salad
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (about ½-inch cubes)
- ▢ 4 slices bacon
- ▢ ⅓ cup ranch dressing store-bought or homemade
- ▢ ⅓ cup mayonnaise store-bought or homemade
- ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ▢ 2 green onions sliced
- ▢ 1 rib celery diced
- ▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ▢ Ciabatta rolls optional, for sandwiches
- ▢ Romaine lettuce leaves optional, for sandwiches
Video
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Let cool slightly. 4 slices bacon
- Once cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and onion powder together. ⅓ cup ranch dressing, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Add in the chicken, green onions, celery, and cooked bacon. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 3 cups cooked chicken, 2 green onions, 1 rib celery, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Assemble as sandwiches with romaine and lots of chicken salad, if desired. Ciabatta rolls, Romaine lettuce leaves
Becky’s Tips
- You can use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of diced chicken.
- Feel free to add in chopped onion, avocado, or hard-boiled eggs for a richer chicken salad.
- Serve this bacon ranch chicken salad on a ciabatta roll, croissant, or wrap for chicken salad sandwiches.
- Make it into a chicken salad melt by adding a slice of cheese and microwaving or baking until melted.
- Add it to a salad for a hearty lunch!
- Serve it with chips or crackers as an appetizer.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (about ½-inch cubes)
- 4 slices bacon
- ⅓ cup ranch dressing store-bought or homemade
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise store-bought or homemade
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 rib celery diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Ciabatta rolls optional, for sandwiches
- Romaine lettuce leaves optional, for sandwiches
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Let cool slightly. 4 slices bacon
- Once cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and onion powder together. ⅓ cup ranch dressing, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Add in the chicken, green onions, celery, and cooked bacon. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 3 cups cooked chicken, 2 green onions, 1 rib celery, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Assemble as sandwiches with romaine and lots of chicken salad, if desired. Ciabatta rolls, Romaine lettuce leaves
Video
Notes
- You can use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of diced chicken.
- Feel free to add in chopped onion, avocado, or hard-boiled eggs for a richer chicken salad.
- Serve this bacon ranch chicken salad on a ciabatta roll, croissant, or wrap for chicken salad sandwiches.
- Make it into a chicken salad melt by adding a slice of cheese and microwaving or baking until melted.
- Add it to a salad for a hearty lunch!
- Serve it with chips or crackers as an appetizer.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
