Avocado Chicken Salad (Printable view)

Fresh and creamy with tender chicken, ripe avocado, zesty lime, and fragrant herbs. Light, healthy, and ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables & Fruit

02 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
03 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
04 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced

→ Herbs & Seasonings

06 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Dressing

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

# How To Make:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken breast, diced avocados, finely chopped red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and diced cucumber.
02 - Add the chopped cilantro and parsley to the chicken and vegetable mixture.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss all ingredients together, taking care to avoid mashing the avocado.
05 - Serve immediately for optimal texture, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour before serving for a chilled presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses avocado as the creamy binder, so you skip the mayo and still get that rich, satisfying texture.
  • Everything comes together in one bowl with no cooking required if you have leftover chicken.
  • The lime and herbs make it taste vibrant and alive, not like something you meal-prepped three days ago.
  • It works as a standalone salad, a sandwich filling, or rolled into lettuce wraps when you want crunch.
02 -
  • If your avocados are too ripe, fold them in at the very end and be extremely gentle or you'll end up with chunky guacamole salad, which isn't terrible but isn't what we're going for.
  • The lime juice isn't just for flavor; it's what keeps the avocado from turning brown, so don't skip it or cut the amount in half.
  • Taste before serving and adjust the salt; chicken and avocado both absorb seasoning, so what tastes right in the bowl might need a pinch more once it sits.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, prep everything except the avocado and store it separately; dice and fold in the avocado right before serving to keep it bright green.
  • Use a spoon to dice the avocado while it's still in the skin, then scoop it out in perfect cubes without losing any to the cutting board.
  • Always taste your lime before adding it; some are sweeter than others, and you might need a squeeze more or less depending on the fruit.
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