Sweltering temperatures can make cooking a chore, but Mary Berry's chicken, avocado and bacon salad offers a quick and delicious solution. The recipe, featured on BBC Food, takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and serves six, making it ideal for a summer lunch or light evening meal.
Ingredients and Dressing
The yoghurt and tarragon dressing combines 300ml natural yoghurt, half a lemon's juice, one tablespoon chopped tarragon, two finely sliced spring onions, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, one teaspoon caster sugar, two teaspoons white wine vinegar, and salt and pepper. For the salad, you need one cooked chicken (skin removed, meat sliced), six rashers smoked streaky bacon, two Little Gem lettuces (leaves separated), 50g rocket, two small avocados (sliced), and 25g toasted pumpkin seeds.
Method
First, mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl and season. Stir the cooked chicken through the dressing, ensuring it's fully coated, then cover and marinate in the fridge for two hours or overnight. Grill or fry the bacon until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. Once cooled, cut into small pieces. On a large serving dish, arrange two or three lettuce leaves together to form a cup. Add rocket leaves on top, creating six lettuce cups in a circular pattern. Spoon the chicken mixture over each cup, top with avocado pieces, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and bacon bits. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Customisation and Praise
The recipe has earned glowing praise from those who have tried it. According to Wales Online, the dish contains neither eggs nor nuts and is safe to eat during pregnancy. The description on BBC Food notes: "Mary Berry's yoghurt and tarragon dressing takes this chicken, bacon and avocado salad to another level." You can customise the salad to suit your tastes, making it a versatile option for summer dining.
