Chopped Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
Easy Chopped Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad with crispy bacon, juicy chicken, sharp cheddar, and creamy ranch dressing — ready in 20 minutes and great for meal prep.
Equipment
- skillet
- cutting board
- large mixing bowl
- knife
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken works well
- 6 strips bacon cooked very crispy and chopped
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped washed and dried thoroughly
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- 0.25 cup red onion, finely diced
- 0.5 cup ranch dressing plus more to taste
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until very crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, let cool, and chop into small pieces.
- Chop or shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce, then chop into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Dice the cherry tomatoes and finely dice the red onion.
- Cube or shred the sharp cheddar cheese.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, chicken, bacon, cheddar, tomatoes, and red onion.
- Add the ranch dressing and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and add more dressing, salt, or pepper as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate without dressing for meal prep.
Notes
Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Cook bacon until very crispy and let cool before chopping. Add dressing right before serving if making ahead. Pat lettuce completely dry to avoid a watery salad.