Chicken Avocado Salad
Chicken Avocado Salad is an easy to prepare salad packed with fresh ingredients like romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, purple onion, and sliced avocado then dressed with a homemade lemon basil vinaigrette.
A lot of people enjoy salads during the hotter months of the year and soups and stews during Winter. We eat salads and soups year round, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’ve been making light and fresh salads with freezing cold temperatures outside.
Some of John’s favorite salads are the ones with chicken or beef that are hearty enough for a full meal. Some of his favorites are our chicken fajita salad and Mexican grilled chicken salad.
Occasionally, we’ll make a meatless, vegetarian salad as a side dish like our apple walnut salad, Caesar salad, or spinach strawberry salad.
This chicken avocado salad is a meal on its own. It’s light enough for lunch and makes a great meal prep option. We used our homemade lemon basil vinaigrette as a flavorful dressing, but you can easily swap that out with your favorite.
Serve it with a virgin mojito or watermelon agua fresca for a full meal.
How do you make a chicken avocado salad without lettuce?
There are a couple of ways to make a chicken avocado salad. One way is the way we’ve made it for this recipe, grilled chicken served over a bed of romaine lettuce.
Another way is to use chopped rotisserie chicken, cubed avocadoes, and other ingredients tossed together in a similar way to chicken salad sandwich preparation. This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe is made with chicken, avocado, corn, bacon, dill, and chives, and it sounds amazing!
What can you add to chicken avocado salad?
- White Onions.
- Croutons.
- Shredded Cheese.
- Cucumber.
- Grilled Corn.
- Bacon.
- Feta or Goat Cheese.
- Sunflower Seeds.
Can you make this salad ahead of time?
Yes, simply prep the ingredients and assemble the salad with everything except the dressing. Keep the dressing in a separate container until you’re ready to use it.
If you’re concerned about the avocado turning brown, wait until you’re ready to serve the salad before slicing it or spritz with some lime juice.
You could even use our Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts recipe and the seasonings on this recipe to make the chicken. Then, assemble the salad when you’re ready. That would swap out the grill for a slow cooker. Adjust the seasonings as desired.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped (may substitute with lettuce mix)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup purple onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup lemon basil vinaigrette, or to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.2 chicken breasts½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepper¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Heat a griddle or grill over medium heat. After the pan heats, brush it lightly with avocado oil then add the chicken.1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until the juices run clear and there is no pink in the center. Remove to a waiting plate, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Add the chopped lettuce to a large serving dish, then layer in the chicken, tomatoes, avocados, and onions. Drizzle with the lemon basil dressing, and toss to combine the ingredients.3 cups romaine lettuce1 avocado½ pint cherry tomatoes¼ cup purple onion½ cup lemon basil vinaigrette
- Divide into four serving bowls, and serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 ¼ cups of salad. Actual calories will vary.