Peach, Bacon and Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese

Move away peach cobbler, bring on chicken peach salad! Honestly, as far as using fruit in dinner salads goes, peaches are in my top 3 for sure, after strawberries and blueberries.The sweet, the sour and the creamy texture go incredibly well with leafy greens, salty bacon and perfectly cooked chicken. Add some goat cheese, red onions and homemade honey mustard dressing and you’ve got yourself a true winner of a salad. If you're in a salad rut and looking for something new, give this one a try!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Fresh Peaches: use ripe but firm peaches. They are best when in season!

Chicken Breasts: boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the protein base for this recipe.

Sliced Bacon: I use thick sliced bacon for this salad. The recipe calls for chopping the bacon and cooking it in a skillet (my preferred method of making bacon bits) but you can also bake whole bacon slices in the oven until crisp and then crumble them over the salad.

Salad Greens: spring mix, spinach, arugula or your favorite mix of tender salad greens will all work.

Red Onions: see my trick for how to make the onion taste milder below.

Goat Cheese: creamy, soft Chevre works so well with sweet and tart peaches!

Honey Mustard Dressing: homemade is best. My recipe is below.  

HOMEMADE HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING INGREDIENTS

Dijon Mustard: classic Dijon works beautifully in this dressing but you can use any mustard you like or have on hand.

Vinegar: apple cider vinegar is my favorite in salad dressings but you can also use white wine vinegar for this recipe.

Olive Oil: extra virgin olive oil is best.

Honey: pick thick but pourable honey so it can dissolve easily in the dressing.

Salt & Pepper: to season the dressing.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN AND PEACH SALAD WITH BACON AND GOAT CHEESE

STEP 1: Soak the onion. Place the sliced onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let it soak while you prepare the salad, then drain on a sieve. This step may seem redundant but I highly recommend the soaking trick if you don’t like sharp onion flavor (and onion breath after dinner). It makes the onion taste milder and sweeter.

STEP 2: Cook the bacon until crisp. My preferred method is to chop the bacon slices into small pieces, cook them in a skillet until brown and crispy, then remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon and lay them on a paper towel to drain any excess fat.

STEP 3: Cook the chicken. The seasoning on the chicken is pretty simple: salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sear it in a cast iron skillet (or your favorite skillet with a thick bottom) on both sides, turn the heat down and cook for about 20-25 minutes flipping a couple times until the inner temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have an air fryer, you can also cook the chicken by air frying it for about 9 minutes per side in 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

STEP 3: Make the dressing. Put all dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until smooth. You can also place the honey, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk adding the oil in a slow stream until the dressing is thick and smooth.

STEP 5: Chop and slice the ingredients. Slice the peaches into wedges (about 8-10 per peach), leaving the skin on. Let the chicken cool slightly and chop or slice. Crumble the goat cheese with your fingers and drain the onions.

STEP 6: Assemble the salad. Arrange the greens on a platter (or a large bowl) and top with chopped cooked chicken, peach slices, crispy bacon bits, goat cheese crumbles and red onion. Then drizzle with the honey mustard dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy!

MEAL PREP AND MAKE AHEAD TIPS

To make ahead, arrange all salad ingredients on a platter and place in the fridge. Make the dressing and keep it in a jar at room temperature until ready to serve. Then, take out of the fridge, give the dressing a good shake, drizzle and serve. If you want to meal prep this salad as a school or work lunch, divide the salad between air tight glass or plastic containers, prepare the dressing and divide between mini mason jars (or bring the bigger jar to work). Dress the salad before serving.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND SPECIAL DIETS

The wonderful thing about dinner salads is that there is no right or wrong way to make them. Adjust the amounts to your preferences, replace some ingredients with others and make it your own! Here are some suggestions you might like:

• If you don’t like goat cheese, replace with crumbled feta or blue cheese or skip all together.
• Nectarines, apricots or plums can be used instead of peaches. Just make sure they’re ripe.
• To turn this dish into a lighter side salad, skip the chicken and serve as a side at a potluck or a family barbeque.
• If you like grilled peaches, go ahead and grill them on a gas grill, barbeque or a grill pan until grill marks appear. It will make for a stunning presentation! You can also grill the chicken, instead of cooking it in a skillet.
• When peaches are not in season, you can use canned peach slices in 100% peach juice. Just drain and use instead of fresh peaches.
• This recipe is naturally gluten free. For a paleo/whole30 version, skip the cheese and use a different kind of dressing, for example a simple lemon vinaigrette.

OTHER SUMMER DINNER IDEAS

• Greek Salad with Chickpeas
• Strawberry and Feta Spinach Salad
• Keto Egg and Avocado Salad
• Chicken Caprese Sheet Pan
• Italian Ground Chicken Stuffed Zucchini

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Peach, Bacon and Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese

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★★★★★

5 from 14 reviews

• Author: Agnieszka
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

Peach, Bacon and Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese is an easy and flavorful summer weekday dinner that will brighten your evening. It’s made with fresh peaches, seared chicken, crispy bacon and creamy goat cheese for a wonderful combo of flavors and textures.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the salad:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
1 teaspoon neutral tasting oil (avocado, sunflower or light olive oil)
2 ripe medium peaches
4 slices of thick bacon
3 oz mixed greens
1.5 oz red onion, sliced thin
2 oz goat cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Honey Mustard Dressing
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
a pinch of black pepper

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Instructions

1. Chop up the bacon into small bits, transfer to a skillet and cook until browned and crispy. Remove from the stove, drain on a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Set aside.
2. Place the sliced red onion in a bowl, pour some cold water over it and let it soak for about 15 minutes or while you’re preparing the rest of the ingredients. Drain on a sieve and set aside. This step will help remove the harsh onion flavor.
3. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, black pepper and garlic salt. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken until well seared on medium heat, about 20-25 minutes flipping from time to time. Transfer on a plate and cover with tinfoil to let the meat rest and finish cooking.
4. Prepare the dressing. Place all ingredients in a mason jar, close the lid and shake vigorously until the honey is dissolved and the dressing is smooth.
5. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pit and slice the peach halves into 4-5 even slices.
6. Assemble the salad. Place the greens in a large bowl or on a large platter and arrange the chicken, sliced peaches, red onion and cooked bacon on top. Crumble the goat cheese into the salad and drizzle with the dressing. Toss and serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: salad
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: peach and chicken salad, how to make peach chicken salad, peach chicken salad with bacon, peach dinner salad