Two of the best ingredients ever—chicken and avocado—come together in this easy, flavor-packed chicken and avocado salad. With a few simple steps, you can turn leftover chicken into something amazing. Creamy avocado, a squeeze of bright lime juice, and fresh cilantro add vibrant, fresh flavors. Celery brings the crunch, while shallot and garlic add a savory kick. Stir in a dollop of mayo, mix it all together, and you’ve got a healthy, satisfying high protein (and low carb) salad that tastes great.
Here's a nice twist on classic chicken salad. Cool, creamy and refreshing against the heat of summer but delicious all year round. I always have avocados in the house, and often leftover chicken (I make extra on purpose) for fast lunches. One day this was the result and I had to share it with you.
Jump to:
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- It's healthy, easy, and fast to make.
- Make great use of leftover chicken.
- Healthy fat, high protein, a terrific flavor combination.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: Leftover cooked chicken breast from roast chicken breasts, grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
- Avocado: Be sure it's ripe with a gentle squeeze at the top near the stem.
- Celery: For crunch and flavor (optional).
- Shallot: For mild oniony flavor, or use a little white onion.
- Herbs: Cilantro or fresh parsley.
- Garlic: A small fresh clove.
- Lime: For a lift of bright flavor and the acidity.
- Mayonnaise: Your favorite brand with light flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap cooked turkey breast for cooked chicken (great after Thanksgiving).
- No ripe avocado? Use prepared guacamole.
- Don't like mayo? Swap plain Greek yogurt.
- For spice, add a finely chopped jalapeno pepper.
- Swap red onion for the shallot.
- Add chopped walnuts for more crunch and healthy fat.
Chef's tip on garlic in salads: When you're adding fresh garlic to a salad like this chicken and avocado salad, you need it to almost disappear. Biting into a piece of garlic is not pleasant. Instead of chopping the garlic, zest it with a microplane zester. Zesting turns raw garlic into a paste quickly and easily so that it practically disappears into what you're preparing.
Recipe Instructions
- Step 1: Chop chicken into into small, bite-sized cubes with a sharp knife.
- Step 2: Seed and dice the avocado, then scoop into a medium bowl and mix in the lime juice. If it's soft you can mash it too.
- Step 3: Chop the celery, shallot, cilantro and garlic and add to the bowl and mix gently. Add the chicken and mayonnaise, mix gently, and season with salt and ground pepper.
Note: If you prefer it creamy style, mix the avocado, mayo, juice, shallot and garlic smooth like a creamy guacamole.
Chef's tip: The easiest way to seed an avocado is to run a sharp knife edge around the center of the avocado lengthwise. Start at the top and turn the avocado against the blade. Twist the halves in opposite directions to open the avocado. Remove the seed by lodging the sharp edge of the knife into the seed, then twist to remove. If this makes you nervous, hold the avocado half with the seed in a kitchen towel.
Serving Suggestions
When we're in a hurry we Pile chicken and avocado salad on fresh lettuce greens for more of an entree salad and serve with lime wedges if desired. Any kind of soft lettuce greens work.
Other ways to serve include in lettuce wraps, burrito-style with tortillas, in sandwiches, or over cooked quinoa. Some people like crunchy tortilla chips with it on the side.
Chicken and avocado salad is best enjoyed fresh due to the perishability of the avocado but can last up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
Seed and dice the avocado just before mixing it with the chicken salad and you won't have an issue with the avocado browning or oxidizing. Plus the lime juice helps with that problem too.
You can chop it small, about the same size as the chicken, or mash it fairly smooth before adding the avocado to the chicken salad.
To make it dairy-free, be sure to use an egg-free mayonnaise such as Vegenaise, Sir Kensington's, or Chosen Foods.
More Recipes With Avocado
Maybe it's because I am a native Californian, but I love avocados! If you love them too in all of their green glory, try some of these recipes with avocado!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this chicken and avocado salad, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Easy Chicken and Avocado Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds cooked chicken breast, cubed
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- 1 large celery rib, chopped fine ½ cup, optional
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro sub parsley
- 1 small garlic clove peeled and zested
- 1 lime juiced
- ¼ cup Vegenaise or your favorite mayonnaise
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Would you like to save this recipe?
Never lose a recipe! We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Instructions
- Chop the chicken into into small, bite-sized cubes with a sharp knife.
- Run a sharp knife edge around the center of the avocado lengthwise. Twist the halves in opposite directions and open the avocado. Remove the seed by lodging the sharp edge of the knife into the seed, then twist to remove. If this makes you nervous, hold the avocado half with the seed in a kitchen towel. Remove the seed. With a a small knife, slice a grid into the avocado flesh, then scoop the diced avocado into a medium bowl.
- Chop the celery, shallot, cilantro and garlic and add to the bowl. Add the lime juice and mix gently. You can leave it diced or mash it smooth like guacamole. Add the chicken and mayonnaise, mix gently, and season with salt and pepper and enjoy. If you have an extra lime you can serve wedges for people to squeeze over the top.
Notes
- Add chopped walnuts for more crunch and healthy fat.
- Skip the celery if preferred.
- Swap the cilantro for fresh flat leaf Italian parsley if you dislike cilantro.
Nutrition
Would you like to save this recipe?
Never lose a recipe! We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Yvonne says
Wow! What a great idea for 2 things we eat almost every day! I have the pre-grilled, cubed chicken we add to salads, soups plus avocados for sandwiches and guac..thank you Sally!
Sally Cameron says
Hi Yvonne! Right? Us too. The real, fast shorter to this is to buy already cooked chicken and guacamole and mix them together. Then maybe season it up a bit to your taste with lime, cilantro, shallot, etc. This is the scratch way, but when you're in a hurry store bought mixed together works too!