Avocado Chicken Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My avocado chicken salad recipe skips the mayo and heavy dressing- just tender chicken, crispy bacon, and a bright lime dressing that lets everything shine.
Table of Contents
Chicken avocado salad so good, you won’t miss the mayo
I grew up despising mayo-based chicken salads, so mom used to swap it out for avocado to give it some creaminess. These days, I’ve come around to mayo (hello, healthy chicken salad), but it’s still one of my favorite salads.
The trick to a truly crave-worthy chicken salad with avocado is to not use a creamy dressing. I know some recipes call for a buttermilk or yogurt dressing, but it makes the salad heavy and detracts from the other ingredients. I keep things simple with vinegar and citrus, which lets the flavors of the chicken, avocado, and veggies stay bright and clean.
- It’s healthy. You get protein, healthy fats, and fiber from the veggies. If I need to add some carbs, I pair it with sourdough bread or fries.
- Quick and easy. I use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken, which makes everything come together in under 10 minutes.
- Versatile. I serve this to my partner as a meal in itself, but you can serve it as a side or bring it to a BBQ or potluck!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“This recipe is fantastic! Served over a simple romaine and tomato salad for dinner. It was voted a keeper by the entire family.” – Susan
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this chicken avocado salad recipe, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts. Any pre-made cooked chicken breasts can be used. I often shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken or make my Instant Pot shredded chicken.
- Avocados. They add a rich creaminess to every bite and complement the dressing perfectly. I actually prefer slightly overripe avocados here. They meld into the salad rather than sitting in chunks, which gives a creamier result throughout.
- Corn. I typically use canned corn kernels, but fresh or thawed frozen corn works.
- Bacon. Crispy bacon pieces in the salad give it a delicious salty punch. I like to make some air fryer turkey bacon or air fryer bacon to cut back on the fat and also amp up the protein. It’s also the fastest way to cook it.
- Green onion. For a mild onion flavor. Remove the stems and chop only the green parts. Red onions are a good option if you’d like to use actual onions.
- Dressing. Just a simple mix of fresh dill, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The lime juice does two things- it brightens the whole salad and prevents the avocado from browning.
How to make avocado chicken salad
Step 1- Combine the salad ingredients. Add the sliced chicken breasts, diced avocados, corn, bacon, and scallions to a large bowl.
Step 2- Make the dressing. Stir the lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dill in a small bowl.
Step 3- Assemble and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss together, and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make the dressing in advance. Mix the ingredients in a sealed jar and refrigerate. This way, it’s ready to use at a moment’s notice.
- Add the avocado right before serving. Avocados brown quickly. Add them right before serving for the best presentation.
- Let it chill. I like to refrigerate the salad for about 30 minutes before serving. This allows all the flavors to meld, making the salad more flavorful.
- Try swapping the corn for finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. I tried it after Bruce mentioned it in the comments, and it adds an unexpected punch of umami that works really well.
- Use room-temperature chicken rather than cold from the fridge– the dressing absorbs better, and the flavors are more pronounced.
Storage and make-ahead tips
Keep the leftover salad in the bowl or transfer it to an airtight container. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the salad to prevent the avocado from browning further. Place a lid on top and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Avocado Chicken Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 10 1/2 ounces cooked chicken breast * See notes
- 2 large avocados ripe
- 1/2 cup corn
- 2 ounces cooked bacon finely chopped
- 2 scallions sliced
- 2 teaspoons dill fresh
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the chicken, avocado, bacon, and scallions into bite-sized pieces.
- In a salad bowl, combine the chicken, avocados, corn, bacon, and scallions.
- In a small bowl, combine lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh dill.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix everything together.
Notes
Nutrition
More chicken salad recipes
- Keto chicken salad– A creamy salad that is perfect on its own or over some greens.
- Chicken salad with grapes– This is my spin on a classic Waldorf salad.
- Rotisserie chicken salad– This is my go-to salad whenever I have leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Cottage cheese chicken salad– I’ve been experimenting with using cottage cheese as a dressing, and spoiler alert- it’s fantastic.
Originally published August 2023
I’ve made this avocado chicken salad three times now, and it’s become my family’s go-to, and they are die-hard mayo fans. I hadn’t had a salad with corn in it before, but it adds that little something that transforms this salad.
Three times! I love that! Thanks so much for sharing with me, and for your lovely review and rating.
This is such a great hearty and fun ingredient packed chicken salad. Adding avocado really does take it to the next level. I served these in tortillas and they were much appreciated.
Thank you so much! I LOVE the creaminess of the avocado in this salad. Such a healthy option too. Let us know if you try any other recipes 🙂
I love that you added crispy bacon and corn to the salad- it adds fun textures and flavors, while complementing the avocado. This is one of my family’s new favorites.
Thanks, Ally- I find that the combo of bacon and corn really enhances this salad beautifully! 🙂
I just made this to use up some overripe avocados and it is delicious. Very creamy and my hubby who loves mayo says it’s the best.
Thanks so much for the lovely review and rating, Lyn. I’m glad the hubby enjoyed it 🙂
My husband made this tonight for dinner & its so good. Tastes amazing & clean
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Renee. I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it 🙂
Made this one this past weekend. It was light, refreshing and yummy. I did cut the recipe in half as there are only two of us. I mistakenly did not cut cherry tomatoes in half so it was a tad tomato heavy.
Hi Bruce- so glad you enjoyed it. No worries about the tomatoes, you can even leave them out if you’re not a fan. Or, for a punch of umami flavor, add some finely chopped sun dried tomatoes. I did that the other day and it was sensational!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a lovely review and rating.
Im glad! Thanks