I promise this Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe is creamy without mayo, packs unexpected flavor, and will make you question every chicken salad you ever ate.
I’m obsessed with this Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe because it tastes like something worth eating. I love the way ripe avocados make it silkier without being heavy.
Chicken Bacon adds that salty, crunchy mess I keep coming back to. It’s bright, tangy, and oddly comforting without the syrupy sweet nonsense most salads hide behind.
I don’t care if it sounds extra to adore a salad. But seriously, this hits for lunch, for a quick dinner, or slapped into lettuce for something sharp and filling.
No bland dressing nonsense. Just bold, simple flavors that stick with you.
Trust me. You’ll see.
Ingredients
- Basically protein and heft, keeps it filling and satisfying.
- Avocado brings creamy, buttery texture and healthy fats you’ll love.
- Plus bacon adds salty crunch and a little indulgent crisp.
- Greek yogurt gives tangy creaminess, lighter than mayo, you won’t miss mayo.
- Lime juice adds bright acidity that wakes the whole salad up.
- Olive oil smooths everything and gives a subtle fruity note.
- Dijon mustard adds a gentle tang and a little bite.
- Red onion gives sharpness and a bit of colorful pop.
- Celery adds fresh crunch and that classic salad texture contrast.
- Cilantro brings herbaceous brightness, if you’re into that fresh green flavor.
- Garlic offers savory punch, use fresh for real oomph.
- Salt and pepper finish things, makes flavors pop just right.
- Romaine leaves give a crisp vessel if you want to serve wraps.
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- 2 ripe avocados, mashed
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional, you wont miss mayo)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Romaine or butter lettuce leaves for serving, optional
How to Make this
1. Cook the bacon until crispy in a skillet over medium heat, drain on paper towels, then crumble and set aside; reserve a teaspoon or two of the bacon fat if you want extra flavor.
2. If your chicken isn’t cooked, roast or poach breasts or thighs until done, cool slightly and shred or chop into bite sized pieces to make about 3 cups.
3. In a medium bowl, mash 2 ripe avocados with a fork until mostly smooth but still a little chunky; splash in the 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice right away to keep it from browning.
4. Stir the 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and the minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder into the mashed avocado until combined; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
5. Add the shredded chicken to the avocado mix and fold gently so the chicken is coated but the salad stays a bit chunky.
6. Fold in the crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup diced celery, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lime if it needs more brightness.
7. If the salad seems too thick, stir in a teaspoon of the reserved bacon fat, a splash more olive oil, or a little water to loosen it up.
8. Chill for at least 15 minutes if you can, the flavors meld better after a short rest, though you can serve right away if needed.
9. Serve on romaine or butter lettuce leaves for a light wrap, or scoop onto toast, crackers, or a bed of greens; store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 2 days, press plastic wrap directly on the surface to slow browning.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or frying pan (for cooking bacon and warming chicken if needed)
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife (for chopping onion, celery, cilantro and cutting chicken)
4. Medium mixing bowl (to mash avocados and mix the salad)
5. Fork or potato masher (to mash the avocados)
6. Tongs or slotted spatula (to handle bacon and drain it)
7. Measuring spoons and 1/4 cup measure (for lime juice, oil, mustard, yogurt, garlic)
8. Paper towels (to drain bacon)
FAQ
Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe (VIDEO) Substitutions and Variations
- 3 cups cooked chicken: use shredded rotisserie chicken for ease, canned chicken if you need pantry-shelf convenience, or cooked turkey breast if that’s what you got; they’ll all hold up fine, just check salt levels.
- 2 ripe avocados, mashed: try mashed hummus for a creamier, slightly nutty swap, or mashed green peas with a squeeze of lime for color and protein, or even extra Greek yogurt if you want it tangier and lighter.
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled: swap in cooked pancetta or prosciutto for a similar salty punch, turkey bacon for less fat, or toasted chopped walnuts for a crunchy, vegetarian-friendly twist.
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped: fresh parsley keeps it bright if you dont like cilantro, or use chopped basil for a sweeter note, green onions work too if you want a bit of sharpness.
Pro Tips
1) Pick perfectly ripe avocados and chill them first. If they’re too firm the mash will be lumpy, too soft and the salad turns to guacamole. Refrigerating ripe avos for 20 minutes makes them easier to chop and gives a little firmer texture when you mash.
2) Save a teaspoon of bacon fat and stir it in if the mix seems dull. It adds smoky depth without needing extra salt. But go easy or it’ll overpower the lime and cilantro.
3) Don’t overmix the chicken with the avocado. Fold gently so you keep some chunky bits for texture. If you mash it too much everything gets mushy and kinda bland.
4) Press plastic wrap right onto the surface before refrigerating to slow browning, and squeeze a bit more lime over leftovers before serving to brighten the flavors. Leftovers are best eaten within 48 hours.
Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe (VIDEO)
I promise this Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe is creamy without mayo, packs unexpected flavor, and will make you question every chicken salad you ever ate.
4
servings
417
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet or frying pan (for cooking bacon and warming chicken if needed)
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife (for chopping onion, celery, cilantro and cutting chicken)
4. Medium mixing bowl (to mash avocados and mix the salad)
5. Fork or potato masher (to mash the avocados)
6. Tongs or slotted spatula (to handle bacon and drain it)
7. Measuring spoons and 1/4 cup measure (for lime juice, oil, mustard, yogurt, garlic)
8. Paper towels (to drain bacon)
Ingredients
-
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
-
2 ripe avocados, mashed
-
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
-
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional, you wont miss mayo)
-
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
-
1 tablespoon olive oil
-
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
-
1/2 cup celery, diced
-
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
-
1 small garlic clove, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
Romaine or butter lettuce leaves for serving, optional
Directions
- Cook the bacon until crispy in a skillet over medium heat, drain on paper towels, then crumble and set aside; reserve a teaspoon or two of the bacon fat if you want extra flavor.
- If your chicken isn't cooked, roast or poach breasts or thighs until done, cool slightly and shred or chop into bite sized pieces to make about 3 cups.
- In a medium bowl, mash 2 ripe avocados with a fork until mostly smooth but still a little chunky; splash in the 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice right away to keep it from browning.
- Stir the 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and the minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder into the mashed avocado until combined; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the shredded chicken to the avocado mix and fold gently so the chicken is coated but the salad stays a bit chunky.
- Fold in the crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup diced celery, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lime if it needs more brightness.
- If the salad seems too thick, stir in a teaspoon of the reserved bacon fat, a splash more olive oil, or a little water to loosen it up.
- Chill for at least 15 minutes if you can, the flavors meld better after a short rest, though you can serve right away if needed.
- Serve on romaine or butter lettuce leaves for a light wrap, or scoop onto toast, crackers, or a bed of greens; store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 2 days, press plastic wrap directly on the surface to slow browning.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 249g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 417kcal
- Fat: 23.7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.76g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 12.6g
- Cholesterol: 136.4mg
- Sodium: 325mg
- Potassium: 699mg
- Carbohydrates: 8.9g
- Fiber: 5.43g
- Sugar: 1.13g
- Protein: 42g
- Vitamin A: 375IU
- Vitamin C: 9.25mg
- Calcium: 47.75mg
- Iron: 1.9mg