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I made this last night for family as a quick last minute meal was in order. It was a hit! Everyone loved it! Lucky for me there was just enough for my lunch today 🙂
Reporting live from vacay!
And breaking news: as of our arrival yesterday, the beaches of North Carolina have re-invented my ideal vacation. Right now I’m gazing out the wrap-around bank of picture windows in this big ol’ beach house, taking in the long grass + old wood stairs + white sand + the white caps rolling in with that awesomely hypnotic ocean sound that puts you in a relaxation-trance. There’s an orange sun rising on the far side of the water and a few wispy clouds in the sky. Mmmk that’ll be just fine.
The quick story on this trip is that my sisters and I are all celebrating our golden birthday this year, and ever since we were little people running around the yard in ballerina skirts and cowboy boots, my parents have said that this would be the year that we would take a big family trip. Since that time, our family has added three siblings, three husbands/boyfriends, and one brand new baby… so here we are, all those years later, taking that golden birthday trip as a party of 12.
Fun times, you guys. Big family chaos and joy.
I happen to be really skilled at stalking my real life and internet friends’ vacation pictures online, so if you are like me and you want to follow along this week with beach vacay pics, the best place to catch them is on Instagram! And if you’re already following me on Instagram but you’re not into the vacation pictures kind of thing, I’ve made a pact that I’m only going to post 174 photos a day, so don’t even worry about it.
One of the great things about vacation is all the yummy food. Including fresh salads that are loaded with the world’s most yummy combo of chicken, bacon, and avocado. PS. California? In my mind everyone who lives in California is perpetually eating chicken-bacon-avocado-something. Or at the very least, an avocado. And bacon, because, well, duh.
Also possible: all the rest of the world is eating chicken bacon avocado so they can call their meals “California”.
Either way. It’s good food that associates you with a hip state, so win-win.
I first made this salad because I had so much asparagus leftover from this lemon pepper chicken and asparagus and I was looking for an excuse to eat more of it. I tossed it on my salad on a whim, straight out of the fridge, completely cold, and it was completely good. But then I ate all the cold stuff, so the next time I did it with the asparagus roasted just before serving and then we had that great hot-cold salad thing going on.
The combo of salty and crunchy and creamy is overwhelmingly yum. And the freshness of the basil and the beauty of the roasted asparagus –> things just went to the next level.
I would also like to take a minute to reflect on how good this week’s avocados were. There is nothing that sends me into the depths of despair more than carefully choosing produce (think peaches, avocados, and mangoes) only to cut into them and find sour//bitter//dry//hard as a rock. So when it works, there is no shortage of joy. You better believe those creamy green slices are eaten straight off the spoon.
I put one avocado on the ingredient list, but what I really meant was that you should buy 5.
Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad with Roasted Asparagus recap:
- Crunchy.
- Salty.
- Bowl o’ freshness.
- Filling.
- Fast.
- Pretty.
- Simple.
- “California.”
- Hot or cold.
- Big family vacation rocks.
Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad with Roasted Asparagus
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad with Roasted Asparagus is so simple and full of fresh flavor! One of my new favorites! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 8 slices good quality thick bacon (smoked is yummy)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups chopped asparagus
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning (more to taste)
- 4 cups spinach, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
- 8 ounces chicken breast slices (I get it from the deli counter)
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
- 1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
- fresh basil for topping
Instructions
- Fry the bacon according to package directions (I go for crispy on this one). Drain on a paper towel lined plate and crumble or chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over high heat. Add the asparagus, sprinkle with lemon pepper, and saute until golden brown and roasty-looking. I like the little charred pieces so I cooked it a little longer – you can cook for as long as you like depending on how you like your asparagus.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Layer the spinach, chicken, asparagus, and bacon. Cut the avocado into slices and scoop out with a spoon; arrange over the top of the salad. Drizzle or toss with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top with fresh basil, salt and pepper.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken salad, salad recipe, chicken and bacon
Happy Vacay! You totally deserve it!
This salad is my new favorite evah, without even trying it. It’s like a low carb version of a BLT, except it’s more BLA (?) Which I am totally digging! Pinned 🙂
Have fun!
That salad looks amazing!
Have a great vacation, both of you. I’m pretty impressed how you’ve still managed to schedule a post being out of your usual workspace and amid family chaos!
Thanks Farah! I’ve loaded up some photos and recipes into the queue so I can just write the post “on location” which is awesome!
Wow this sounds so good! I love asparagus and hot-cold salads so I’m definitely going to try making this. I think I’ll sub in some tofu and smoked tempeh for a vegan version. Thanks for the fantastic recipe and have fun on your vacation!!
