Avocado Chicken Salad (Printable Version)

Creamy avocado, tender chicken, and crisp vegetables tossed in a zesty lime-garlic dressing—ready in 30 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 medium breasts)

→ Vegetables & Fruits

02 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Add-ins

12 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
13 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds

# How to Make:

01 - Dice the avocados, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the red onion, dice the cucumber, and shred or dice the cooked chicken breast.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared chicken, avocados, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, and fresh cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper until well blended.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and sliced almonds over the top if desired, and toss lightly to incorporate.
06 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy avocado coats everything like a dressing all on its own, so you get richness without heaviness.
  • It comes together fast enough to make on a Tuesday when your brain is already done for the day.
  • Leftovers hold up surprisingly well if you stash the avocado pits in the container to slow browning.
02 -
  • Avocado browns fast once cut, so if you are prepping ahead dice everything else first and add the avocado right before serving.
  • Tossing the avocado cubes in a splash of lime juice before folding them in creates a thin acidic shield that slows browning noticeably.
03 -
  • Toast the almonds in a dry skillet for about two minutes, shaking constantly, until you smell them, because that one small step adds a nutty warmth that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • If your avocados are slightly underripe, mash a quarter of them into the dressing to create creaminess while keeping the rest in chunky pieces for texture contrast.

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