Our Favorite Rotisserie Chicken Salad
User Reviews
5
Our Favorite Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Description
Our Favorite Rotisserie Chicken Salad highlights the savory meatiness of pulled rotisserie chicken paired with sweet grilled corn and the creaminess of avocado. Chopped Medjool dates provide bursts of sweetness, while pickled onions add a tangy bite. Crumbled goat cheese enriches the salad with its creamy and slightly tangy profile, balanced by the crunch of toasted sliced almonds. The hot bacon dressing, made by frying bacon and infusing the bacon fat with garlic, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and seasonings, adds a warm, tangy, and slightly sweet element that contrasts with the fresh ingredients.
The salad is built by tossing the spring greens with a bit of salt and pepper, then layering on the chopped chicken, grilled corn kernels, chopped dates, goat cheese, pickled onions, and almonds. Slices of avocado are added just before serving to preserve their texture and taste. The hot bacon dressing is drizzled over last, providing a rich warmth that slightly wilts the greens and intensifies the salad’s flavors. This combination creates a complex blend of textures and tastes, from crunchy to creamy and fresh to savory.
While this salad is flavorful on its own, it can be served as a main course or alongside crusty bread. The combination of protein, vegetables, and nuts makes it filling and suitable for a light lunch or dinner. The pickled onions and dates allow for some preparation ahead of time, making it convenient for entertaining or meal prep. Grilled or leftover corn can be used depending on season and availability.
Ingredients
- 2 corn grilled (roughly 1 cup of corn, ears
- 12 to 16 ounces spring greens as much as you like!
- 1 rotisserie chicken meat pulled and chopped (again, use as much or as little as you like here!
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 6 Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup onion pickled
- ¼ cup almonds toasted, if you wish, sliced
hot bacon dressing
- 3 lices Bacon
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Note: if you want to make the pickled onions, I suggest making them the night before or doing it an hour or so before assembling and eating the salad. I also suggest making the dressing first and letting it stay warm on the stovetop.
- Be sure to grill the corn as a first step if you want it grilled too! This is also a great recipe to use leftover grilled corn on the cob. You can use any kind of corn here that you like.
- Since this salad calls for a lot of chopped ingredients, I chop the chicken, dates and corn off the cob first. I measure out goat cheese and almonds.
- Toss the spring greens in a large bowl with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Assemble your salad by adding on the chicken, corn, dates, goat cheese, onions and almonds. Add on the avocado right before serving. Drizzle everything with the hot bacon dressing and eat!
hot bacon dressing
- Fry the bacon in a skillet until it’s browned and crispy, reserving the bacon fat for the dressing. Of course, you can do this ahead of time and store the bacon fat in the fridge! If you use very lean bacon, you may need an extra piece or 2 to get the 3 tablespoons.
- Add the bacon fat, minced garlic, vinegar, sugar and mustard to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the dressing slightly emulsifies. Season with the salt and pepper. Before serving, add in the crumbled bacon. You can keep this over low heat while stirring occasionally until ready to serve. You can also store it in the fridge. I suggest reheating it in a saucepan. This is the combo I’ve come to love over the years, but you can experiment with different vinegars, more bacon fat and other spices too!
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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