Sounds awesome! Thanks Brittany!
Avocados have been so hit-or-miss lately! I’ve gotten more than one that felt ripe on the outside and were yellow-ish and chunky and made the ugliest, most unrecognizable guac ever. I’ve taken to buying them in batches of 2 or 3 just in case.
That avo is beautiful! We love them and they are thankfully starting to come back into season here. Beautiful salad!
A favorite salad. And yes, I do eat avocado daily and am thankful to live in CA and be a native. Avocados amok everything extra good and they are sooooooo good for you! I do a similar salad and call it a California Cobb. I use turkey bacon, which I have figured out is best baked in the oven, No trying or fry mess. I would love to go to the Carolina’s and experience the iconic view you are sharing. It’s sound so peaceful and beautiful, something I need right now. Hey, So Cal beaches have their beauty too, just very different than the east coast. Enjoy Lindsay and savor every moment with you family!
I envy your abundance of avocados Sally! 🙂
Oh yea, I’m lovin this.
How many people would this serve?
thanks
4 people.
Your vacation sounds great! Hope you have an amazing time. And this salad – yum! What an absolutely perfect salad. I love avocado and asparagus, and of course what could be bad when bacon is involved!!
Enjoy the vacation and don’t work too hard! We just got back from one a few weeks ago and it just now feels like we’re settling back in.
Yes, we in California DO eat like this year-round! LOL. Well, in the middle of (our historic low 23 degree) winters the produce is not abundant and often from overseas. We are blessed to live in the Central Valley with local asparagus (99 cents a pound!), strawberries down my street, and just about any fresh “farm to fork” products you desire. Visiting my kids near Charlotte, NC I was shocked by the dearth of quality fresh items. I couldn’t cut a granny smith apple in two with a knife, and the 5# can of green beans were on sale. Eek. What blessings we take for granted. Enjoy your vacation while I crunch down on this and related salads. Waiting for the 4′ tall tomato plants to fruit! Nothing like fresh from the garden ‘maters.
Sounds amazing Wendy!
Looks amazing!! And also, I would totally be trashing it up with about 10 more avocados haha – I just can’t get enough!! Looks delicious though!
Firstly, you lucky thing blogging from a holiday destination! Secondly, this recipe is so innovative and refreshing, I really need to start experimenting with my food a bit more and I’m thinking of starting by trying avocado for the very first time! Great post!
http://findmethoseheels.blogspot.co.uk/
x
You will LUV IT.
Haha…I live in San Diego and yes we eat tons of avocados. Wouldn’t you if you lived 30 miles from Mexico where there’s an abundance? I mean really – they are a superfood. We’re so lucky :)) This salad looks simple yet incredibly yummy.
Yay! I’m right. And now I’m moving to California.
I think I might be tempted to elbow a few family members out of the way in order to get plenty of this salad. Looks and sounds absolutely scrumptious!
Glad you are having a great vacation! Yay for vacations! 🙂
Love love love this! I adore roasted asparagus! How fabulous to pair it all with avocado!
Are you coming over to Ocracoke? You MUST MUST MUST go to Eduardo’s Taco stand. You will love him and his food. Fresh, creative, and simply amazing. Tropical taco – I could live on it with chicken enchiladas thrown in now and then. I live here, and I hope you visit!
Carol Pahl
Sounds amazing Carol! I’ll have to see how far that is from where we are. Thanks for the tip!
Funny you mentioned this.
We went to Putah Creek Café in Winters CA yesterday. I had the California Omelet. Avocado, bacon and Monterey jack. Delicious! 🙂
I definitely would love this salad.
YESSS. California represent.
This looks so incredibly yummy and I can’t wait to try it!!
xx Sarah | Loser Girl Wins
Have a great vacation Lindsay and Bjork. You guys deserve it more than anyone else. Your salad looks beautiful and I bet it tastes as good as it looks on the picture 😉
So many of my favorite foods, all in one salad! Love it!
That’s cause you’re a California girl now, Emily! 😉
Haha, you are cracking me up about CA! It is so true! Actually, I was an avocado lover even before I moved here, and now I am in heaven:) Housing may be expensive here, but at least avocados are cheap 🙂
I tried to copy and past this picture, but it didn’t work. This will give you an idea of just how awesome avocado prices are here:
Awesome, right!!
This salad looks perfect by the way. I am definitely pinning this, and will be making it asap!
It’s a trade-off, right? I’d take the avocados any day. 🙂
Lindsay, this salad looks so so good and healthy!
I’ve been on the hunt for new salads. I always get really into them every spring because there is so much great fresh produce available.