This Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe has so much flavor and the perfect texture! We swap mayonnaise for fresh avocado, so it’s creamy but light and satisfying. I know, I know classic chicken salad recipes usually have mayo, but you will never miss it!
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Helpful Reader Review
“This salad is always on rotation, my son asks for it and he loves the leftovers for lunch the next day. It really is hearty and yummy!“ – Eva ★★★★★
Easy Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe
This avocado chicken salad recipe is a winner, and it is well-loved by adults and children. Since I first posted the video, it went viral with over 50 million views, making it one of the most popular recipes on my blog. Funny enough, this recipe came about from a craving I had driving home from my night shift back when I worked as a Registered Nurse!
It’s quite a bit different than our classic Chicken Salad, but everything about this is good, from the tender bites of chicken, creamy avocado, sweet corn, and crunchy bacon. Plus, you’ll want that fresh lemon dressing on all of your salads.
My son is particularly smitten with this chicken avocado salad and requests it for his birthday. It was in his top 3 requests, so you can imagine I made it for his birthday and as often as I can throughout the year. By the way, his other two were this Shrimp Dip and Caesar Salad. I love this kid.
Avocado Chicken Salad Video
You’ll love my lighter chicken salad with avocado. It’s just as creamy, flavorful, and filling as using mayo, but this is a dish you’ll feel great about eating often! If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, this chicken salad tastes just as good the next day – perfect for a to-go lunch. You all are always requesting work and school lunch ideas, and I hope you love this one!
Ingredients for Avocado Chicken Salad
This Avocado Chicken Salad has such simple ingredients, and you may already have everything you need to make it (I just love it when that happens)!
- Chicken – shredded or cubed. I use rotisserie or Roast Chicken to make prep easier, but you can also use well-drained canned chicken or Bake Chicken Breasts before shredding or cutting them into bite-sized pieces.
- Avocados – I use two avocados. You’ll want nearly ripe or perfectly ripe avocado for this salad.
- Corn – You’ll need 1 cup, or 1 ear of corn. You can rinse canned corn, cook frozen corn, use Grilled Corn or Boiled Corn. You can also microwave unshucked corn for 3-4 minutes. If you want to keep this salad Paleo, just omit the corn.
- Bacon – I prefer lean cuts of bacon (see how to cook bacon without a mess). If you’re looking to cut fat, I use turkey bacon instead.
- Herbs – Dill and Chives – If you prefer you can swap the dill with cilantro or the chives for green onions
- Dressing ingredients – lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper
- Hard-boiled eggs – Optional, but these add great protein to the salad. Peel, cut, or quarter, and then add to the salad ingredients.
Substitutions/ Variations
We love this just as it is, but you can use these easy substitutions to make it your own.
- Protein – omit the chicken or swap with hard-boiled eggs, leftover shrimp, or chickpeas
- Veggies – swap the corn or add other seasonal veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, or red peppers
- Pasta – Try mixing in a cup of bowtie pasta or any small-shaped pasta.
- Add heat – chop jalapeno or add a shake of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
Helpful Reader Review
“Stellar recipe!! Used turkey bacon for the first time ever and could NOT tell a difference, thanks for the tip! Also used a cup of frozen corn and just heated It up in pan until it got a little char to it. D-E-L-I-S-H😋” – Sam ★★★★★
How to Make Avocado Chicken Salad
- Dice or shred two chicken breasts or 2 cups of rotisserie chicken into a mixing bowl.
- Peel and dice avocado into bite-sized pieces. Careful! I’ve met too many people with avocado-cutting injuries. Add the pieces to the bowl.
- Add the corn, onion, bacon, and dill to the bowl.
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then pour over the salad ingredients. Toss to combine. Add the hard-boiled egg if using, but don’t stir too vigorously after adding them.
How to Serve Avocado Chicken Salad
This avocado chicken salad is deliciously versatile. It is a protein-packed salad so it’s perfect for work lunch or meal prep and the lemon keeps it fresh and vibrant. Serve this chicken salad:
- As a main course salad alongside crusty Sourdough Bread
- In Croissants, Pita Bread, Hamburger Buns, Tortillas, or Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- Or scooped up with Pita Chips or Sourdough Crackers
- In lettuce cups for chicken salad lettuce wraps
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This is a great salad to Make-Ahead because it tastes even better once the flavors meld the next day.
- Make-Ahead: If you know you won’t be serving it immediately, wait to cut and add the avocado until right before serving. Mix the salad and cover. Refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve.
- To Refrigerate: Cover leftovers with plastic wrap directly over the surface of the salad. This will help to slow the browning of the avocados. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe is one of my (and my son’s) very favorite salad recipes; seriously tasty and easy, hearty but feel-good food at the same time. It’s a win-win-win! Try this easy chicken salad today.
