Avocado Chicken Salad (Printable)
Tender chicken and creamy avocado with crisp veggies and lime dressing for a bright, protein-packed lunch.
# Ingredient List:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 medium breasts)
→ Vegetables & Fruits
02 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Optional Add-ins
12 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
13 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds
# How to Make:
01 - Dice the avocados and cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the red onion, and shred or dice the cooked chicken breast. Chop the fresh cilantro if using.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, diced avocados, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped red onion, diced cucumber, and cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper until well blended.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated, taking care not to mash the avocado.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and sliced almonds over the top if desired, then toss lightly to distribute.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving for a chilled option.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in the time it takes to chop vegetables, which means almost no planning required.
- The avocado replaces any need for mayonnaise, so everything stays creamy without feeling heavy.
02 -
- Avocado browns fast once exposed to air, so the lime juice is doing double duty as flavor and preservation.
- Tossing too aggressively turns creamy avocado chunks into guacamole, which is delicious but not the goal here.
03 -
- Rotisserie chicken breast shreds perfectly with two forks and tastes better than most plain boiled chicken.
- Toasting the almonds in a dry skillet for about two minutes releases oils that make them fragrant and irresistible.