B.L.A.T. Chopped Chicken Salad

My 11 year old son Joey and I ate this for dinner sitting at the kitchen counter. We always sit at the dining table when we are all together, but the rest of our family were out and about, so it was just the two of us in the kitchen. I ate while he chatted to me between mouthfuls telling me all about what happened at school and what drills they did at football training. Afterwards, he helped me with his homework, then we ate ice cream as we watched Adventure Time lying in front of the TV. These days will be over before I know it.

B.L.A.T. Chopped Chicken Salad
slightly adapted from An Affair from the Heart
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
400g chicken breasts, skinless boneless
250g bacon
1 large head of cos lettuce, finely chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 avocado, finely diced
3 tablespoons olive olive
2 tablespoons lime juice
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan, season the chicken with a little salt and pepper and cook on both sides until golden. Remove from the pan, allow it to cool, and chop finely. Set aside.

Lay the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until golden and crisp. Allow to cool and chop finely. Set aside.

Take a shallow bowl or serving platter and spread the lettuce out to form the first layer of the salad. Scatter the bacon over, then the tomatoes, eggs, avocado and finish with the chopped chicken.

In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice with a good pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk again. Pour the dressing over the salad.