Keto avocado, chicken & bacon salad
Creamy avocado, charred chicken and crisp bacon tossed with rocket and feta — a quick, low‑carb salad that keeps you full and on plan.
This is the sort of salad that actually satisfies — not a sad lettuce bowl with a side of regret. Creamy avocado, charred chicken and salty bacon make a heavy‑duty, low‑carb lunch or light supper that keeps you on a keto track without sacrificing flavour.
It’s quick to pull together: cook the bacon and chicken, whisk a bright lemony dressing, chop a few veg and toss. Perfect for midweek meals or whenever you want something fresh with proper staying power.
Ingredients
- 2 avocados — ripe but still firm
- 300 g chicken breast — trimmed
- 4 streaky bacon rashers
- 100 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 1 cucumber — English or regular, halved lengthways and sliced
- 50 g feta cheese — crumbled
- 50 g rocket
- 1 red onion — small, very thinly sliced
- 1 lemon — juice and a little zest
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 ml Dijon mustard
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove — finely grated or minced
- 15 g fresh parsley — finely chopped
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice (reserve a little zest), Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, grated garlic and chopped fresh parsley. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Cook the streaky bacon rashers in a cold frying pan over a medium hob until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain and cool slightly, then chop or crumble.
Season the chicken breast with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the frying pan and cook the chicken over a medium‑high hob for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until cooked through (internal temperature 75°C) and golden. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
Prepare the vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber, very thinly slice the red onion and crumble the feta. Chop the avocados: halve, remove stones, slice in the skin then scoop out. Immediately toss the avocado slices with a squeeze of lemon to slow browning.
Assemble the salad in a large bowl: add rocket, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, crumbled feta, chopped bacon and sliced chicken. Pour over the dressing and gently toss to coat. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper, and finish with reserved lemon zest.
Serve immediately while chicken is warm and bacon still has a crisp bite.
Tips
- Use slightly firm avocados so they hold their shape when sliced; toss them in lemon juice immediately to prevent browning.
- Start bacon in a cold pan so it renders fat slowly and crisps evenly — transfer to kitchen paper to remove excess fat.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes after cooking so juices redistribute; it will slice cleaner and remain moist.
- Make the dressing ahead and keep chilled for up to 48 hours; add just before serving to keep rocket crisp.
- If you prefer less dairy, swap feta for a scattering of toasted pine nuts or extra chopped parsley.
Substitutions
chicken breast → smoked salmon, same quantity (use sliced rather than cooked)
Stays closestreaky bacon rashers → pancetta, same quantity
Stays closefeta cheese → crumbled goat cheese, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 446
- Calories
- 24 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this salad ahead?
You can cook the chicken and bacon ahead and store separately for 48 hours. Keep avocado uncut and dressing chilled; assemble just before serving to avoid sogginess.
Is this salad suitable for strict keto?
Yes — per serving net carbs are low (about 5g). Reduce cherry tomatoes or red onion further to lower carbs even more.
Can I use pre-cooked chicken or leftovers?
Absolutely — shredded roast or rotisserie chicken works well and speeds preparation.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
Rate this recipe
More like this
Smoked salmon, lemon zest and petit pois risotto
Wild garlic pesto pasta with peas, lemon and toasted walnuts
