Avocado Chicken Salad

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If you’re an avocado fan, my avocado chicken salad is such a fun a twist on classic chicken salad. Swapping the mayo for avocado works amazingly well. I just had to tweak the flavors a bit. This creamy salad is perfect for a quick lunch or a chill dinner, especially when it’s warm out. Make it with me!

Why You Need My Avocado Chicken Salad

• Zesty, creamy, and satisfying – Think of this as chicken salad meets guacamole. I’ve swapped the classic add-ins with zippy red onion, herby cilantro, spicy jalapeno, and a splash of lime.
• Fast and easy – You can throw together my avocado chicken salad recipe in about 10 minutes if your chicken is pre-cooked. I love it for hectic days when I can’t be bothered to heat up the kitchen.
• Versatile, healthy, and gluten-free – It’s the perfect light lunch! I’ve got several ways you can serve it below, but I even eat it by the spoonful straight from the bowl. ?

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my chicken avocado salad recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Avocados – You definitely want ripe avocado for that perfect creamy texture. They should feel slightly soft under a gentle press.
• Lime Juice – Livens up all the flavors and prevents the avocado from browning too fast. Fresh squeezed tastes the best, but bottled lime juice (or lemon juice) will work.
• Cooked Chicken – What I really love about this avocado chicken salad is how flexible it is for using up leftover chicken breast! You can use rotisserie chicken, Instant Pot shredded chicken (my go-to), or cubed grilled chicken, baked chicken, or even pan seared chicken.
• Red Onion – I like the bite and color. White onions would be the next best option.
• Fresh Cilantro – If you’re not a fan, you can substitute parsley or sliced green onions.
• Jalapeño Pepper – I use just half. You can throw in the whole one for more heat, or remove the seeds to make it milder. For my kids, I leave it out altogether.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

How To Make Avocado Chicken Salad

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Mash the avocado. In a large bowl, mash together the avocado and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
2. Mix it up. Add the cooked chicken, chopped red onion, cilantro, and diced jalapeños. Stir everything together.

My Recipe Tips

• You can adjust the consistency. I like my chicken avocado salad with distinct chunks of chicken and even a few avocado pieces. So, I shred the chicken larger and don’t mash the avocado completely. You can mash more if you like a smoother texture.
• Dice the jalapenos very small. Otherwise, they can overpower some bites. You can also dice the onion finer than I did if you like.
• How much salt and pepper you need can vary depending on how salty your  cooked chicken is. If you’re unsure, you can always start with less and add more to taste at the end.

Recipe Variations

• More veggies – Add diced celery for more crunch, fresh tomatoes for juicy sweetness, or a hint of minced garlic because… garlic.
• Protein options – Sometimes I toss in a couple hard boiled eggs to make the avocado chicken salad even more filling, or use them instead of chicken (see my avocado egg salad). You can also use shrimp, like my shrimp avocado salad.
• Mediterranean – Use lemon juice instead of lime juice. Swap the jalapenos and cilantro with chopped red peppers (or even roasted red peppers), sliced olives, fresh dill, and crumbled feta cheese.
• Caprese – Again, lemon juice works best for this one. Replace the jalapenos and cilantro with halved cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella pearls, and fresh basil.

Meal Prep Options

Avocado chicken salad is tricky to store, because the avocado turns brown. You’ve got a couple options here:

• Prep the components only: This is my preferred method. Pre-cook your chicken, and dice your onions and jalapenos in advance. It only takes me a few minutes to stir together the day-of!
• Add more lime juice: You’ll still need to keep the air out (see below), but an extra 1-2 tablespoons of lime juice will slow down the browning.
• Keep the air out: Plastic wrap flush against the surface can help. My guacamole keeper works even better!

Serving Ideas

I mentioned that I can totally eat this avocado chicken salad straight with a spoon, but it’s even better like this:

• Lettuce wraps – They’re quick, easy and so refreshing in the summer. I like to use bibb lettuce, as pictured above, because the leaves are large and flexible.
• Serve as a dip – I love scooping up this chicken avocado salad with flax seed crackers or baked tortilla chips for crunch! You can even use halved mini bell peppers, or sliced radishes and cucumbers.
• Sandwiches – Slather this salad between slices of your favorite bread, or tuck it inside your favorite tortillas.
• Stuffed avocado – For a fun presentation, serve the chicken salad in an avocado shell. It’s similar to my BLT stuffed avocado, and looks pretty fancy!

More Chicken Salad Recipes

So many good ways to turn chicken into a salad! Try my others next:

Buffalo Chicken Salad

BBQ Chicken Salad

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Chicken Caesar Salad

Recipe Card

4.97 from 33 votes

Avocado Chicken Salad (6 Ingredients)

By Maya Krampf

My easy avocado chicken salad with lime, cilantro, and red onion is creamy, tangy, and fresh. The perfect healthy meal in just 10 minutes!

Prep: 10 minutes

Total: 10 minutes

Servings: 5 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

[ See substitutions ]

U.S. – Metric

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 2 medium Avocados ▢
• 2 tbsp Lime juice ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt (to taste) ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper (to taste) ▢
• 2 cups Shredded chicken (or any cooked chicken) ▢
• 1/3 cup Red onion (diced) ▢
• 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro (chopped) ▢
• 1/2 medium Jalapeno (minced; ~1 tablespoon) ▢

Instructions

[ See step photos • See my tips ]

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. In a large bowl, combine the avocado, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mash together with a fork.

2. Add the shredded chicken, red onion, cilantro, and jalapenos (if using). Stir everything together, until uniform.

Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 228

Fat 15.6g

Protein 15.8g

Total Carbs 8.5g

Net Carbs 2.8g

Fiber 5.7g

Sugar 1.1g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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Try More Of My Recipes

• 
  Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
• 
  Cauliflower Potato Salad
• 
  Avocado Egg Salad
• 
  Avocado Tuna Salad

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Gratitude Moment

Avocado is one of my favorite foods, and I pretty much always have some in my fridge or on the counter. (Um, have you seen my logo?)

The only problem with them is that they go something like: not ripe, not ripe, not ripe… okay, now you have 5 minutes to use it… missed your chance, it’s brown!

So, today I’m just over here feeling happy that my avocado is just right and I was able to enjoy it for lunch. Hope you’re just as lucky!