Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon

Crispy pan fried chicken with a fresh, crunchy apple-cucumber salsa and bacon is what’s for dinner. This delicious medley tops mixed greens for a mouthwatering weeknight meal!

Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon – Crispy chicken with a fresh, crunchy apple-cucumber salsa and bacon tops mixed greens. Makes for a mouthwatering weeknight meal! | thecomfortofcooking.com

This weekend, we’re in Chicago to visit family, celebrate a wedding, and gorge ourselves silly on the Windy City’s best grub. Let’s just put it this way… the next three days probably won’t involve much salad! Truth is, I do love a good heap of greens in between all the deep dish pizzas, so it’s only fair I try and show you my healthy side.

Welcome to my favorite salad ever, ever, ever. At least this week.

Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon – Crispy chicken with a fresh, crunchy apple-cucumber salsa and bacon tops mixed greens. Makes for a mouthwatering weeknight meal! | thecomfortofcooking.com

Loaded with fresh, crunchy apples and cucumbers tossed in a simple lemon-honey vinaigrette, this salad’s got it all goin’ on, girrrrl. A handful of chopped red onion adds a little sass, and crispy crumbled bacon adds a nice salty crunch to the sweet apple salsa.

This salad so badly wants to be good, but it’s allll kinds of naughty.

Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon – Crispy chicken with a fresh, crunchy apple-cucumber salsa and bacon tops mixed greens. Makes for a mouthwatering weeknight meal! | thecomfortofcooking.com

I’m always looking for salads to convince the mister (and myself) that they can be hearty enough for dinner. This one totally hit the jackpot!

Simple pan-fried chicken cutlets rest on top of a bed of fresh greens topped with a light, refreshing apple-cucumber salsa. The salsa is mixed with an easy oil, lemon and honey vinaigrette which coats the salad so nicely! I like to serve this with a big hunk of crusty bread, garlic bread or rolls. Just don’t forget a glass of white wine! (That will be a pairing waiting for me in July…)

Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon – Crispy chicken with a fresh, crunchy apple-cucumber salsa and bacon tops mixed greens. Makes for a mouthwatering weeknight meal! | thecomfortofcooking.com

I know you’ll love this light and easy meal for weeknights, or even for impressing dinner guests with something new and delicious! We gobbled up our plates and went for leftovers, but sadly that left none the next day. I know I’ll be making this again very, very soon, though!

Enjoy your weekend, friends! I’ll be back on Monday if I’m not lost and frozen solid somewhere in the middle of Chicago.

Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon

Crispy Chicken Salad with Apples and Bacon

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

For apple salsa:

  • 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 green apple, diced
  • 1 red apple, diced
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion

For crispy chicken:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
  • Olive oil, for frying

For serving:

  • 3 cups mixed greens
  • 4-5 strips bacon, cooked ‘til crisp and crumbled

Instructions

For apple salsa:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, honey and parsley. Season with small pinches of salt and pepper; toss to combine. Add diced apples, onions and cucumber. Toss and set aside.

For crispy chicken:

  1. Spread flour in a shallow dish. Beat eggs in a second shallow dish. Add panko to a third shallow dish. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working 1 chicken strip at a time, dredge strips in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
  2. Heat 3 Tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet set to medium heat. Once hot, cook 2 cutlets at a time until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and place in a warm oven (170-200 degrees) to keep warm. Repeat with 3 Tablespoons oil and remaining cutlets.
  3. Serve chicken strips on a bed of mixed greens and top with apple salsa.
  4. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Join the Conversation

  1. I’m on vacation and have been longing for a big plate of salad greens – and if it comes with crispy chicken and bacon, so be it :) Enjoy Chicago!

  2. This. Salad. OMG! I haven’t eaten enough bacon lately but I need to save this for an indulgement day…yummy. Thanks for getting my taste buds going this morning.

  3. Want, want, want! This looks so good, Georgia. Have fun in Chicago!!

  4. LOVE this salad Georgia! Between that apple salsa and the crunchy chicken – it just sounds amazing! Have so much fun in Chicago!

  5. that salsa is just mindblowing..have a great time.

  6. I have been craving salads like nobody’s business lately! Cant wait to try this recipe. Enjoy Chicago.

  7. Fab salad, love the crispy chicken and all the textures!

  8. This is my kind of salad! Love all of the flavors and textures!

  9. What an amazing looking salad! Love it!

  10. Crunchy salty bacon, crunchy chicken, sweet apples – sounds delicious.

  11. So pretty and the flavor + textures are spot on!! Great winter salad!

  12. Your salad is what I want right this minute! It looks amazingly delicious.

  13. 5 stars
    Yum – made tonight and even the man approved.

  14. What a glorious salad! And with those vibrant, fresh apples, how could I resist?!

  15. Have a fun trip! I love salad with chicken – and your crispy chicken sounds wonderful just by itself. So does the apple salsa…I’m trying to think what else you could put that on..yum!

  16. What a pretty salad! I am totally craving salads this week and love the apple salsa with crunchy chicken in here! Hope you have a great time in Chicago!

  17. Wow, you make salad look sinful! Looks amazing!

  18. I am drooling over this! So much goodness going on!

  19. Oh wow, now this is what I call an awesome salad. It couldn’t get any more delicious! I love the crispy chicken on top. What a great addition!
    I hope you’re having a lovely weekend! xx

  20. Have a great time in Chicago Georgia! This salad sounds awesome. Who can resist bacon and fried chicken? YUM!

  21. Gosh, this is such a tasty looking salad! I love the combo of chicken and bacon, and I love it dressed up in a salad like this. Good stuff – thanks.

  22. Oh yeah, an easy weeknight meal. That’s music to my ears. Love this salad.

  23. Oh man, Chicago weather has definitely not been nice to you guys on your visit. I apologize on behalf of my city!

    I’m always a fan of salads with bacon because, well, bacon makes everything better. EVERYTHING.

  24. I hope you are having a wonderful trip Georgia (and staying warm!) This salad looks lovely. You can’t go wrong with crisp apples and crunchy bacon, can you? Thank you for sharing. Much love. xoxo

  25. 5 stars
    This was the bomb. Everyone around the table loved it (including 3, 6 and 8-yo’s!)… Thank you!

  26. I love salads. I need to make more variations of it. This one is great. That bacon in the salad is genius :-) Happy new year Georgia.

  27. Gorgeous salad! Annndd I just can’t say no to any salad with crispy chicken in it!

  28. This salad definitely does look hearty enough for me! YUM!!

    And, I’m guessing you might be stuck in Chicago (which, to me, would be wonderful!) I miss the greatest food city, ever (well… Austin is definitely up there, too). :)

    Hope you enjoyed it! (Or, are still enjoying it if you’re still there…) :)

  29. I can totally see my hubby thinking this salad = an acceptable dinner, love it!

  30. Happy New Year! Loving this post :)

  31. your chicken looks perfectly crisp. I love how you did it. Must try that soon- i know my kids would love it! Maybe not the salad but they would love that chicken:) lol!

  32. Gorgeous salad! Mmm. Love the flavor combo…just irresistible. Pinned!

  33. 5 stars
    Wow that salad just pops off the plate. Very fresh and especially yummy with the bacon. :)

  34. 5 stars
    I’m trying to drop a few post-holiday pounds, but I get so bored with lighter food sometimes. This salad looks so delicious and fits right in with my lighter diet. Beautiful photos as aways, Georgia! Awesome post!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Close
The Comfort of Cooking © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.
Close
Skip to Recipe