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Avocado Chicken Salad

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AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD with only MINUTES of prep!

This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe is my favorite way to use leftover chicken!  It is quick, easy, creamy, flavorful, and refreshing!  This Avocado Chicken Salad is made with chicken, mangos, corn, and black beans enveloped in a tantalizing blender avocado dressing spiked with robust Mexican spices.  You can eat the Avocado Chicken Salad alone, or make lettuce wraps, tortilla wraps, sandwiches, on toast, or my favorite way is cocooned in Flatout Foldits Flatbreads!  This Avocado Chicken Salad is the perfect lunch, light dinner or for any day on the go! 

These Avocado Chicken Salad recipe is sponsored by Flatout.  All opinions are my own.

Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad in a pita

Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe

There seems to be as many variations of chicken salad  as there are constellations – from chicken salad with grapes, cranberries, apples, almonds, onions, olives, herbs, etc. to full mayo versions, to Greek yogurt versions to now this Avocado version!  But I’m fairly certain this Avocado Chicken Salad version is going to be your favorite yet!

I almost called this Avocado Chicken Salad “Baja Chicken Salad”  instead because not only is it perfect to make ahead of time and bring to the beach (or wherever your summer days take you) but instead of traditional chicken salad seasonings, these sandwiches are spiced with the chili, cumin and smoked paprika flavors of Baja.  They are a bright fiesta of flavor to help you celebrate summer – or just life!

Living as a food blogger 3 miles from the beach in Carlsbad (northern San Diego), I often like to eat Avocado Chicken Salad at the beach.  I know, very, very spoiled over here.  You will just have to visit!  But the point is, this chicken salad is an easy, packable, mess-free lunch  perfect to take to work or wherever your family adventures take you!

Avocado Chicken Salad Ingredients

  • Chicken.  You will need 2 cups chopped cooked chicken.  You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken or make your own chopped or shredded chicken. 
  • Red onion.  I like the fresh pop of red onion but you may also use green onions or substitute with 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. 
  • Corn.  You will need 1/3 cup sweet corn cut fresh from the cob.  If you’ve never eaten corn without grilling or cooking it first – you are in for a sweet, juicy treat!
  • Black Beans.  You may also substitute red kidney beans, pinto beans etc.
  • Mangos.  Please don’t skip the mangos!  They offer a pop of juicy sweetness that cuts through the creaminess of the Avocado Chicken Salad.  If you are intimidated by mangos, don’t be, just check out my How to Cut A Mango Post that teaches everything you could ever want to know about mangos!
  • Avocado.  I use avocado in both the salad and in the dressing so we get chopped avocado and creamy avocado, after all this is AVOCADO Chicken Salad!  I have more helpful info on avocados below. 

Avocado Chicken Salad with corn, black beans, mangos, etc in a sandwich

Avocado Chicken Salad Dressing

I adapted my favorite Avocado Crema that I douse on everything to create the luscious Blender Avocado Dressing that envelopes the Avocado Chicken Salad – you will want to lick it with a spoon – or just drink it from the blender.

I love using avocado as a base to creamify this Avocado Chicken Salad Dressing because not only does it infuse the creamy sauce with avocado-liciousness, it allows you to significantly reduce the amount of mayonnaise and somehow is even more creamy.

Avocado Chicken Salad Dressing Ingredients

The dressing for the Avocado Chicken Salad is so lusciously creamy, you won’t believe it’s healthy!   It is a fabulous dressing you can also use on green salads too!

  • Avocado.  You will need one medium avocado for the dressing – not the large Haas avocados.  Make sure your avocado is ripe so it blends well and doesn’t leave you with a chunky, grass flavored dressing.
  • Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt:  You can use either sour cream or Greek yogurt for the Avocado Dressing.  Fat-free versions of both work great as well.  Just don’t use regular yogurt because it is not nearly as thick as Greek yogurt.
  • Mayonnaise.  It adds to the creaminess and flavor.  Fat free mayo works great or I love to use avocado mayonnaise.
  • Fresh Cilantro:  You can use the leaves and the stems because the stems contain a lot of flavor and are going to get blended anyway.
  • Garlic:  Fresh garlic is fantastic but you can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
  • Lime Juice. You can use fresh or bottled lime juice and use more or less to taste.
  • Jalapeno.  Use 1 small jalapeno .  Remove the seeds but do not discard them.  I like to taste the dressing after I’ve made it and add additional seeds for more heat.  If you don’t have jalapenos on hand you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper. 
  • Seasonings.  We need seasonings to cut through the creaminess of the dressing:  ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.  You can of course use more or less to suit your personal preference.

