Low-Carb Chicken Bacon Caesar Salad - 4.4g Net Carbs
This easy low-carb Chicken Bacon Caesar Salad was one of my favorite filling lunches when I was eating low-carb. It's loaded with chicken, crispy bacon, mozzarella, Parmesan, and romaine, with a little chia seed sprinkled in for good measure.
I originally created this during the period when I was following a very high-fat version of low-carb eating, so yes, my original recipe even included some of the bacon drippings. 😂 These days, I'd consider that completely optional.
One of my favorite things about this lunch was prepping the chicken ahead of time. I'd cook and dice a chicken breast while making dinner, freeze it in small portions, and then I could make this salad quickly whenever I wanted one.
Recipe details
Serves: 1
Prep Time: About 10 minutes, with precooked chicken
Net Carbs: Approximately 4.4g
Contains: Dairy; Caesar dressing may contain egg, fish, and other allergens depending on brand*
Check the labels on your bacon, cheese, and Caesar dressing if you're avoiding specific ingredients or allergens.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
- 2 strips bacon
- 4 to 6 leaves romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp Caesar dressing
- 1/2 tsp chia seeds
MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN
I used to cook my chicken ahead of time while I was already making dinner. Once cooled, I'd dice it and refrigerate or freeze it in small portions, so I'd have cooked chicken ready for quick lunches throughout the week.
MAKE THE SALAD
- Cut the bacon into small pieces with kitchen scissors. I find this much easier than trying to cut it after it's cooked.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp.
- Add the precooked diced chicken and heat until the chicken is hot throughout.
- Wash and dry the romaine. A salad spinner makes this especially easy.
- Tear the lettuce into a bowl and top with mozzarella, Parmesan, and chia seeds.
- Add the warm chicken and bacon.
- Drizzle with Caesar dressing and toss everything together.
2. Grate 1/2 of the full-fat mozzarella cheese over the lettuce.
TIP: If you're using a deep salad bowl, you can assemble the ingredients in two layers so the chicken, bacon, cheese, and dressing are distributed throughout the salad.
Original calculated nutrition per serving:
Approximately 489 calories | 38.2g fat | 5.9g carbohydrates | 1.5g fiber | 32.3g protein | 4.4g net carbs
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the bacon, cheese, dressing, and other ingredients used.
Photo credit: Catherine McDiarmid-Watt
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Category: bacon, chicken, dinner, gluten-free, keto-friendly, low-carb, lunch, meal prep, salad
Mmm... that salad looks really delicious!