Chickpea Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad.

Today is the day we fall in love with this chickpea bacon ranch salad.

I mean, who doesn’t love a chopped salad?!

When I was home one summer in college, my brother and I both worked at Quiznos. He was obsessed with the chicken bacon ranch sandwich.  I think it was the most popular sandwich or something?

I couldn’t be bothered with it. I’ve rambled on before about how I never liked any sort of ranch dressing growing up. I didn’t like it to dip veggies (obvi), couldn’t even fathom it on salad and the whole pizza-crust-dipped-in-ranch thing? My worst nightmare.

I know! I was totally missing out.

The craziest thing is that I never really ended up loving ranch at all – until I made it myself. I fell in love with a version at home that contains a mix of fresh and dried herbs. And that sort of opened the floodgates for me.

Making a homemade avocado ranch was the first step. I’ve been making one now for over six years and it’s a huge win when it comes to homemade dips and dressings. The color is super pretty too!

My next foray was greek yogurt ranch, which I appreciate just as much and is the version of ranch that you’ll find in this chickpea bacon ranch salad. I actually crave this ranch on salads.

And it’s rare that I’m enticed by a ranch-heavy dish right off the bat – even now. But I absolutely approve of some crispy fries dipped in ranch. Just sayin’.

Roasted chickpeas are a huge meal prep staple for me. They are so crispy and crunchy and satisfying. And while I never was into the whole chicken bacon ranch phenomenon, with an accidental work slip, I thought of chickPEA bacon ranch instead of chicken bacon ranch.

And this amazing salad was born!

But here’s the thing. We’re not roasting these chickpeas today.

Today, we’re going to add them to a skillet with the bacon grease.

YEP.

I’m sorry?

But really not at all.

Add these to the skillet and let them crisp up. As a result, they take on a whole ton of flavor.

Speaking of staples, I swear that this might become a staple in your kitchen.

I couldn’t help sharing it now, but it may be even more in the rotation come summer. It’s a salad that you can prep all the components for ahead of time: make your bacon, chickpeas, ranch and cut the remaining veggies a day or so before. Keep the components separate until mealtime, then toss together and eat!

It’s safe to say that I am obsessed with the flavor and the texture, which is the reason why I’m breaking all the rules and sharing salad on FRIDAY.

I mean. FRIDAY.

!!!!!

It’s the day for cake and cocktails and mac and cheese.

But I swear, once you get into the groove of this, you won’t want to get out.

Chickpea Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad

Chickpea Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

The chickpea bacon ranch salad has a ton of crispy, crunchy texture and flavor. It's satisfying and super easy to prep ahead of time too!

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5 from 12 votes

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Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 pieces bacon, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups spring greens, butter lettuce or romaine hearts
• 2 cups baby arugula greens
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ English cucumber, peeled and sliced
• kosher salt
• freshly cracked black pepper

greek yogurt ranch

• 1/3 cup greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped dill
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions 

• Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then place them in a single layer on a kitchen towel to dry. You can lightly press with a paper towel to remove moisture from the chickpeas – this is key so they crisp up in the skillet!
• Line a plate with a paper towel.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on the paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
• Add the chickpeas to the skillet over medium heat and toss. Add in the garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to toast and crisp up, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chickpeas with the slotted spoon and place them on the paper towel too.
• To assemble the salad, add the spinach and arugula to a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Top with the avocado, tomatoes and cucumber. Add on the bacon and the chickpeas. Drizzle with the ranch dressing and serve!

greek yogurt ranch dressing

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until combined. This can be stored for a day or two in the fridge.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

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Let’s make chickpea bacon ranch a thing.