Two of the best things ever to eat, put together: guacamole and chicken salad. Why didn't I think of this years ago? Avocado, lime, cilantro, and garlic, plus chicken, celery and shallot. Add a dollop of mayo. Mix it all together and you have avocado chicken salad. It's got a crazy green tinge but it sure tastes good!
Easy Avocado Chicken Salad
Here's a nice twist on classic chicken salad. Cool, creamy and refreshing against the heat of summer. The avocado makes it extra delicious. I always have avocados in the house, and often leftover chicken on purpose for fast lunches and one day thismwas the result!
If you don't have leftover chicken, you can buy cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or grab a package of boneless, skinless breasts and poach them. It's easy and takes just 20 minutes and you can do them ahead of time to make salad assembly faster.
How To Poach Chicken Breasts
For how to poach chicken breasts, see this post and recipe. It's a basic, easy technique. Served either warm or cold, poached chicken breasts are versatile for a quick and healthy meal.
Back to the Salad: First Make Guacamole
Slice and seed your avocado, then cross hatch the soft green flesh with a knife. Make the cross hatch fairly small. Run a spoon under the avocado to release the diced avocado and place in a bowl.
Add finely chopped shallot, lime juice, chopped cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix it up to make your guacamole.
Finish the Avocado Chicken Salad
Add cubed cooked chicken breast and a little mayo and celery to the guacamole as you would for a classic chicken salad.
To finish the guacamole chicken salad, add the chicken to the bowl and fold into the guacamole. Add a little Vegenaise or your favorite mayo. I like Vegenaise for the light, clean flavor and fresh ingredients. Find it in the refrigerated dairy section (even though it is non-dairy).
Serve your avocado chicken salad with a little more lime juice and salt if needed, and enjoy.
Easy Avocado Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds cooked chicken breast, cubed
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 large celery rib, chopped fine ½ cup
- 1 small shallot finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons Vegenaise or your favorite mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- For the chicken. If you are using leftover chicken, chop it into into small, bite-sized cubes with a sharp knife. If you are poaching raw chicken breasts, get them started. See the post link in the headnote for directions.
- 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. See photo above for help. 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. Add the chicken and mayonnaise, mix gently, and season with salt and enjoy. If you have an extra lime you can serve wedges for people to squeeze over the top.
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!