Avocado Chicken Salad

This flavorful avocado chicken salad recipe combines grilled chicken, avocado, corn, and bacon in one zesty main or side dish. I love how creamy it is without mayonnaise!

Looking for more hearty salad recipes? Try a steak salad, Caesar salad with chicken, and shrimp salad.

I’m the kind of person who needs a little *something* in my salads to keep me satisfied and full, and that’s where my chicken avocado salad comes in. It’s LOADED with all the good stuff (hello, avocado, corn, and chicken), but the zesty lime dressing takes them over the top.

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make a chicken avocado salad
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. Storage instructions
6. More delicious salad recipes to try
7. Avocado Chicken Salad (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

• No mayo needed. This is a mayo-free chicken salad recipe. You won’t miss it because the soft avocado gives it a rich and creamy consistency, and there is so much flavor.
• It’s healthy. The chicken provides protein, the avocado provides healthy fats, and the veggies provide fiber. I like to serve it with some sourdough toast or fries on the side to complete the meal.
• Quick and easy. If you make the chicken from scratch, it will take around 20 minutes to cook. But to whip it together even faster, use leftover or store-bought chicken instead (like I did!). The dressing can also be made days in advance.
• It’s versatile. You can serve this recipe as a main dish or side dish, in a sandwich or lettuce wrap, or even at BBQs and potlucks.

Ingredients needed

• Chicken breasts. Freshly grilled chicken breasts seasoned with taco seasoning will infuse the salad with zesty and smoky flavors. You can also make this recipe with the leftover shredded chicken already in your fridge, store-bought rotisserie chicken, or I sometimes pan-cook some chicken tenderloins.
• Avocados. The star ingredient in this salad! They add a rich creaminess to every bite and compliment the dressing perfectly. They are a fantastic replacement for mayo.
• Corn. Use frozen, canned, or fresh corn kernels.
• Bacon. Pieces of crispy bacon 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 chip up the green parts only. If you’d like to use actual onions, red onions are a good option.
• Dill. Use fresh dill if possible because it has a fresher and lighter flavor than dried dill.
• Lime juice. The main source of flavor and acidity in the chicken salad dressing. You can use lemon juice, too.
• Extra virgin olive oil. For the dressing.
• Salt and pepper. To taste.

How to make a chicken avocado salad

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

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.

Recipe tips and variations

• Make the dressing in advance. Mix the ingredients together in a sealed jar and store it in the fridge. This way, it’s ready to use at a moment’s notice!
• Add the avocado right before serving. Avocados tend to brown very quickly, which doesn’t necessarily affect the salad’s flavor, but it will make the presentation less tasty.
• Let it chill. I like to refrigerate the salad for about 30 minutes before serving. This gives all of the flavors time to meld, making the salad tastier.
• Use other cuts of chicken. Shredded chicken thighs are always delicious, as are chicken tenderloins too.
• Add other vegetables. Like any salad, you can change up the veggies to suit your preferences. Diced tomato, red peppers, fresh cilantro, and parsley are all fabulous additions.
• Make it creamier. I feel the avocado adds plenty of creaminess, but if you want it even creamier, add around 1/2 cup of full-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Storage instructions

To store: Keep the leftover salad in the bowl or transfer it to an airtight container. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of 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.

More delicious salad recipes to try

• Jennifer Aniston salad
• Green goddess salad
• Kani salad
• 7 layer salad

Originally published August 2023, updated and republished March 2024