Avocado Chicken Salad

Name: 15-Minute Avocado Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon garlic (minced); ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black peppeer; 2 cups cooked chicken breast (shredded; 10 ounces, from 2 medium chicken breasts); 2 hard boiled eggs (chopped or sliced); 1 Haas avocado (large, diced); 2 tablespoons red onion (diced ); 2 bacon slices (cooked, chopped)

by Vered DeLeeuwUpdated Jan 27, 2025

2 Comments

5 from 2 votes

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This avocado chicken salad is wonderfully creamy and satisfying. It's one of my favorite lunches (this Thai chicken salad is another one). The addition of eggs and bacon makes it rich and flavorful, and it's ready in 15 minutes!

Avocado chicken salad is served in a white bowl.

I love having a salad for lunch. Summer, winter, it doesn't matter - I find salads incredibly fresh-tasting, versatile, and filling. I have a main-course salad for lunch at least once a week. This avocado chicken salad is one of my favorite lunches. I make a big bowl and dig right in! It reminds me of Cobb chicken salad, but it's easier, so I make it more often.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this salad. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Chicken breast: Cooked and shredded. I often used baked chicken breast or broiled chicken breast.
Hard-boiled eggs: Chopped or sliced. The eggs add not just flavor but also a nice color to the salad.
Avocado: I use one large avocado.
Diced red onion: I use just a small amount to add flavor, crunch, and a pop of color. Too much can overwhelm the salad, but a small amount is perfect.
Bacon: This is the secret ingredient! You don't need a lot - just two strips - and they add wonderful richness and smoky flavor.
For the dressing: Olive oil, fresh lemon juice (it helps keep the avocado from browning), Dijon mustard (which helps the dressing emulsify), fresh garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Variations

Sometimes, I add a small amount of thinly sliced celery for added crunch.
You can replace the red onions with thinly sliced green onions.
If I don't have bacon, I sometimes use chopped deli meat such as ham or smoked turkey.
Rather than whisking the dressing separately, you can simply assemble the salad, drizzle it with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and gently mix.
You can use this classic vinaigrette to dress this salad.

Instructions

Making this salad is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

Your first step is to whisk together the dressing ingredients until they emulsify into a smooth, velvety dressing.

Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and gently mix to combine.

That's it! Your tasty lunch is ready.

Expert Tips

When making this salad, you should definitely use Haas avocado. It's creamy and flavorful, while other avocado varieties can be watery or fibrous.
I also recommend that you pick a large avocado that's just ripe, not hard, but not too soft.
When stirring the salad, be gentle so that the avocado chunks and eggs stay intact.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken if you'd like. White or dark meat - both work, although my personal preference in this salad is for white meat. Make sure to remove the skin. Its texture won't work in a salad.

Can I use yellow mustard instead of Dijon?

You can, but Dijon is highly recommended. It's creamier, less vinegary, and will work better to help the dressing emulsify. If you opt for yellow mustard, add a teaspoon of mayonnaise to the dressing.

Can I use soft-boiled eggs?

Medium-boiled eggs would work better, but if you'd like to add soft-boiled eggs and let the yolk run into the salad, that's fine, too!

Serving Suggestions

I keep it simple and serve this salad in a bowl or a plate- there's really no need for a bun. But if you'd like, you could serve it on (or in) any of the following:

Storing Leftovers

You can keep this salad in an airtight container in the fridge, but I wouldn't try to keep the leftovers for longer than a day or so. The avocado will not stay fresh. It's best to finish this salad on the day you make it. I don't recommend freezing this salad.