Whole30 Chicken Salad

Our Whole30 Chicken Salad recipe is packed with vibrant colors and fresh ingredients. This salad is the epitome of clean eating. My Whole30 salad combines tender chicken with crisp vegetables and an amazingly creamy and delicious dressing, all while staying true to the principles of whole, unprocessed ingredients. Get ready to indulge in a bowl of culinary delight that’s as good for your body as it is for your palate.

Making gorgeous salads is definitely a passion of mine. Tossing veggies in a bowl is one thing, but making them look like a work of art is another. If you love making salads that look beautiful on the plate, try my Spring Salad with Shaved Asparagus with hard boiled eggs or a Blackened Chicken Salad full of sliced radishes and buttery avocado. Yum!

What is Whole30?

Whole30 began as a 30-day healthy eating plan where you avoid certain foods to help your body reset and feel better. You say no to added sugars, grains, dairy, legumes, and alcohol during this time. The goal is to focus on eating whole, natural foods that are not in any way processed. After 30 days, you slowly add these foods back into your diet to see how they affect you. It’s like giving your body a break and figuring out what foods make you feel your best!

If you’re following Whole30 or you just want to eat a meal that’s fully unprocessed and sugar-free, this salad recipe is perfect for you.

What You’ll Love About This Whole30 Salad

• Quick and Easy: This isn’t a complicated salad to make, and the dressing starts with a pre-mixed avocado mayo, so there’s not much measuring to do.
• Addictive Flavor: This salad has that addictive blend of bacon, chicken, and creamy mayo that’s familiar but takes it up a notch for a burst of unexpected flavor.
• Whole30 Approved: Stay on track with your Whole30 commitment while eating a meal you’ll absolutely love!

What to Serve a Whole30 Salad?

If you want to make your salad a bit more of a meal, try some fresh sides like crisp, raw cucumber or cherry tomatoes. Make some extra dressing for dipping! You can also pick up Whole30-approved crackers for a crunch. If you want a starchy side, try a baked potato with some dressing on top or some mashed sweet potatoes for a bit of sweetness.

Ingredients for a Whole30 Chicken Salad

• Chicken: I make this with boneless chicken breast, but you can use boneless chicken thicks instead if you prefer.
• Bacon: Swap in turkey bacon if you’re looking for a leaner alternative. See below for a list of Whole30-approved bacon brands.
• Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo: This mayo is Whole30-approved and full of creamy flavor! Perfect as the base for your salad dressing. Look for it in the organic or natural foods section if you can’t find it with the regular dressings.
• Celery
• Salt & Black Pepper
• Lettuce: Romaine or iceberg lettuce can replace butter lettuce if you prefer.

How to Make

STEP ONE: Cook the bacon. Grab a large skillet and warm it up over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5-10 minutes. Dump out the bacon onto a plate lined with a few layers of paper towel, but reserve the bacon fat in the pan. Keep the skillet over medium-low heat.

STEP TWO: Cook the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add the chicken breast to the hot skillet with the bacon fat. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it on a cutting board.

Pro tip: For more evenly cooked chicken, butterfly the chicken breasts or slice them in half so you end up with two thin pieces of chicken. You can also use a meat mallet to gently pound the chicken breasts until they are a uniform thickness.

STEP THREE: Chop the bacon and chicken. Let the chicken rest for 4-5 minutes. Then, once the cooked bacon and chicken are fairly cool, chop them into small pieces to add to the salad.

STEP FOUR: Combine the ingredients. In a mixing bowl add the chicken, bacon, mayo, and celery. Stir until well combined. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

STEP FIVE: Serve. Serve the chicken salad on top of butter lettuce.

Tips and Recipe Notes

• This salad’s ‘crunch’ comes from the bacon being cooked to crispy. So give it an extra minute in the pan, but keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
• To let the flavors develop, allow the mayo, bacon, and chicken mixture to sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.

How do I know when my chicken is done?

Your chicken is done when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, make a small incision in the thickest part of the meat and make sure the flesh looks fully cooked with no wet, pink spots, and that the juices that are released look completely clear.

How to Store Leftover Chicken Salad

Salad generally does not store very well as the lettuce tends to get a bit soggy. You can store this in an airtight container in the fridge if you wish, but I recommend removing as much of the meat mixture as possible from the lettuce and storing it separately. Use fresh lettuce leaves when you’re ready to enjoy it again.

I don’t recommend freezing this salad.

Make ahead: You can make the chicken, bacon, mayo mixture ahead of time and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Use it to make quick lunches!

Is Whole30 Gluten Free? Dairy Free?

This salad, like all Whole30 approved foods, is both gluten free and dairy free.

What else can I add to this salad?

Try adding other Whole30 foods like avocado slices, roasted sweet potato chunks, lightly grilled asparagus, or caramelized red and yellow peppers.

Whole30 Approved Bacon

Not sure what bacon to buy on Whole30? You might be surprised to learn that not all bacon is packaged equally. To stay on your Whole30 plan, you need to choose bacon that doesn’t have added sugar, MSG, sulphates, and carrageenan. These things should be clearly listed on the label, and if you see them, leave them behind.

Here are a few brands that are Whole30-approved:

Naked Bacon – This is the original brand of Whole30-approved bacon, and you can find it in chipotle or original flavors, although it is sometimes a bit more difficult to find in stores.

Market Pantry – Yup, the Target brand! They really do have everything! Look for their hardwood smoked classic cut reduced sodium bacon. 

Peterson’s – Look for organic, sugar-free, uncured smoked bacon. They also have a hickory version if you like that flavor.

Wellshire Whole30 Approved Bacon – This brand makes Paleo-friendly bacon which also works for Whole30 diets. Look for sugar-free dry-rubbed bacon or their sugar-free turkey bacon, too.

Costco’s Kirkland Bacon – Yes, this bacon is also Whole30-approved! Choose the low-sodium version, but keep in mind, it’s only available in a 4-pack.

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