Welcome to your new favorite go-to meal prep solution: the incredibly flavorful and satisfying Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad. This robust dish is not only a delight for your taste buds but also a powerhouse of nutrition, perfectly aligned with Whole30 principles. Crafted with tender chicken, perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, and creamy avocado, it’s a wholesome meal that promises to keep you full, energized, and looking forward to lunch all week long.
Brussels sprouts often get a bad rap, but when prepared correctly, these mini cabbages transform into culinary stars. My deep appreciation for Brussels sprouts is exactly why I’m thrilled to share this easy and utterly delicious Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe. For anyone constantly searching for diverse and exciting meals to prep for a busy week’s lunch, this salad hits all the right notes, offering both convenience and gourmet flavor.
While I may not be strictly adhering to a Whole30 program year-round, I consistently notice an improvement in my overall well-being when I minimize gluten, dairy, and refined sugar in my diet. This salad effortlessly supports that lifestyle choice, making it an ideal option for anyone seeking clean, nourishing, and feel-good food. What truly elevates this dish is the vibrant, zesty avocado dressing, which ties all the textures and flavors together in a harmonious blend that’s simply irresistible.
If you’ve previously enjoyed my spicy avocado dressing, my unique potato brussels sprouts salad, or the rich brown butter brussels sprouts salad, then you absolutely must add this Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad to your rotation. It embodies the same dedication to fresh ingredients and bold flavors, ensuring a delightful eating experience.
Why This Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad Is a Must-Try
Beyond its incredible taste, this salad offers a multitude of benefits that make it a standout choice for healthy eating:
- Nutrient-Dense Powerhouse: This salad is brimming with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from the fresh produce, ensuring you get a healthy dose of goodness with every bite.
- Protein-Packed and Satisfying: With generous portions of chicken and healthy fats from avocado and bacon, this salad provides sustained energy and keeps hunger at bay, making it an excellent choice for a filling lunch.
- Effortless Meal Prep: Designed for efficiency, this recipe can be easily prepared in advance, allowing you to have wholesome and delicious lunches ready to go throughout the busy week, saving you time and stress.
- Dietary Inclusivity: Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and Whole30-friendly, it caters to a variety of dietary needs and preferences without compromising on flavor or satisfaction.
- A Delicious Twist on Brussels Sprouts: Say goodbye to boring vegetables! This recipe offers a unique and flavorful way to enjoy Brussels sprouts, transforming them into a savory, slightly crispy, and utterly addictive component of your meal.
The Star Ingredients and Their Purpose
Each component of this salad plays a crucial role in building its complex flavor profile and nutritional value. Here’s a closer look at what makes this dish truly special:
- Brussels Sprouts: These nutritional powerhouses are the heart of our salad. Shaving them allows for quicker cooking and a delightful tender-crisp texture that absorbs flavors beautifully. You can save precious prep time by buying pre-shredded Brussels sprouts, or easily shave them yourself using a food processor for consistent results. They’re packed with Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and fiber, contributing to a healthy digestive system and strong bones.
- Bacon: More than just a flavor enhancer, thick-cut bacon is key to rendering enough flavorful fat, which we’ll use to perfectly sauté our Brussels sprouts. This cooking method infuses the sprouts with a rich, savory depth that elevates the entire dish. The crispy bits of bacon also add a fantastic textural contrast to the tender chicken and sprouts.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are indispensable here. Their pungent aroma and sweet flavor, when lightly sautéed, provide a foundational layer of savory goodness that garlic powder simply cannot replicate. Aim for fresh cloves for the best outcome.
- Chicken: The lean protein source that makes this salad a complete and substantial meal. Cooked chicken breasts, whether shredded from your own kitchen or a convenient store-bought rotisserie chicken, provide the necessary bulk and satiating power. Using shredded chicken ensures it blends seamlessly with the other ingredients, creating a cohesive and delightful bite.
- Avocado: A champion of healthy fats and creamy texture, fresh avocado is essential for both the dressing and the salad itself. In the dressing, it creates a luscious, smooth base, while diced avocado in the salad adds pockets of richness and contributes to feelings of fullness. It’s also an excellent source of potassium and dietary fiber.
- Avocado Dressing: This vibrant, zesty dressing is the secret weapon of the salad. Made with fresh avocado, cilantro, mayo (paleo-approved for Whole30), jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and a touch of water and salt, it brings a bright, tangy, and subtly spicy element that perfectly complements the savory chicken and sprouts. Its creaminess helps to bind all the components together.
Step-by-Step Guide to Flavor Perfection
Creating this delicious Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad is a straightforward process. Follow these simple steps for a truly rewarding culinary experience:
- Step 1: Prepare the Chicken. Begin by ensuring your chicken is cooked and ready. If you’re cooking it from scratch, use your preferred method—boiling, instant pot, or pan-searing until fully cooked and easily shredded. For ultimate convenience, a store-bought rotisserie chicken works wonderfully and saves a significant amount of time. Shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Step 2: Crisp the Bacon. In a large, deep skillet, add the chopped thick-cut bacon. Cook it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a beautiful crispiness. Once done, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces, transferring them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess fat. Reserve the rendered bacon fat in the skillet – this is liquid gold for our sprouts!
- Step 3: Sauté the Brussels Sprouts. With the flavorful bacon fat remaining in the skillet, add the shaved Brussels sprouts along with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté them over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they become tender-crisp and slightly caramelized. This process might take about 8-10 minutes. If you find there isn’t quite enough bacon fat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to assist with sautéing. During the final minute or two of cooking, stir in the chopped fresh garlic, allowing it to become fragrant without burning, which typically takes about 60 seconds.
