Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad is fresh, satisfying, and packed with tender chicken, ripe avocado, crisp celery, onion, cilantro, and bright lime flavor. Mashed avocado blends with mayonnaise to create an especially creamy dressing, while chunks of avocado add buttery texture throughout.
This easy avocado chicken salad recipe is also an excellent way to transform leftover cooked chicken into a quick lunch. Serve it with toasted bread, crackers, tortilla chips, lettuce cups, or simply enjoy it straight from the bowl.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This salad strikes a delicious balance between creamy and fresh. Ripe avocado provides richness, celery and onion contribute crunch, and fresh lime juice keeps everything bright rather than heavy.
It’s also wonderfully simple. There is no cooking required when you start with prepared chicken, and the entire recipe can be assembled in about 15 minutes.
The recipe is family-friendly and easy to customize. Use all mayonnaise for maximum richness or combine mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe medium avocados
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise, or 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt plus 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1/2 medium white or red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pound shredded cooked chicken, about 3 1/2 cups
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted bread, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cut both avocados in half and carefully remove the pits.
- Scoop the flesh from one avocado into a large mixing bowl. Mash it with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, finely chopped celery, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Stir and mash everything together until the avocado and mayonnaise form a thick, creamy dressing with the vegetables evenly distributed.
- Add the shredded cooked chicken and gently stir until every piece is coated in the avocado mixture.
- Cut the remaining avocado into approximately 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces.
- Gently fold the avocado pieces into the Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad, taking care not to mash them completely. Keeping some avocado chunky creates a more interesting texture.
- Taste the salad and season with freshly ground black pepper. Add additional salt or lime juice as desired.
- Serve immediately with toasted bread, crackers, tortilla chips, or your favorite fresh vegetables.
Tips & Tricks
Choose avocados that yield slightly when gently pressed. Underripe avocados will be difficult to mash, while extremely soft avocados may have brown spots and an overly mushy texture.
Fresh lime juice is particularly useful in this healthy chicken salad because its acidity balances the richness of the avocado and mayonnaise. It also helps slow avocado browning, although it won’t prevent it indefinitely.
Finely chop the celery and onion so you get a little crunch without large pieces overwhelming the creamy texture.
If raw onion tastes too sharp, soak the chopped onion in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly before adding it.
For a lighter variation, replace half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. The salad will have a slightly tangier flavor while remaining creamy.
If using rotisserie chicken, choose halal-certified chicken when required. Plain poached, baked, or grilled chicken also works beautifully.
Details
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes when using cooked chicken
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 4 servings
Category: Lunch, Salad, Main Course
Method: No-Cook, Mixing
Cuisine: American-inspired
Difficulty: Easy
Dietary Notes: Halal-friendly when made with halal-certified chicken and suitable mayonnaise; naturally gluten-free without bread, crackers, or tortilla chips
Notes
For a tangier chicken salad with avocado, use the Greek yogurt and mayonnaise combination rather than mayonnaise alone.
Fresh parsley can replace cilantro if you don’t enjoy cilantro’s distinctive flavor. You can also add finely sliced green onions for extra freshness.
For additional crunch, try diced cucumber, toasted almonds, or chopped walnuts.
Serve the salad in lettuce cups for a fresh, lighter meal, spoon it onto toasted sourdough for a hearty lunch, or turn it into an avocado chicken salad sandwich.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving when prepared with mayonnaise and without optional serving accompaniments:
Calories: 500
Protein: 29 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fat: 40 g
Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the chicken, mayonnaise, avocado size, and serving portions used.
FAQ
How do you make Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad?
Mash one ripe avocado with mayonnaise, celery, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Stir in shredded cooked chicken, then gently fold in pieces of the second avocado. Finish with black pepper and additional lime juice to taste.
Can I make avocado chicken salad without mayonnaise?
Yes. Plain Greek yogurt can replace some or all of the mayonnaise, although using only yogurt will give the salad a tangier, less rich flavor. Mashed avocado itself also provides considerable creaminess.
How do I keep avocado chicken salad from turning brown?
Fresh lime juice helps slow oxidation. Store the salad in an airtight container and press food-safe wrap directly against the surface before sealing the container to minimize exposure to air.
What chicken is best for this recipe?
Shredded rotisserie chicken makes preparation especially quick. Leftover grilled, roasted, baked, or poached chicken breast or thighs can also be used. Make sure any chicken used is fully cooked before adding it to the salad.
What can I serve with creamy chicken avocado salad?
Serve it with toasted bread, pita, crackers, tortilla chips, lettuce cups, cucumber slices, or a simple green salad. It also makes a flavorful sandwich or wrap filling.
Can I prepare this avocado chicken salad ahead of time?
You can, but avocado is best shortly after it is cut. For the freshest color and texture, prepare the salad on the day you plan to serve it and keep it tightly covered and refrigerated.
Storage
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container promptly. To minimize browning, press food-safe wrap directly onto the surface before closing the lid.
Refrigerate the salad and enjoy it within 1–2 days for the best color, flavor, and texture.
Freezing is not recommended. Avocado, mayonnaise, and fresh vegetables can develop watery or unpleasant textures after freezing and thawing.
This salad is intended to be eaten chilled or cool, so reheating is unnecessary.
Similar Recipes
Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad – Easy Healthy Lunch
Ingredients
- 2 ripe medium avocados
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise or 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt plus 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 large celery stalk finely chopped
- 1/2 medium white or red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 pound shredded cooked chicken about 3 1/2 cups
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Tortilla chips crackers, or toasted bread, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cut both avocados in half and carefully remove the pits.
- Scoop the flesh from one avocado into a large mixing bowl. Mash it with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Add the mayonnaise, finely chopped celery, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Stir and mash everything together until the avocado and mayonnaise form a thick, creamy dressing with the vegetables evenly distributed.
- Add the shredded cooked chicken and gently stir until every piece is coated in the avocado mixture.
- Cut the remaining avocado into approximately 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces.
- Gently fold the avocado pieces into the Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad, taking care not to mash them completely. Keeping some avocado chunky creates a more interesting texture.
- Taste the salad and season with freshly ground black pepper. Add additional salt or lime juice as desired.
- Serve immediately with toasted bread, crackers, tortilla chips, or your favorite fresh vegetables.
Notes
Conclusion
Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad turns a handful of fresh ingredients and cooked chicken into a satisfying meal in just minutes. Creamy avocado and mayonnaise contrast beautifully with crunchy celery and onion, while cilantro and fresh lime keep every bite bright.
Whether you pile it onto toast, tuck it into lettuce cups, or serve it with crunchy crackers, this simple no-cook chicken salad is an easy option for lunches and quick meals.