Chicken and Bacon Salad:
If you are looking for an easy summer time meal to prep, then this chicken and bacon salad is where it is at! And what I love about this meal, is that it can be prepped ahead, and can be repurposed into a variety of different meals.
Ingredients you will need:
- Chicken breast (or a time saving hack is using a rotisserie chicken)
- Chicken bone broth
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Mayonaise
- Spicy brown mustard
- Red onions
- Cilantro
- Green onions
- Celery
- Cooked bacon
- Lemon juice
- Red wine vinegar
Preparing the Instant pot shredded chicken:
Making shredded chicken in the Instant pot is my go to. Because it is super easy and quick to do so. But if that is not your jam, feel free to pick up a store bought rotisserie chicken and shred it up.
Add the chicken breast, chicken bone broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, to the Instant pot. Mix it all up to make sure chicken is coated well. And then close the Instant pot, set to poultry setting for 15 minutes. Once it is done let the pressure release naturally, about 10 minutes.
Shredding or chopping chicken:
Once the chicken is done cooking, let it rest on the cutting board for a few minutes. And it is up to you on how you take the chicken in your salad. You can either shred it with two forks or chop it into bite size pieces.
Cooking the bacon:
And while the Instant pot chicken is cooking, prepare the bacon. Add bacon to a lined baking sheet and bake 400° F for about 20-25 minutes. But make sure to keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn. Because nobody likes burnt bacon! And once it is done baking, remove from the sheet, and pat the slices down with a paper towel, and chop it up.
Chopping up all the vegetables:
While the chicken and bacon are going, chop up all the necessary vegetables and herbs to be added to the chicken salad. Because the more you multitask the quicker everything will get done.
Putting the chicken salad together:
Once everything is done cooking, add everything to a large bowl, and mix it all up. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
What do I serve this chicken and bacon salad on?
There are a variety of ways you can serve this chicken and bacon salad. Either on lettuce wraps, in a sandwich, on top of a salad, or with some crackers. The possibilities are endless and it really just depends on your preference.
What is an alternative to mayonnaise, I hate it?
A great alternative is using avocado in place of mayonnaise. Try using 1/2 a large avocado and add more if needed.
I don’t have spicy brown mustard what else could I use?
Great alternatives is dijon mustard or regular mustard if you can’t find spicy brown mustard.
Can I meal prep this ahead of time?
This is a great option for meal prepping ahead of time. Because it needs to chill for at least an hour, it actually is better to meal prep it in advance.
How do I store it?
If meal prepping it for the work week, store in a glass airtight container. But if traveling with it, say to the beach, pool, or park, Stasher bags are a great option for placing in a cooler. Because it takes up less space in the cooler.
Chicken and Bacon Salad Wraps
Ingredients
Instant pot shredded chicken:
- 2 chicken breast
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Chicken salad:
- 2 Instant pot chicken breast shredded or rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
- 1/4 cup diced red onions
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 4-5 bacon slices cooked and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
Instant pot shredded chicken instructions:
- Add the bone broth, chicken breast, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and mix
- Close the Instant pot and set to poultry for 15 minutes
- Once done let pressure release naturally (10 minutes)
- Remove from pot and let cool for 10 minutes
- Shred with two forks and add to a medium bowl
Chicken salad:
- Add shredded chicken, chopped bacon, red onion, celery, cilantro, green onions, mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard, salt and pepper, garlic powder, to a medium bowl, and mix it all up
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill
- Serve on butter lettuce, on your favorite bread, in a salad, or with crackers