BACON-WRAPPED GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD WITH AVOCADO AND LIME
Wrap your chicken with bacon, grill it and drizzle it with this nearly green goddess, almost-guacamole dressing and you might even convert burger eaters into salad fiends. Covering the butterflied breasts in bacon helps baste the lean chicken and accelerates char as fat melts onto the coals. Flare-ups are inevitable, but don't be alarmed: They will ensure rich color on the bacon while protecting the breast from overcooking. When assembling the salad, avoid weighing down the leaves with hot and heavy toppings: Dollop plenty of the dressing on the plate first, and layer most of the chicken and fudgy eggs below the lightly dressed leaves. There should be a little leftover dressing to satisfy the people that will want to dip each bite of chicken into the herby, lime-laced avocado.
Provided by Clare de Boer
Categories dinner, lunch, poultry, salads and dressings, vegetables, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge to come to room temperature. Soak wooden toothpicks or skewers in water while you ready your grill. Clean the grate thoroughly and build a hot fire. This chicken needs to be cooked over intense, direct heat.
- While the coals heat, butterfly the chicken breasts: On a chopping board, place one hand on top of the breast, and slice into its side, starting at the thick end and moving toward the thin point. Make sure not to cut all the way through. Then, open up the breast, cover with plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll the chicken to an even thickness of 1/2 inch; set aside.
- Prepare the dressing: Crush the herbs, salt and garlic in a pestle until you have a thick, bright-green paste (or finely chop them); stir in the lime juice. Scoop the avocados into the pestle and crush, then stir in the oil, pepper and half the jalapeños. Prepare the salad components so they're ready to be assembled when the chicken is cooked.
- When the coals are burning red and the grill hisses when you drop water on it, salt and pepper the chicken breasts on both sides. Lay 4 slices of bacon flat on each breast crosswise, then turn the chicken over and fold the bacon ends over like you're wrapping a parcel. Secure the ends of the bacon with toothpicks or skewers.
- Place the bacon-wrapped breasts on the grill, with the side without the toothpicks facing down. There will be some flare-ups as the bacon fat hits the coals; if it's burning, pull the parcels off the grill and give the coals a few minutes to cool. Otherwise, when the parcels have nice color on the first side, after about 3 or 4 minutes, flip them over. Cook on the second side until cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes more; transfer to a cutting board to rest.
- Assemble the salad: Toss the leaves with about 1/3 of the avocado dressing and some additional olive oil to thin it. Use your hands to toss until coated and season to taste with salt.
- Pull the toothpicks or skewers out of the bacon-wrapped breasts and slice them into strips. Dollop 1/3 of the avocado dressing onto the serving platter, then arrange the leaves, chicken and eggs on top. Dollop with the remaining avocado dressing to taste. Finish with more herbs, remaining jalapeños, lime wedges and some extra olive oil for gloss.
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davoo tunde
t_davoo@hotmail.comI love the combination of flavors in this salad. The bacon adds a nice smoky flavor, and the avocado and lime give it a refreshing twist.
Amirah Guhman
g_a54@aol.comThis salad is very refreshing and flavorful. I would definitely make it again.
Hamza bashir Mughal 2
h296@yahoo.comNot a fan of the dressing, but the chicken and avocado were great.
Tayyab Raheem
t@gmail.comThe chicken was a bit bland, but the avocado and lime dressing saved the day.
Sirajuddin Gopan
gsirajuddin76@yahoo.comEasy and quick to make, this salad is perfect for busy weeknights.
Lekgawu Herna
lekgawu-herna7@yahoo.comThis is a great recipe for a healthy and flavorful meal. I used grilled chicken breasts and added some chopped almonds for extra crunch.
Amelia Basdeo
basdeo-a@gmail.comI've made this salad several times and it's always a hit. I like to use a variety of lettuces and greens, and I always add some crumbled feta cheese.
Saleem Abbasi
saleem_a53@gmail.comThis salad is a great way to use up leftover chicken. I added some chopped red onion and cilantro, and it was perfect.
Sumit GT
g-s@gmail.comI'm always looking for new chicken recipes, and this one didn't disappoint. The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the bacon-avocado-lime combo was divine.
Prabin dhital
prabin80@aol.comI made this salad for a potluck and it was a huge success. Everyone loved it!
Tony cranmer
tonyc@yahoo.comThis salad was easy to make and very tasty. I used a bottled vinaigrette dressing, but I'm sure the homemade dressing would be even better.
Laura Cobarrubias
cobarrubias@gmail.comThe dressing is amazing! I could drink it straight. The chicken was a little dry, but the avocado and lime helped to balance it out.
Daisyann Morris
d.m@hotmail.frThis salad is light and flavorful, perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time, and it worked out great.
Hossain Sagor
hossain-s36@aol.comI'm not usually a fan of grilled chicken, but this recipe changed my mind. The bacon and avocado were great additions. I'll be making this again for sure.
Nataly Lopez
n-l@gmail.comThis recipe was a hit at my last dinner party! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the bacon added a delicious smoky flavor. The avocado and lime gave the salad a refreshing twist. Will definitely be making this again.