Go-To Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

Line a rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper. Measure the paper to be slightly longer than the pan. Place strips of raw bacon flat on the parchment lined sheet pan. Place the pan into a cold oven and immediately set the temperature to 375F. Set a timer for the cook time depending on the thickness of the bacon. Thinner bacon will take 18-23 minutes. Thicker bacon will take 24-28 minutes. If you prefer crisper bacon, add another 2 minutes. After removing the bacon from the oven, use a fork or tongs to remove the bacon from the pan and on to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, chop into large bits for the salad and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking in the oven, I prefer to cook the chicken in the air fryer. However, you can cook your chicken in whatever method you prefer, or use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken.

To prepare each serving, add about 2 cups of salad greens, about 4 ounces of chicken, 2 ounces of chopped bacon, and a quarter of each prepped and sliced veggie. Top with a heavy drizzle of Ranch and a few big pinches of chopped fresh herbs. You can also prepare a giant salad for the whole family by mixing everything together in a large bowl and letting everyone serve themselves.

Leftovers are best kept without dressing, so if you’re meal prepping, save the dressing on the side to add right before eating! For the freshest results, store ingredients separately in airtight containers and enjoy within 4 days. You can also prep complete portions of this salad, but keep the dressing on the side, and enjoy within 3-4 days.