This Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwich is packed with tender chicken, crispy bacon, creamy ranch dressing, and fresh herbs for an easy lunch that’s perfect for meal prep.
This Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwich is an easy lunch that’s packed with chicken, bacon, ranch, and plenty of crunch. It’s the kind of recipe that works just as well for meal prep as it does for a quick lunch at home.
One of the best parts of this recipe is the homemade ranch dressing. If you’ve never made ranch from scratch before, it’s surprisingly simple and comes together with a handful of pantry and refrigerator staples. Making it yourself lets you control the flavor and gives the chicken salad a fresh, homemade taste that store-bought dressings can’t quite match.
The chicken salad comes together with simple ingredients and can be served on your favorite bread, croissants, or rolls. Not only does it have that crunch you love, but the banana peppers add a pickly component which adds another layer of depth. Whether you’re making lunch for the week or feeding a group, this sandwich is easy to throw together and always a crowd-pleaser.
If you love this chicken salad sandwich, you’ll love my Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad and my Chickpea and Halloumi Salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. With only a few simple ingredients, you have this absolutely delicious and flavorful chicken salad.
- Loaded with bacon and ranch flavor. Ranch and bacon pair perfectly together and this recipe is packed with those flavors.
- Great for meal prep lunches. The chicken salad stores great in the fridge for lunch all week.
- Perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or lettuce cups. This chicken salad works great on its own, on a sandwich or wrap, or if you want to serve it scooped into lettuce wraps.
- Ready in under 30 minutes. Homemade ranch is surprisingly easy to make and adds to much to this chicken salad.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: The base of the chicken salad, adding flavor and a tender texture.
- Fresh Herbs: Bring freshness and balance to the rich ranch dressing and chicken salad. You can get creative with what you add. We like to do a variety of dill, parsley and scallions.
- Lemon: Brightens the dressing and helps balance the richness.
- Buttermilk: Gives the ranch dressing its signature tang and pourable consistency.
- Sour Cream: Adds creaminess and a slight tang to the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Creates a rich, smooth base for the ranch dressing.
- Sourdough: Provides a sturdy, toasted base that holds up well to the chicken salad.
- Bacon: Adds crunch and smoky flavor throughout the sandwich.
- Celery: Brings freshness and texture to the chicken salad.
- Banana Peppers: Add a tangy bite that cuts through the richness of the dressing.
- Garlic Powder: Infuses the ranch dressing with savory flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
How to make Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
1. Preheat oven to 375. Wash chicken and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 23 minutes or until the internal temp is 165. Once cool enough to touch, use two forks to shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.
2. Cook the bacon until crispy and chop into bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, if you are adding to a sandwich, you can keep bacon in strips and add to the sandwich.
3. Make the ranch dressing by combining buttermilk, sour cream, mayo, chopped herbs, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl, Whisk until smooth and combined.
4. Add the shredded chicken, banana peppers and celery to the ranch and mix until combined and creamy. Season to taste.
5. If turning the chicken salad into a sandwich, we liked to melt cheddar on sourdough bread and add a few scoops of the chicken salad along with arugula, slices of fresh tomato.
6. Close and serve.
Expert Tips:
- Use rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut. This will save 25 minutes off your cook time and make the recipe even easy to make.
- Cook bacon until extra crispy for the best texture. Whether you are chopping and adding to the chicken salad or leaving in strips to stack on a sandwich, crispy bacon is the best for this.
- Let the chicken salad rest before serving. This sandwich is better the longer the flavors meld together so let is rest before serving for even more flavor.
- Cook the bread in a skillet for added crunch. You can use a toaster, but I like to cook the bread in a skillet for a few minutes per side for optimal crisp.
- Add fresh herbs for extra flavor. You can get creative with the fresh herbs you want to use. I like to use parsley, scallions and dill.
Variations
- Avocado Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad. Add diced avocado for a creamy twist.
- Spicy Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad. Mix in hot sauce, jalapeños, or red pepper flakes.
- Cheddar Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad. Fold in shredded cheddar cheese.
- Ranch Chicken Salad Wrap. Serve in a tortilla instead of sandwich bread.
- Low-Carb Version. Serve in lettuce wraps or over greens.
What to serve with Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
- Potato chips
- French fries
- Pasta salad
- Pickles
- Fresh fruit
- Coleslaw
Storage
Refrigerator
Store chicken salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freezing is not recommended due to the mayonnaise-based dressing.
Make Ahead
Prepare the chicken salad up to 2 days in advance and assemble sandwiches just before serving.
More Sandwich Recipes You’ll Love
- Green Goddess Tuna Melt
- Pesto Chicken Sandwich
- Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a Pickled Slaw
Jalapeño Tuna Melt
FAQs
Yes, rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut and works well in this recipe.
Yes, the ranch dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Dill and parsley are classic choices, but tarragon, chives, and scallions are also great additions.
Absolutely. Chicken breast will work, though the chicken salad may be slightly less rich.
Toasted sourdough is a great option, but croissants, sandwich rolls, and multigrain bread also work well.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can make the chicken salad ahead, but assemble the sandwiches just before serving for the best texture.
Yes, simply omit the bacon or replace it with crispy turkey bacon for a similar texture.
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
Homemade ranch dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 tbsp fresh herbs (chopped dill, scallions and parsley)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- sea salt
- pepper
Ranch Chicken Salad:
- 4 tbsp homemade ranch (see recipe)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp chopped banana peppers
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- salt
- pepper
The rest:
- Sourdough bread
- Cheddar cheese (optional add for serving chicken salad on a sandwich)
- Sliced fresh tomato (optional add for serving chicken salad on a sandwich)
- Arugula (optional add for serving chicken salad on a sandwich)
- 6 strips of bacon (See note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Wash chicken and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 23 minutes or until the internal temp is 165. Once cool enough to touch, use two forks to shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Cook the bacon until crispy and chop into bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, if you are adding to a sandwich, you can keep bacon in strips and add to the sandwich.
- Make the ranch dressing by combining buttermilk, sour cream, mayo, chopped herbs, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl, Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Add the shredded chicken, banana peppers and celery to the ranch and mix until combined and creamy. Season to taste.
- If turning the chicken salad into a sandwich, we liked to melt cheddar on sourdough bread and add a few scoops of the chicken salad along with arugula, slices of fresh tomato. Close and serve.
Made this recipe? Don’t gatekeep! Five stars? Chef’s kiss?
I’d love to hear it! Review or comment below.