Avocado Chicken Salad (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken and creamy avocado with tomatoes, cucumber and a zesty lime-olive dressing — protein-rich, light lunch.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 2 medium breasts)

→ Vegetables & Fruits

02 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Add-ins

12 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
13 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds

# How to Make It:

01 - Shred or dice the cooked chicken breast. Dice the avocados and cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the red onion, and roughly chop the fresh cilantro if using.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared chicken, avocados, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, and cilantro. Toss gently to distribute evenly without mashing the avocado.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated, taking care not to break up the avocado pieces.
05 - Sprinkle in the crumbled feta cheese and sliced almonds if using, then toss lightly to incorporate.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Pair with lettuce wraps or crusty bread if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Creamy avocado does double duty here, replacing heavy mayo while keeping every bite lush and satisfying.
  • It comes together fast enough for a weekday lunch but looks impressive enough that guests always ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Avocados brown quickly once exposed to air, so the lime juice is doing real preservation work here and you should not skip it.
  • Tossing too aggressively turns this into mush, so treat the folding step like you are handling something fragile and precious.
03 -
  • Toasting the almonds takes two minutes in a dry skillet and transforms them from a forgettable garnish into the thing people ask about.
  • Rotisserie chicken breast pulled while still warm absorbs the dressing better than cold chicken ever will.

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