This high fiber chicken salad is creamy, savory, and full of satisfying little bites: tender chicken, smoky bacon, juicy tomatoes, rich avocado, and tangy blue cheese. White beans tuck into the dressing beautifully, adding a mild, creamy texture along with the extra fiber that makes this salad especially filling.
The dressing has a ranch-like tang from buttermilk, sour cream, chives, and a little Worcestershire sauce. It coats every ingredient without turning the salad soupy, and a short chill in the refrigerator lets the flavors settle together.
Serve it piled over crisp greens, spoon it into a whole-grain sandwich, or scoop it up with crackers for an easy lunch. Using shredded rotisserie chicken keeps the prep manageable on busy days, though any cooked chicken works well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fiber-forward ingredients: White beans, avocado, tomatoes, and greens bring more substance and fiber than a basic chicken salad.
- Big savory flavor: Bacon, blue cheese, chives, and Worcestershire give each bite a salty, tangy finish.
- Flexible for lunch or dinner: Spoon it onto greens, make sandwiches, or serve it as a hearty platter.
- Easy to prepare ahead: The dressing and cooked ingredients can be prepped in advance, then combined close to serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked chicken: Shredded rotisserie chicken is quick and tender. Poached, roasted, or leftover grilled chicken is equally good; remove skin if you want a cleaner texture.
- White beans: Cannellini beans have a soft, mild flavor that blends into this high fiber chicken salad. Great Northern beans or chickpeas are solid substitutes. Rinse canned beans well to remove excess sodium and the canning liquid.
- Eggs and bacon: Hard-boiled eggs add richness, while crisp bacon brings crunch. Keep a little of each aside for a pretty garnish if you are serving the salad on a platter.
- Creamy dressing: Mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk make a tangy dressing with enough body to hold the salad together. Plain Greek yogurt can replace the sour cream, and milk plus a small squeeze of lemon can stand in for buttermilk.
- Blue cheese: Its sharp flavor balances the mild chicken and beans. Use feta for a gentler salty bite, or leave it out and add a little more chive if blue cheese is not your favorite.
- Avocado and vegetables: Avocado adds creamy richness, while tomatoes, scallions, parsley, and chives keep the salad fresh. Add avocado just before serving so it stays bright and green.
High Fiber Chicken Salad
This recipe makes about 6 generous servings. Have the chicken shredded, beans rinsed, and vegetables chopped before mixing so the salad comes together quickly.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- Salad greens, whole-grain bread, or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Carefully lower in the eggs, cover the pan, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, then cool the eggs under cold running water until they are easy to handle. Peel and chop them.
- While the eggs cook, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, turning as needed, until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate, then chop once cool enough to handle. Crisp bacon holds its texture better after it meets the creamy dressing.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Stir in the blue cheese and chives. Season lightly with salt and several grinds of black pepper; the bacon and blue cheese are already salty, so it is best to adjust again after mixing.
- Add the chicken, white beans, tomatoes, scallions, chopped eggs, bacon, and parsley to the bowl. Fold gently until everything is evenly coated. Reserve a small handful of bacon, egg, and herbs for garnish if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes. This resting time gives the chives, herbs, and dressing a chance to flavor the chicken and beans. If making it farther ahead, wait to add the avocado until just before serving.
- Fold in the diced avocado, then taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve the high fiber chicken salad over greens, with whole-grain bread for sandwiches, or alongside crackers.
Tips & Variations
- Dry the beans well: After rinsing, let them drain thoroughly or pat them dry with a clean towel. Extra water can loosen the dressing and mute its flavor.
- Keep the avocado separate for meal prep: Store diced avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice in its own small container, then fold it in before eating. This limits browning and preserves its soft texture.
- Use chickpeas for more bite: Cannellini beans are tender and creamy, while chickpeas are firmer and nuttier. Both make the chicken salad more substantial, so choose the texture you prefer.
- Make it lighter without making it dry: Replace half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. Yogurt adds tang and creaminess, but keeping some mayonnaise gives the dressing a smoother, more traditional chicken-salad feel.
Serving and Storage
For a fresh meal, mound the salad over romaine, spring greens, or peppery arugula and finish with reserved bacon, egg, chives, and parsley. Whole-grain sourdough, seeded bread, pita pockets, or sturdy crackers all work nicely for a more handheld lunch. A bowl of fruit, crunchy cucumber slices, or simple vegetable soup rounds out the plate.
Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the best color and texture, keep avocado out of the stored portion and add it when serving. Because this is a chilled mayonnaise-based salad, it should not be reheated; serve it cold, allowing it to sit at room temperature only briefly while you eat.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this a high fiber chicken salad?
Chicken itself does not provide fiber, so the fiber comes from the white beans, avocado, tomatoes, herbs, and any greens or whole-grain bread served alongside. Adding beans also makes the salad more filling without overwhelming the chicken.
Can I use canned chicken?
Yes. Drain canned chicken very well and break it into bite-size pieces before mixing. Rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken tends to have a more tender texture, but canned chicken is a convenient pantry option.
Can I make this without bacon?
Absolutely. Leave it out for a pork-free version, or add toasted sunflower seeds, chopped toasted walnuts, or crispy roasted chickpeas just before serving for a crunchy contrast. Toasted additions should go in at the end so they do not soften in the dressing.
How can I prevent watery chicken salad?
Drain the beans thoroughly, use ripe but firm tomatoes, and avoid overmixing the avocado. Chilling the salad also helps the dressing thicken slightly. If it still seems loose, stir in a little more shredded chicken or a spoonful of blue cheese.