MAKES: 8 servings · PREP TIME: 15 minutes (not including time to cook chicken and bacon)

With or without the buns, this chicken salad is amazing. It is one of my favorite recipes to meal prep because it tastes better and better as the days go on. If you don’t want to make the buns or you don’t have the ingredients on hand, you can serve this salad in lettuce wraps.

INGREDIENTS

•2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

•6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

•¼ cup chopped red onions

•2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives

•2 jalapeño peppers, charred and sliced

•½ cup mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade (here)

•1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

•1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

•1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste

•1 teaspoon garlic powder

•¼ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

•¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

•2 batches Everything Buns (here), or leaves from 1 head romaine lettuce, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the chicken, bacon, onions, chives, jalapeños, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix until the ingredients are well incorporated. Taste and add more hot sauce and/or salt, if desired.

2. Serve on Everything Buns, in lettuce wraps, or just as is.

3. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.

tips: My favorite way to cook the chicken for this recipe is to pan-sear it in avocado oil. It gives the chicken excellent flavor and makes it incredibly juicy while giving it a crispy, golden brown outside.

There are a couple of ways to roast the jalapeños. If you have a gas range, you can roast them directly over the flame, turning them frequently so they do not burn. They are done when they are charred and slightly blistered. Alternatively, you can lay them on a baking sheet and put them under the oven broiler for 3 to 4 minutes.

If you aren’t avoiding dairy, this salad is excellent with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese mixed in.

image

PER SERVING:

CALORIES: 435

FAT: 21.8g

PROTEIN: 55.2g

TOTAL CARBS: 1g

FIBER: 0.3g

NET CARBS: 0.7g