Avocado Chicken Salad

My neighbor, Paula, brought me this avocado chicken salad back when I was recovering from surgery. It’s basically a big bowl of guacamole loaded with chicken, and as simple as that may sound, here we are, nearly a decade later, and I’m still raving about it. Naturally, I had to share the recipe with you.

The thing is, Paula doesn’t use precise measurements when she makes this, so I kind of had to recreate the recipe on instinct. Fortunately, chicken salads, in general, are pretty forgiving –you can really play with the amount of each ingredient to get it just right.

With this recipe, you end up with a creamy, tangy, herby guacamole chicken salad with just a hint of heat. It’s fantastic tucked into lettuce cups, spooned into a sandwich or tortilla, or piled high on a bed of greens. However you serve it, I know you’re going to love this one just as much as I do –so let’s get into it!

Recipe features

• You’re getting a good dose of healthy fats and fiber from the avocado and 28 grams of lean protein per serving from the chicken. 
• Depending on the creamy element you use, it easily fits into low-carb, keto, and dairy-free diets.
• So many serving options! You can serve it on a salad, in a wrap or pita, with crackers, and so on for a quick lunch or high-protein snack.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Chicken breasts. We’re poaching boneless, skinless chicken breasts with smashed garlic cloves to infuse a little flavor while keeping them perfectly tender for shredding.
• Avocados. As the star of our chicken salad, your avocados should be soft and mashable. If they’re too firm, stick them in a paper bag with a banana overnight to ripen faster.
• Sour cream. This helps bind everything while adding a smooth, tangy richness. Greek yogurt works great as a lighter, high-protein swap. You can also use Mexican crema or mayo here –or just skip the creamy element altogether and rely on the mashed avocado.
• Lime juice. A splash of acidity brightens up the whole dish and helps keep the avocado from browning too quickly. Bottled lime juice will work in a pinch, but fresh is best.
• Tabasco sauce. The subtle kick really rounds out the flavors. If you don’t have Tabasco, feel free to use whatever hot sauce you have. I love the mild green Tabasco in this recipe.
• Seasonings. Just garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simple yet effective! 
• Onion. The sharp, crunchy bite contrasts the creaminess beautifully. If raw yellow onions are too intense, go with a sweet Vidalia onion. You can also substitute chopped green onions, red onion, or chives here. 
• Fresh cilantro. The burst of bright herby flavor ties it all together.  If cilantro’s not your thing, just leave it out or use chopped parsley instead.

How to make avocado chicken salad

Step 1: Poach the chicken. Bring a pot of water with smashed garlic cloves to a full boil, then add the chicken. As soon as the water returns to a boil, immediately cover the pot and let the chicken sit in the hot water off the heat for 20 minutes (small breasts) and up to 45 minutes (large breasts). You can let the pot sit for up to an hour with this method with large chicken breasts and they will still be tender and juicy.  

Step 2: Let it cool, then shred. Once the chicken is cooked through and the center reaches 165°F, drain it and let it cool slightly before shredding it into a large bowl (can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment).

Step 3: Mix it all up. Mash the avocado with a fork, then add it to the bowl along with the sour cream, lime juice, tabasco, and seasonings. Stir well, then fold in the onion and cilantro. 

Step 4: Taste and serve. Give the salad a quick taste and adjust the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lime juice as needed before serving it your way. Enjoy!

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Take a shortcut with pre-cooked chicken. If you have leftover baked chicken or rotisserie chicken –perfect! Shred it up and skip the poaching step to save time. Just make sure it’s not overly seasoned so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
• Shred chicken the easy way. You can totally use two forks or even your hands to pull the chicken apart. However, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment also works well (my favorite method). Just mix the chicken on low until evenly shredded.
• Don’t toss everything together all willy-nilly. Don’t just dice the avocado. Mash it first so the creaminess distributes evenly throughout the salad. Also, make sure you fold in the onion and cilantro gently at the end to avoid bruising the fresh ingredients. 

Variations

The simplicity of this creamy chicken avocado salad means these add-ins are always welcome:

• Extra fresh veggies – Add diced celery or cucumber for extra crunch or halved cherry tomatoes for bursts of sweet acidity.  
• Add pickles or dill relish – For a tangy, briny bite.
• Chopped hard-boiled eggs – For extra protein and richness.
• Crumbled bacon – A little salty, smoky crunch is SO good here.

Or, lean further into this recipe’s Southwest vibes. The guacamole vibes already give it a little head start! Here are more add-in ideas for a full-on fiesta:

• Canned Black Beans
• Fire-roasted Canned Corn
• Chopped Bell Peppers
• Fresh or Pickled Jalapeños
• Pickled Onions
• Pinch of Cayenne or Cumin
• Crumbled Cotija Cheese

Serving suggestions 

This chicken salad is super versatile! For a low-carb, high-protein meal option, try it on a bed of mixed greens, stuffed into a hollowed tomato, in lettuce wraps, or inside a low-carb, high-fiber tortilla wrap (my favorite!). 

If carbs aren’t much of a concern, you can’t go wrong scooping it onto crackers or spreading it on your favorite bread (like ciabatta, sourdough, whole-grain toast, croissant, etc.) for an irresistible avocado chicken salad sandwich. 

Storing and freezing

Storing: Because of the avocado, this chicken salad is best the same the day it’s made, but it’ll still taste great for up to 2 days. To help slow down browning, store it in an airtight container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the salad before sealing.
Freezing: Unfortunately, no. Chicken salad, especially with mashed avocado, does not freeze well.

More creamy, high-protein salad recipes

• Sonoma-Style California Chicken Salad
• Amazing Lemon Chicken Salad
• Red Pepper Egg Salad with Greek Yogurt
• Spicy Tuna Salad
• Old-Fashioned Ham Salad

If you love this chicken and avocado salad recipe, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!

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