Avocado Chicken Salad (Paleo & Whole30-Friendly)

Avocado Chicken Salad – Tender chicken with creamy avocado sauce makes a delicious healthy lunch any day of the week! Try it on sandwiches, with crackers, in lettuce cups, and more! (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30-Friendly)

I’ve been working at home for more than a decade, and if there’s one thing that helps me break up the day, it’s a good lunch.

Whether that’s a quick desk-lunch to meet a deadline (it happens!), or something more leisurely while I read a book or catch up on an episode of a show, or chat with Michael, it’s nice to have something to look forward to in the middle of the day to break things up.

Lately, Michael and I have been trying to plan our lunches ahead of time to make things easier on ourselves, and this Avocado Chicken Salad has been a delightful addition to our lunch line-up. (Who is surprised? I LOVE avocado!)

It’s a nice change of pace from other chicken salad recipes, and it mimics the flavors of my ever-popular Avocado Ranch Dressing. Plus, with so many ways to serve it, it’s always fun and interesting!

Here’s what you need to make our avocado chicken salad (+ a TON of yummy ways to eat it)…

Here’s What Goes Into Our Avocado Chicken Salad

• Avocado. A ripe avocado forms the majority of the creamy sauce for this avocado chicken salad. This helps us cut down on the amount of mayo needed, and gives the chicken salad its gorgeous color and flavor.
• Mayonnaise or Yogurt. To blend with the avocado, you’ll add just 2 Tbsp. of mayonnaise or plain yogurt. This helps keep the avocado from browning and helps it blend better.
• Fresh Lime Juice. Fresh lime juice adds a touch of brightness and helps keep the avocado bright green.
• Cilantro. I love cilantro with avocado and it adds a bright, fresh note to this avocado chicken salad. You can swap in parsley if you’re not a cilantro fan.
• Dill. Then, to mimic the flavors of our glorious avocado ranch, I like adding dill. It’s AMAZING with the other flavors and will keep you coming back for just one more taste.
• Salt & Pepper. Simple seasonings that make a big impact! Don’t skip on the salt–if you feel like the avocado chicken salad is missing something, it likely just needs a little more salt.
• Cooked Shredded Or Cubed Chicken Breast. Avocado chicken salad is a great way to use up leftover chicken (Hey, rotisserie!), but you can also cook chicken just to make this salad. Scroll down to the FAQ for our favorite ways to prep it for this chicken salad.

So Many Ways To Enjoy It! Try Our Avocado Chicken Salad Like This:

• In Sandwiches. One easy way to enjoy avocado chicken salad is scooped onto bread, toast, or buns to make sandwiches. I love adding arugula, lettuce, or microgreens and tomato slices to mine!
• Tucked Into Wraps. Or, spoon chicken salad and some greens into a tortilla or wrap (grain-free/gluten-free, as needed!) to make an avocado chicken salad wrap. These work great for packed lunches since the wrap keeps the avocado from browning.
• With Crackers. Try scooping chicken salad up with crackers. We like these gluten-free Ritz-style crackers, Simple Mills almond flour crackers (paleo + gluten-free), or Hu Kitchen grain-free crackers (paleo + gluten-free).
• Scooped Up With Tortilla Chips. Tortilla chips or grain-free tortilla chips (like Siete brand) are a delightful pairing with avocado chicken salad! It gives total chips + guac vibes. Yum!
• Tucked Into Jicama Tortillas. Jicama is a delicious veggie that’s easier and easier to find in grocery stores these days. Sliced into thin rounds, it can be used to make little jicama “tortillas” that are made of 100% veggies and perfect for serving with our avocado chicken salad. This is a great lower carb option that works well for paleo, grain-free, and Whole30 dietary needs. Find them pre-made in stores (I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc.) or make your own!
• Over Veggie Slices. Other than jicama, avocado chicken salad works great on cucumber slices and tomato slices, but feel free to get creative!
• Spooned Over Salad Greens. Scoop this chicken salad over a bed of salad greens + add some veggies to turn it into a hearty, satisfying salad.
• Served In Lettuce Cups. Just like these Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad Cups, you can spoon this into lettuce cups to serve. It’s a yummy way to keep things light!

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD:

AN EASY SHORTCUT: ROTISSERIE CHICKEN. Did you know that places like Sprouts and Whole Foods sell unseasoned rotisserie chickens? That means they’re Whole30-friendly and allergy-friendly. If you’re not doing Whole30/worrying about allergies, my other favorite store-bought rotisserie chicken is the one from Costco. (Love you, Costco!)

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO COOK CHICKEN FOR AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD? There are lots of great methods for cooking chicken for chicken salad, but my favorites are poached or baked, since those are really easy. If you’re into prepping a lot of chicken at once, you can try this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe and freeze leftovers for another day!

HOW LONG WILL AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD STAY FRESH IN THE REFRIGERATOR? Because the avocado will start to oxidize over time, avocado chicken salad is best used within 2-3 days. To keep the avocado from browning, you can try one of two methods:

1. The Food Wrap Method: Transfer the avocado chicken salad to a food storage container with a lid. Press plastic wrap or reusable food wrap onto the surface to prevent air exposure.
2. The Water Method: Alternatively, you can use the back of a spoon or spatula to level out the surface of the salad, sealing the edges against the sides of the bowl or container you’re using. Cover the surface of the chicken salad with a thin layer of water. When ready to serve again, drain off the water and give the chicken salad a stir before serving again. Repeat as needed.

PALEO? WHOLE30? READ THIS! This avocado chicken salad recipe is naturally paleo + Whole30, so long as you use compliant mayonnaise, like Primal Kitchen brand. Serve with veggie slices, jicama wraps, grain-free tortilla chips, lettuce wraps, grain-free crackers, grain free tortillas/wraps, etc. depending on your dietary needs. (For Whole30, stick to the veggie options instead of the grain-free crackers or tortillas).

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