Chicken BLT Salad

I'm always on the lookout for new dinner salads, but they have to be hearty enough to satisfy us at the end of the day. As soon as Nicole posted this Chicken BLT Salad I knew it would be a winner in my house. How could it not when it contains two things SP loves - crispy chicken and BLT ingredients?

You know what the surprise star was of this meal? The dressing. Holy moly was it good. SP, not being a fan of dill, opted to use something else but Baby Girl and I practically licked our plates clean trying to get all the dressing into our bellies. So deliciously easy with a huge flavor punch. I opted to pan-fry the chicken rather than bake it in the oven to ensure a nice, crispy coating. It's not the healthier option, but everything in moderation, right?

And here's one more picture because I wanted to experiment with the new filters on iOS 7. Pretty neat.

Chicken BLT Salad
As seen on Prevention RD

1 cup lowfat buttermilk, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
salt and pepper
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
canola or another light-colored oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh chives or parsley, minced
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 4 slices
2-3 plum tomatoes, chopped
crumbled blue cheese (about 1/2 cup)
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish. Place panko in a second shallow dish. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture to coat, then dredge in the panko.

Heat about 1/2-inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, then flip and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Let chicken stand 5 minutes before slicing into strips.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk, salt and pepper to taste, mayonnaise, dill, chives/parsley, vinegar and garlic in a bowl or dressing container. Stir or shake to combine.

Place cut lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1/4 of the chicken, tomato, and dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon.