How long it takes: 20 minutes Equipment you’ll need: small food processor or immersion blender, mixing bowl Servings: 4 For some reason, I keep thinking of the familiar Dr. Seuss story, What Was I Scared Of? about the pale green pants (with no one inside them!). This salad is the exact same color. My grandpa used to love reading that story to us – it totally cracked him up every time. Check it out sometime!
Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad
There’s no mayo in this dressing. Yet it’s amazingly creamy. You’ll be blown away by it, and you can feel good eating it, too. One generous serving of this salad (about one cup) provides 27 grams of protein but only has 304 calories. A typical chicken salad made with mayonnaise has about twice the calories! It’s easy to make. Avocado chicken salad isn’t more difficult to make than a salad made with a mayonnaise-based dressing but it does require a small food processor or immersion blender to get the avocado dressing really smooth and creamy.
Ingredient Notes
Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Looking for an easy way to cook chicken? Try Instant Pot chicken breasts, poached chicken, or roasted bone-in chicken breasts. Rotisserie chicken is good, too. Make sure the chicken is cold before adding it to the salad. Avocados: You need ripe avocados for this recipe. If they aren’t soft and ripe, they won’t blend well to make the creamy dressing. Plain Greek Yogurt: I like to use full-fat Greek yogurt which, by the way, makes this recipe keto-friendly. Full-fat yogurt has a creamier mouth-feel and tastes better. However, if you prefer, 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt works well too. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a bright note to the dressing and also helps keep the avocado from browning. Freshly squeezed is a must! If you don’t have a lemon, no worries! A splash of vinegar does a great job adding the same brightness that lemon brings. Celery: Finely diced celery is crunchy and flavorful. Red Onion: If you want to tone down the strong flavor of onion, soak the diced onion in ice water while you prep the rest of the salad. Drain it really well and pat dry before adding it. Fresh Parsley: Chopped parsley is colorful and adds a nice herby flavor. Kosher Salt and Coarsely Ground Black Pepper: Season your salad to taste. Don’t skimp on the salt or your salad will taste bland.
How To Tell If An Avocado Is Ripe
Check the color: A ripe avocado is dark green or nearly black. The outer skin should feel bumpy.Press it lightly with your fingertip. The avocado should be slightly softened but not mushy feeling.Look at the stem end. There’s usually a nub that can easily be removed with your fingernail. If the flesh underneath it appears bright green, the avocado is perfectly ripened. If it appears brown, the avocado is probably overripe. I love this 2 cup Ninja food processor. It doesn’t take much room in my pantry and it’s easy to use. It’s perfect for making a quick batch of chimichurri!
How To Make Avocado Chicken Salad
Make the dressing. Begin by dicing the avocados right into the bowl of the food processor or a small bowl if you’re using an immersion blender. Add the Greek yogurt and lemon juice and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Prep the chicken and remaining ingredients. Decide whether you prefer the chicken diced or shredded. Either way is just fine. Chop the celery, onions, and fresh parsley. Combine with the dressing. In a medium sized bowl, combine the chilled chicken, celery, onions, parsley, salt, pepper, and the dressing. Mix until all the ingredients are covered with the lovely green dressing. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. At this point, you may either cover the salad and put it in the refrigerator or eat it right away.
Serving Suggestions
Serve avocado chicken salad on hearty whole grain bread or in a wrap, with leaf lettuce and pickled red onions. A bowl of creamy tomato soup or a side of crispy air fryer French fries goes great with a chicken salad sandwich. We also like to serve the chicken salad on a bed of crisp salad greens, or just on its own, too, with a side of crisp crackers and fresh fruit.
Recipe Variations
You’ll love this recipe because there are so many ways to make it your own, depending on what you like and/or what you have in your fridge. Try one of these variations (see recipe card for suggested measurements!) or create a brand new one of your own.
Guacamole chicken salad with lime juice, cumin, chopped cilantro and jalapeño pepper. Chicken salad with fruit with fresh tarragon, apple, sliced grapes, and golden raisins or dried cranberries. Garden chicken salad with dill, cucumbers, green peppers, and cherry tomatoes. Looking for a vegetarian salad? If you’re interested in a sandwich filling that isn’t made with meat, try my chickpea salad sandwich. The chickpea salad is great on lettuce, too.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Cook the chicken ahead. It’s a really good idea to cook the chicken ahead of time because it needs to be chilled before adding it to the salad. Cooked chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before using.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate: This chicken salad keeps well for at least two days in the refrigerator. You may wonder if the dressing will discolor since avocados tend to brown once they are cut. We found that the salad retained its lovely green color with no discoloration at all. The lemon juice and Greek yogurt are acidic which prevents the browning that usually occurs. Cover the chicken salad with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. Stir well before serving. Pack and go lunch: Chicken salad makes a great lunch! Store it in serving sized containers in the refrigerator. Grab one on your way out the door.
Interested in weekly meal plans that include this recipe? Take a look at my Meal Plan #7 or Meal Plan #23. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.
