Chicken and Avocado Salad Recipe

this Chicken and Avocado Salad The perfect light weeknight meal with a tangy honey-mustard dressing. It's loaded with creamy goat cheese and crunchy pepitas for flavor in every bite.

Why You'll Love This Chicken and Avocado Salad

This hearty chicken and avocado salad may be the only weeknight meal you make for a while.

• healthy The dressing doesn't have any weird ingredients or crazy amounts of salt because it's homemade.
• cold Once you get home pull it straight from the fridge and dig in!
• Simple. This is a 3-step salad that is ready in less than half an hour.
• convenient Make it from scratch or use a store-bought salad mix or dressing to reduce prep time.

What you will need

The dressing is full of sweet, tangy and herbal flavors that you will love. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

For the dressing

• Dijon Mustard – Use your favorite. Avoid American yellow mustard.
• coarse mustard- Stone-ground mustard also works.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Do not use white vinegar as it is too tangy. Red wine vinegar is fine instead.
• raw honey – Swap it out for agave nectar if you prefer. Avoid maple syrup as it is too smoky.
• Thyme – Use fresh or dried.
• garlic- Fresh garlic or garlic paste is my favorite.
• salt and pepper – Add them to taste.

For the salad

• Lettuce – Make sure it is fresh and crisp.
• chicken thighs – You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
• salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper are best.
• avocado- It adds a lot of natural creaminess.
• Goat Cheese – Go for feta cheese if you have it on hand.
• nuggets- Sunflower seeds also work.
• cherry tomatoes – Avoid regular tomatoes because they are fleshy.
• cucumber- I like Persian cucumbers because you don't need to remove the seeds.
• red onion – Chopped green onions are a good swap.

How to Make Chicken and Avocado Salad

If you use rotisserie chicken, you can turn this chicken and avocado salad into a 2-step recipe. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Make the dressing. Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Set it aside.
• Grill the chicken. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill. Cook it for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the center is no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Slice.
• Assemble the salad. Add lettuce, chicken, avocado, goat cheese, pepitas, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion to a large bowl. Toss until well combined. Serve with honey mustard dressing on the side and enjoy!

Tips and variations

This easy salad is a great dinner option to use up leftover protein and veggies.

• Use leftovers. Cut into pieces Air Fryer Chicken Breast or fried chicken Add them to this recipe to reduce waste of leftovers.
• Go to the store to buy. If you don't have time to make homemade dressing, opt for your favorite low-sodium store-bought one.
• Change the protein. use Maple Glazed Salmon, Garlic Herb Roasted Prawnsor Grilled Ribeye Steak Instead of chicken.
• Add more crunch. Top the salad with croutons, sesame seeds or crunchy tortilla chips for more texture.
• Use a mixture. Swap half of the lettuce for baby spinach or chopped kale. Store-bought salad mix also works.
• More vegetables. Add 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers, baby corn, or sugar snap peas to the salad for more flavor.

Serving advice

This Chicken and Avocado Salad is an easy main dish. When served in small portions, it can also be a side dish. Pair it with me Honey Garlic Chicken or Garlic Parmesan Chicken. For a pasta side, try mine Pesto Pasta with Fries or Butternut Squash Pasta with Bacon. If you prefer more veggie sides to complete the meal, go for me Corn on the cob or Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus.

How to Store Avocado Chicken Salad

Enjoy it out of the fridge for the perfect summer bite!

• Fridge: Store dressing and salad in separate airtight containers. The dressing can be stored for 7 days and the salad for 3 days.

More easy salad recipes to try

printed