Apple-Feta Salad with Chicken, Bacon and Walnuts and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Published November 19, 2013. Updated March 11, 2020

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Apple Salad with the works! Do you remember my new favorite fall salad I posted a few weeks ago? Well, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I love that salad so I decided to make it into a main dish (rather than just a side) so I switched it up a little.

How do you turn a salad into a main entree? Add a protein, so I went with chicken and bacon of course. I also swapped out pears from that salad for apples and added Feta cheese instead of Parmesan cheese. Feta pairs perfectly with bacon and apples (try this and you’ll see what I mean).

Apple-Feta Salad with Chicken, Bacon and Walnuts and Balsamic Vinaigrette | Cooking Classy

This is a highly delicious salad that is perfect for busy weeknights. I pan fried the chicken (you can follow the link in the recipe to see how), I cooked the bacon in the microwave (I only do it this way in a hurry, but it works just fine), and toasted the nuts in a skillet so this meal was ready in 30 minutes (and most of that 30 minutes was time it took for the chicken to cook).

The simple balsamic vinaigrette even comes together in basically a minute, thanks to that kitchen blender I couldn’t live without.

I think I’d be more than happy to have this salad for dinner every single day :). It’s simply delicious! Enjoy!

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Chicken Apple Bacon Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

A delicious main dish salad with the works! Loaded with sweet apples, hearty chicken and bacon, crisp pecans and tangy feta.
Servings: 4
Prep15 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken breasts , diced into strips* (about 3 chicken breasts)
  • 6 - 8 slices bacon , cooked and diced
  • 3 medium apples , sliced
  • 3/4 cup chopped , toasted (or candied walnuts)
  • 9 oz spring mix lettuce (with spinach)
  • 6 oz crumbled feta
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Instructions

  • Layer all salad ingredients into individual salad bowls or over plates. Serve drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.
  • For the balsamic vinaigrette:
  • Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and finely diced shallot to a blender.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste and blend mixture until well emulsified and thickened slightly. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Notes

*To cook the chicken I like this recipe from The Kitchn- only I cooked mine longer as I had thick chicken breasts. I also omitted the optional herbs and used a little garlic powder instead.
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Apple Bacon Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1082 Calories from Fat 630
% Daily Value*
Fat 70g108%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Cholesterol 204mg68%
Sodium 871mg38%
Potassium 912mg26%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 35g39%
Protein 58g116%
Vitamin A 1013IU20%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Calcium 277mg28%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.