Fresh Avocado Chicken Salad (Printable)

Fresh salad combining tender chicken, creamy avocado, crisp vegetables, and lime-herb dressing. Perfect for healthy lunches.

# What You 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 until emulsified.
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 Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to listen to three songs, and tastes like you spent an hour on it.
  • The avocado makes it creamy without any mayo, so it feels lighter and brighter than traditional chicken salad.
  • Every bite has texture: soft chicken, crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes, and that buttery avocado.
  • It works just as well stuffed into a pita as it does eaten straight from the bowl with a fork.
02 -
  • Cut the avocado last and toss it with lime juice immediately to slow down browning; I once prepped everything the night before and the avocado turned gray by morning.
  • Don't skip the step of whisking the dressing separately, because pouring lime juice directly onto avocado without oil can make it taste harsh and unbalanced.
  • If your avocado is underripe and hard, this salad won't work; wait a day or two rather than trying to force it.
03 -
  • Use a potato masher to break up the chicken if you want a more cohesive, spreadable texture that works better in wraps or on toast.
  • Massage the red onion with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime for two minutes before adding it to the salad; it softens the sharpness and makes the onion almost sweet.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, prep all the ingredients separately and toss them together at the last minute so nothing gets soggy or brown.
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