Avocado Chicken Salad (Printable)

Fresh, creamy salad combining tender chicken, ripe avocado, and zesty lime with fragrant herbs. Perfect light meal.

# What You'll 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 It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, diced avocados, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber.
02 - Add the chopped cilantro and parsley to the mixture.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine, being careful not to mash the avocado.
05 - Serve immediately, or chill for up to 1 hour before serving for a colder, firmer texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than waiting for takeout and tastes like you planned it all week.
  • The creamy avocado does all the work of mayo without any of the heaviness.
  • You can eat it straight from the bowl, wrap it in lettuce, or pile it on toast without changing a thing.
  • Leftovers stay good for a day, so you can make it the night before and actually enjoy your lunch break.
02 -
  • Dice the avocado last and toss it in right before serving to keep it from oxidizing and turning gray.
  • If your chicken is still warm from cooking, let it cool completely or it will soften the avocado and wilt the herbs.
  • Don't skip the lime juice, it's not just for flavor but also helps keep the avocado green and bright.
  • Use a gentle folding motion instead of stirring when you toss the salad, or you'll end up with avocado-flavored mush.
03 -
  • If you're meal prepping, store the dressing in a small jar and shake it up right before pouring so the oil and lime juice don't separate.
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the herbs directly over the bowl instead of chopping them on a board, it's faster and you lose less of the fragrant oils.
  • Taste the salad after tossing and adjust the lime or salt, every avocado and lime is a little different and sometimes you need an extra squeeze to make it sing.
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