- Step 4: Craft the Zesty Avocado Dressing. While the sprouts are cooking, prepare the vibrant avocado dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients (avocado, cilantro, mayo, jalapeño, garlic cloves, salt, lime juice, and water) in a small blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Set this aside until you’re ready to serve the salad.
- Step 5: Assemble Your Salad. Return the crispy bacon and shredded chicken to the skillet with the sautéed Brussels sprouts. Toss everything together gently to combine all the savory flavors. Transfer this warm mixture to a large serving bowl or platter. Finally, add the freshly diced avocado, pour a generous amount of the zesty avocado dressing over the top, and toss once more to ensure every ingredient is coated. Serve immediately and savor every delicious bite!
Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
- Customize Your Spice Level: If you enjoy a bit of heat, don’t shy away from keeping some or all of the seeds from the jalapeño when making the dressing. For a milder flavor, remove all the seeds and the white pith. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the dressing for an extra kick.
- Prevent Avocado Browning: To maintain the vibrant green color and freshness of the diced avocado in your salad, it’s crucial to add it and the dressing just before serving or eating. Avocado oxidizes quickly when exposed to air, leading to an undesirable brown discoloration.
- Prepare Dressing Ahead: For ultimate meal prep convenience, the avocado dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Be aware that the dressing may thicken slightly over time, so you might need to add a splash of water or lime juice to thin it out to your desired consistency before use.
- Achieving Crispy Brussels Sprouts: Ensure your skillet is hot enough and avoid overcrowding it when sautéing the sprouts. Cooking them in batches if necessary will allow them to brown and crisp properly, rather than steam. The bacon fat is key to achieving that perfect texture and flavor.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip: Whole30 Compliance
To ensure this Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad remains strictly Whole30-compliant, it’s essential to use a paleo-approved mayonnaise for the dressing. Many brands offer compliant options, or for full control over ingredients, consider making your own homemade avocado oil mayonnaise – it’s surprisingly easy and delicious!
Customizing Your Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad
While this salad is fantastic as is, it’s also wonderfully adaptable! I specifically designed this base recipe to be Whole30-approved, meaning it’s free from gluten, dairy, and added sugar. However, if your dietary needs are more flexible, feel free to experiment with these delicious additions to personalize your salad:
- Cheeses: For those who enjoy dairy, a sprinkle of cubed cheddar cheese or crumbled cojita cheese would add a delightful tang and creaminess. Feta or goat cheese could also offer a refreshing contrast.
- Roasted Vegetables: Enhance the hearty factor with roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or even bell peppers. Their sweetness and tender texture would complement the savory notes of the salad beautifully.
- Legumes and Grains: Canned black beans, rinsed and drained, can boost fiber and plant-based protein. For non-Whole30, cooked quinoa or brown rice could make this an even more substantial bowl.
- Fresh Produce: Juicy grape tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, or crisp cucumber could add additional freshness and crunch.
- Nuts and Seeds: Toasted pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds would introduce a lovely textural element and healthy fats.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley, mint, or chives can provide an extra layer of aromatic flavor.
Storage and Meal Prep Made Easy
This Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad is a dream for meal preppers. Planning ahead means you can enjoy delicious, healthy lunches without the daily fuss. Proper storage is key to maintaining freshness:
Refrigerator: Store any leftover salad components in separate, airtight containers for optimal freshness. The cooked chicken and sautéed Brussels sprouts can be combined in one container, while the avocado dressing should be stored separately. The diced avocado should also be kept separate and only added just before serving to prevent browning. When stored correctly, the main salad mixture and dressing will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best results, gently warm the chicken and Brussels sprouts mixture before adding the fresh avocado and dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad truly offers the best of all worlds: it’s incredibly flavorful, satisfyingly hearty, and packed with nutrients. From the crispy bacon and tender chicken to the perfectly sautéed Brussels sprouts and the creamy, zesty avocado dressing, every element works in harmony to create a memorable meal. Whether you’re on a Whole30 journey, looking for healthy meal prep ideas, or simply want to enjoy a delicious and wholesome lunch, this recipe is designed to impress. It’s rich in protein and fiber, boasting significant amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and iron, contributing to overall health and vitality. This salad proves that healthy eating can be exciting, convenient, and utterly delicious.
More Brussels Sprouts Inspired Dishes
Easy Fried Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts Pizza
Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Kale, Apple and Brussels Sprouts Salad
If you tried this fantastic recipe, please take a moment to leave a comment and a star rating below. Your feedback helps other home cooks discover and enjoy this delicious salad!
Chicken Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 jalapeno, chopped and seeds removed (save some seeds if you want spicy)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp juice from 1 lime
- 1/2 cup water
For the salad:
- 24 oz. brussels sprouts, shaved
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, chopped
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
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If you haven’t already, cook the chicken using one of these methods.Or, if you’re using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, skip this step.
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Next, add the bacon to a large, deep skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy; remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
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To that same skillet, add the brussels sprouts, along with a large pinch of salt, and cook them in the bacon grease. NOTE: you may need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet during the cooking process.
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While the sprouts are cooking, make the dressing: add all ingredients to a small blender or food processor and pulse until smooth; set aside.
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Once the sprouts are cooked, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Add the bacon back into the skillet, along with the chicken and stir to combine.
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Transfer the salad to a serving platter or into a large bowl, then add the avocado, pour some of the dressing over top and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
*Salad should keep for up to 3 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator (dressing and avocado separate).
Nutrition
Did you make this?Leave a comment and star rating below!
UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally published in January 2019 and has been thoroughly updated with fresh text, improved photos, and enhanced content in April 2025 to provide the best possible experience for our readers.