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Black Pepper Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad. Chicken fingers with a black pepper rub, breaded in salty pretzel crumbs, oven baked, and tossed together with fresh greens, avocado, and crispy bacon. Add a creamy basil pesto dressing and cubes of spicy cheddar cheese to make this perfect! It’s simple to toss together and even more delicious than you can imagine. It’s that salty peppery pretzel chicken with that creamy basil dressing. Oh, and the spicy cheese. It all just hits so well.
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This salad!! I’m so excited to share it! It’s finally the time of year when we can all visualize the road to summertime, it’s so close. Yes, it did snow here all weekend long, but I have confidence that in less than two months’ time, the grass will be green, our flowers will be blooming and summer will very much be upon us all!!
I’m so excited, ever since coming back from Miami where it was 80 degrees, I’ve been craving nothing but summer weather and fun summer food, like this salad.
This is my “snack bar” salad. The crusted chicken and creamy dressing, with both bacon and avocado, remind me of pool days in the sun. I would order the yummiest salads for lunch from the snack bar. Or if I was really lucky, at the club restaurant with my Nonnie.
Ingredient List
- Eggs
- Boneless chicken tenders
- Salted pretzel twists
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Mixed greens
- Chopped pickles and or pepperoncini
- Cubed spicy cheddar cheese
- Avocados
- Thick-cut bacon, crumbled
Creamy Basil Dressing
- Mayo
- Basil pesto
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- Honey
- Chili flakes
Growing up my grandparents belonged to the local yacht club in our town. My brothers and I spent many summers at that pool. My Nonnie would often take me to lunch at their clubhouse restaurant. If I wasn’t ordering the chicken fingers and fries, grilled cheese, or club sandwich, I was ordering their breaded chicken salad.
I can’t fully remember what was on the salad other than breaded chicken and creamy dressing, but I just remember it being extra yummy. So this is my take on that salad. I think my pretzel crust chicken variation is even better.
The details
Start with the chicken. Finely crush the pretzels into crumbs and mix with my black pepper rub: smoked paprika, chili powder, black pepper, and salt.
Dip the chicken through beaten eggs, then through the peppery crumbs. Drizzle each piece with oil – the key to crispy oven-baked chicken, then bake.
For the dressing, I started out with a lighter pesto vinaigrette, but in the end, it just wasn’t doing it for me. I quickly consulted with my oldest brother Creighton, who loves dressings. He agreed, creamy all the way,
So I made a simple creamy pesto dressing with mayo, basil pesto, lemon, honey, and sea salt. So yummy, this was the right move.
Now toss the salad and fresh greens. I’m a big fan of shredded romaine topped with micro arugula and a mix of herbs, cilantro, and basil.
Then add the dressing and toss, toss, toss. Next, add the bacon, avocado, and my secret – cubes of spicy cheddar cheese. I grab mine at Whole Foods, it’s labeled Rattlesnake Cheddar and I’m obsessed with it.
I love to serve this with a side of sweet potato fries for a fun lunch or dinner. So great for these spring, and soon summer, months ahead!
Looking for other spring salad recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
Pesto Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad
Sesame Ginger Orange Chicken Salad
Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Chickpea Salad
Lastly, if you make this Black Pepper Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Black Pepper Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad
Ingredients
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 pound boneless chicken tenders
- 2 cups salted pretzel twists, finely crushed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 6 cups mixed greens
- 1/3 cup chopped pickles and or pepperoncini
- 1 cup cubed spicy cheddar cheese
- 1-2 avocados, sliced
- 4 slices cooked thick-cut bacon, crumbled
Creamy Basil Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 3-4 tablespoons basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- chili flakes
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Combine the pretzels, chili powder, pepper, paprika, and salt in a bowl. 3. Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.4. To make the salad. Combine the greens, cheese, pickles/pepperoncini, avocados, and bacon in a salad bowl.5. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.6. Toss the chicken in with the salad. Add a little of the dressing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I’m not a salad eater at all, but decided to give this one a try because I’ve never had a recipe fail from you. I am now a salad lover! This was a hit with my whole family, including our picky daughter.
Hey Kari,
Fantastic!!🥗🌮 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
I think I could have crushed the pretzels a bit more, but it was still really good. The crunch of the pretzels and the cool veg was an excellent combination. I will make this again.
Hi Amy,
Happy Wednesday!🌤️🌸 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
This salad was both delicious and easy to make – major win!
I loved the taste of the pretzel baked chicken tenders. The pickles, avocado, and dressing added maxing flavor to the mixed greens. Definitely going to be a summer staple.
Thanks so much Jorie!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear the salad was a hit! xT
Wow, this may be the best salad I have ever made. Unexpectedly my new favorite salad. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hey Ashley,
Fantastic!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and I appreciate you making it! Have a great weekend! xx
made tonight for my husband and i. it’s a hit!
Hi Paige,
Happy Wednesday!! 🌸🌤️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Gosh, Tieghan, your recipes rock! My boyfriend and I loved this spectacular salad. My boyfriend’s feedback was “this one’s a winner.” You’re absolutely brilliant!
Lol thanks so much Kristina!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xT
Absolutely amazing! So easy to and quick to make, and all of the flavors complemented each other so well. Will definitely be making this again!
Hi Ashlyn,
Happy Monday!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
My people couldn’t believe how good this was! And I loved how easy it was to impress them. Thanks for good food handled with care. It means a lot.
Hi Anne,
Happy Wednesday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it!☀️🌈 xT
I made this recipe with tofu instead of chicken and it was incredible! The pretzel is amazing – I like to keep a couple slightly bigger pretzel pieces for extra crunch 😋
Hey Molly,
Love it!!🍪🍦 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and sharing your review!! xx
Made this tonight for dinner and it was a hit! The pretzel chicken was a family favorite!
Hi Erin,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try!🥑🥝 xT
Hi Tieghan,
This is on the menu for the upcoming week … what type of pickle do you recommend?
Thanks!
Hey Megan,
I like to use a dill pickle:) Let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT
What mix of herbs do you recommend using?
Hey Jennie,
It’s really up to you, I love basil, cilantro, parsley, and dill as some options! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Can’t wait to try this! Have followed HBH since the beginning and look so forward to your posts and new recipes! So enjoy your fam posts … Creighton and Oslo ….. luckiest brothers ever to have each other … and You! So proud of your success and growth, Tieghan! Keep on ☮️
Thanks so much for your kind message and following along Debra!! I hope you love this recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xx
hey! would it work if I subbed greek yogurt for mayo? 🙂
Hi Katie,
Totally, that will work well for you! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe:) xx
I would like to do the prep for this salad in advance. Any suggestions on how to keep the chicken crispy? Thanks!
Also, have you created a recipe for the sweet potato fries?
Hi Debra,
You could prep everything in advance, but I would wait to cook the chicken until you are ready to serve to keep it crispy:) You can follow this recipe for the sweet potato fries:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/epic-crispy-quinoa-burgers-topped-sweet-potato-fries-beer-caramelized-onions-gruyere/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
This looks delicious! May I ask what those strips are, in the bottom left of the images? Looks like something crunchy that would go perfect as a side dish with this salad. Are they potatoes? 😃
Kind greetings from the Netherlands
Thanks so much Yvonne! Yes, they are sweet potato fries!! Let me know if you give the salad a try, I hope you love it:) xT