Avocado Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Avocado Chicken Salad Ingredients:
- 2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
- 2 large avocados
- 1 cup corn, from 1 cooked cob
- 6 oz lean bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1/4 cup Chives , (or green onion), chopped
- 2 Tbsp Dill, chopped, or to taste
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, Optional, halved or quartered
Lemon Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dice or shred the 2 large cooked chicken breasts and place them into a large mixing bowl.
- Peel and pit 2 large avocados, slice into bite-sized pieces and add to the mixing bowl.
- Add 1 cup of cooked corn (freshly cooked corn is best), toss in chopped green onion, chopped bacon, and fresh Dill.
- Make the dressing – add the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle the dressing over your salad and toss to combine. Serve with slices of hard-boiled egg if desired.
Notes
**For a healthier salad, you can use uncured turkey bacon which tastes amazing but has less fat. Make-ahead – Mix all the ingredients except the avocado and hard-boiled egg. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add the avocado and egg just before serving. Storage – To store leftovers, cover the dish with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap is touching to top of the salad to slow the browning of the avocado pieces. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Asian Chopped Salad
- Maroulosalata – Greek Lettuce Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Taco Salad
- Classic Tuna Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
Tonight’s dinner looks awesome
It sounds like it! Please share with us how it goes.
Ever since I saw this recipe, I’ve been making it but I use turkey bacon. I’m making it today. This recipe is fabulous.
Thanks for sharing it with us. I made the Tuna one as well which is also good, but this is my favorite.
Hello Livia, you are very welcome. This is a healthy recipe so it’s nice that this has become your favorite!
Hi Natasha thank you so much for your lovely Recipes I love salads. all your Recipes are amazing. I am enjoying watching your program. thanks so much.
You’re so nice! Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying our recipes!
Hi Natasha! I’ve been watching your videos for a long time and have made many recipes. The salad ones are a hit and there the best. Thank you for always posting these recipes. We are Romanians and always love trying new things, we’re so glad you’re on here. (We also think your funny at making these videos, let your husband know too.) God Bless you and your family.
You’re so nice! Thank you! Thank you for that wonderful compliment! I’m so happy you’re enjoying our blog and recipes! Blessings to you!
So delicious and filling! The bacon really completes the dish.
Thanks for your great review, Brittany. Totally agree, the bacon makes it special!
DELICIOUS!! I used some leftover turkey i had and added some cucumber. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Made this for the hubby and went bananas for it! Super yum!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This recipe seems much too simple to be good, but…. surprise ! It’s delicious ! I love this salad ! I do however, use ” Bolthouse balsamic dressing ” It’s great on this salad. This is great as a main dish, with maybe a little garlic bread on the side, or yes, in a pita !
Nice to know that, thank you for sharing. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
I’m from guyana i love your cooking your food are amazing 🍖🍗🍔🍕 hope all goes back to normal so I can cook these meal in minnsota for my husband….
I am hoping and praying for the same too. There’s hope, let’s do our part in staying at home and always be healthy. Thank you for giving this recipe a great review!
Hi am Aisha I like all your videos thanks My biggest challenge must is in barking I don’t use to measure while cooking, maybe that’s why
I would highly recommend using the proper measuring cups for baking which can make all the difference in your recipes. This tutorial on how to measure ingredients will probably be very helpful for you.
Loved your Banana Bread recipe, using all the time,
Spasibo.
Lina Gusler
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Our favorite refreshing summer meal! Perfect combination of ingredients!
Thank you so much for your positive review!
Thank you ..avacado recibe delicious
And testy.
You’re welcome!
I must admit that I am not that adventurous in trying Salad dressings. But… I made a beautiful Greek salad, that I must say looked like yours and made the Greek Lemon Dressing. We loved it. Who knew? Thank you!
That’s so great Donna! Thank you for that review!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Lucy, great question. We love it with nicely toasted bread. Serve as a main course salad, in sandwiches or pita pockets, or as a filling for lettuce wraps. One of our readers reported serving it over Romaine lettuce as a dinner salad. I hope that helps.
I made this for dinner tonight and it is SO delicious!! The fresh dill and the lemon dressing just makes this utterly perfect in my book. You’re right, this is a dish we will make again and again!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Tara!
i love avocado,thank you for all the recipes the main ingredients is avocado.
God Bless
You’re welcome and thank you so much for your great review. I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Absolutely the most delicious Avocado salad I have ever tasted. I am an 82 year-old cooking novice as my wife of 60 years recently passed away. Websites with clearly stated recipes that obviously have been tested are just the greatest help for me. So lucky to have found your wonderful site.
I’m so glad you found our blog, Richard! Thank you for stopping by and sharing that wonderful review with us.
Its not only easy but Super delicious as well.Love all recipes with Avocado.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Avocados are our favorite in salads as well.
This is absolutely delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha, absolutely the most delicious avocado salad I have ever tasted.
I love avocado. thank you for all the racipes.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Fathima! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
love to watch you do recipes.they look great
Thank you for watching Joyce!