Avocado Chicken Salad

Name: 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 minced fresh garlic; ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black peppeer; 2 cups cooked chicken breast (, shredded (10 oz, from 2 medium chicken breasts)); 2 hard boiled eggs (, chopped or sliced); 1 large Haas avocado (, diced); 2 tablespoons diced red onion; 2 strips bacon (, cooked, chopped)

Last updated: May 1, 2023 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

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Wonderfully creamy and satisfying, avocado chicken salad is one of my favorite lunches (this Thai chicken salad is another one).

The addition of eggs and bacon makes this salad rich and flavorful, and it's ready in just 15 minutes!

Avocado chicken salad served in a white bowl with a serving spoon.

I love having a salad for lunch. Summer, winter, it doesn't really matter - I find them incredibly fresh-tasting, versatile, and filling.

I have a main-course salad for lunch at least once a week. I just never tire of them!

This avocado chicken salad is one of my favorite lunches. I make myself a big bowl and dig right in! It reminds me of Cobb chicken salad, but it's easier to make, so I make it more often.

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Ingredients
Variations
Avocado Chicken Salad Instructions
Expert Tip
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
More Chicken Salad Recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty 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 this wonderful richness and smoky flavor.
For the dressing: I like to use olive oil, fresh lemon juice (it helps keep the avocado from browning), Dijon mustard (which helps the dressing emulsify), a little fresh garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.

The ingredients needed to make an avocado chicken salad.

Variations

Sometimes I add a small amount of thinly sliced celery for some 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, then drizzle it with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle it with salt and pepper, then gently mix.

Avocado Chicken Salad Instructions

Making this salad is truly 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.
Now, add the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
Pour the dressing on top and gently mix to combine. Be gentle so that the avocado chunks and the eggs stay intact.
That's it! Your tasty lunch is ready.

A six-photo collage showing the steps for making an avocado chicken salad.

Expert Tip

You should definitely go with Haas avocado when making this salad. It's creamy and flavorful. 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.

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. Do 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, you might want to add a teaspoon of mayonnaise to the dressing.

Can you freeze avocado chicken salad?

No, I don't recommend that. Its texture won't survive freezing and defrosting.

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 the fridge, in an airtight container. 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.