BBQ Chicken & Bacon Chopped Salad

I love a good hearty salad that is light on the dressing but heavy on the goodness that really makes a salad truly healthy for you. Lets face it sometimes salads can be good for us until we add the dressing. I have a few different salads I make for us but this is one of my husbands favorite. I am a huge meal planner, it has saved me so much time and trips to the grocery store since I started, I will get into that on another post and start sharing my meal plans for the week and my menu planning board:)! Once a week I do a salad for my Husband & I and one serving homemade Mac & Cheese for my 3 1/2 year old. It gives me a break from the challenges I am currently facing with my picky eater and we all eat happy!

Here is what you will need to assemble this quick and healthy salad. Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Bacon, Kale, Lettuce of Choice(my store only had Organic Red Leaf). On a side note I can not wait for Lettuce to start growing in my garden again, if there is one thing I do not like buying from the store it is my greens, I just love picking them fresh from my garden. My Kale is softer, my lettuce tastes better(well to me at least), anyway I am ready for sunshine and fresh pickings from the garden! But back to the salad...hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, corn, your favorite BBQ sauce(I love Annie's, it is GMO free so for me that's what we go for), and your salad dressing of choice.

Lets talk Bacon for a moment. My husband and I were on a date night and naturally he ordered the chopped salad for a starter. Not sure if I mentioned above but they are his favorite. This one had bacon in it so that made it even more appealing;) I am not a huge bacon gal, I could take it or leave it. However I do enjoy bacon in salads, potatoes, and other dishes I just do not really enjoy eating a slice of bacon, my husband thinks I am crazy but that is okay;) So he was talking to our waiter about how much he loved the bacon and were they purchased it from. So long story short if you are looking for some pretty delicious Applewood Smoked Bacon to have chopped up in Salads and such order this stuff Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon. If anything the men in your life will love it!

I have tried a lot of different ways to do my hard boiled eggs but the best and most consistent way I always get the perfect egg I found here @ Picky Palate. Jenny @ Picky Palate is another blog I love to follow and she has some delicious recipes. I always have Hard-Boiled eggs in the fridge my husband, he will grab them before work or for a snack, so when salad night does arrive I always put them in his.

Grill your corn till it is done to your liking, I left mine so it would have a crunch to it. That way it eliminates wanting croutons or anything crunchy that may not be the best for you in your salad. However I do not think corn has any nutritional value but it sure it pretty and tastes nice and sweet in season;)!

Chop up your Kale, Lettuce, and Tomatoes.  Always remove the rib of your Kale, I don't recommend eating that part;) 

Fry up your bacon. I always cook up the whole package because my husband loves it in his eggs in the morning. But you can always just do 5 pieces and that would be plenty for the salad. But since your cooking it you might as well do the whole package;)

Then let it rest on a paper towel after it is nice and crispy to your liking.

I like to leave some of the bacon grease in my skillet and then I chop up my chicken into 1 inch cubes, season with salt and pepper, and cook it up for about 8 minutes total. When it is done remove it from the heat and pour in 1/4 cup BBQ sauce for 1 chicken breast and 1/3-1/2 cup for 2 chicken breasts. 

Assemble your salad together, sit down and enjoy:)! 

Or for my husband I throw it all into a bowl with about 2 teaspoons of ranch and mix it all up. He has told me that he strongly dislikes to eat salad on a plate, so I always try to get it in the bowl for him;) 

BBQ Chicken & Bacon Chopped Salad
Ms. Marquet's Kitchen

2 Boneless Skinless Organic Chicken Breasts
Salt & Pepper to season
5 Slices Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon
1 Bunch Kale
1 Bunch Romaine, Green Leaf, or Red Leaf Lettuce
Grape or Roma Tomatoes
Corn on the Cob
2-3 Hard Boiled Eggs
1/4-1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2-4 teaspoons of your desired dressing

Chop up your Kale, Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Hard-boiled eggs. Grill up your corn on the cob.
Cook up your bacon and let it drain on a paper towel lined plate. Leave a little of the bacon grease in the pan and over medium heat cook your seasoned chicken for about 8 minutes till done. Remove from the heat and stir in BBQ sauce. Assemble your salad and pour in your desired dressing. You will not need too much dressing as the extra BBQ sauce coats the lettuce pretty well but its all up to you;)!

Enjoy!!