Showing how to make Avocado Chicken Salad Dressing by adding avocado, cilantro, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise to blender

HOW TO PICK THE BEST AVOCADOS FOR AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD

Seeing as this is AVOCADO Chicken Salad, it is important that you know how to select ripe avocados or at least know when your avocados are ripe and ready to use.

  • Color.  Ripe avocados will be dark green, almost turning purple.
  • Feel.  Gently squeeze the avocado.  If an avocado feels firm or hard to your touch, it isn’t ripe yet. Purchase it only if you plan to use the fruit several days in the future.  If the avocado feels soft, it’s overripe, avoid it.  You want the avocado to just give slightly when pressed.
  • Stem.  Check the avocado stems for clues on what’s inside. Peel back the small stem or cap at the top. If the area underneath is green, the avocado is good to buy. If the area is brown, the avocado is overripe so it’s best to avoid it.

HOW TO RIPEN AVOCADOS

  • Do not place unripe avocados in the fridge as this stalls the ripening process and they may not ripen at all.  Only place in the refrigerator once ripened to prolong their life.
  • To ripen avocados more quickly – so you can eat your Avocado Chicken Salad NOW – place your avocados and two bananas or two apples in a brown paper bag.  The other fruit release a lot of ethylene which triggers ripening in the avocados.

HOW TO CUT AVOCADOS 

  1. Place an avocado on a cutting board.  Hold it with one hand so it is stable while you cut around the seed lengthwise.  You want to cut into the avocado until the knife comes in contact with the seed, then start to rotate the avocado with the opposite hand until the avocado is complete cut through.
  2. Pick up the avocados and rotate them until they separate.
  3. To remove the seed, you can either spoon it out or strike it with a knife and twist.  ONLY use a knife if you are confident with your knife skills.
  4. Scoop the now seedless avocado flesh out with a spoon.

How to make Avocado Chicken Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad is SO easy to make!  Here’s how:
  1. Avocado Dressing.  To make, simply add your fiestalicious spices to your blender along with cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, avocado, sour cream and a dollop of mayonnaise and blend until smooth.
  2. Make Avocado Chicken Salad.  Add chicken, chopped avocado, mangos, black beans, corn, red onions etc. to a medium bowl.
  3. Combine Salad and Dressing.  Add Avocado Dressing to the salad filling and gently stir until combined.
  4. Chill Salad.  Chill chicken salad for at least 1 hour up to overnight for the flavors to meld and the ingredients to chill- -no one wants lukewarm dressing!
  5. Serve.  When ready to eat, toss Chicken Salad with 1 tablespoon lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Some of the flavors will mellow overnight so I like extra salt and lime to really enhance the flavors.

Showing how to make Avocado Chicken Salad by adding filling ingredients of chicken, mangos, corn, black beans, to a large wood bowl

TIPS FOR AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD 

  • Prep Ahead:  you can chop all of your Avocado Chicken Salad ingredients ahead of time except the avocados.  This makes assembling the chicken salad a snap.
  • Other Proteins:  This Avocado Chicken Salad is CHICKEN salad, but it also works well with other proteins, particularly shrimp.  It is also delicious with the addition of hard-boiled eggs.
  • Vegetables and Fruit:  I kept with the Baja theme, but feel free to mix up the veggies with your favorites such as cucumber, celery, asparagus, mushrooms, apples, craisins, pineapple, etc.
  • Seasonings: You can mix up the flavor profile and go Italian by swapping the cilantro for basil and parsley, swapping the lime juice for lemon, adding Parmesan cheese, and swapping out the Mexican seasonings for Italian seasonings.
  • Use your Blender!: a blender is a must for the creamiest avocado dressing.  It purees the avocados whereas a food processor will leave you with chunky dressing.  Note that some blenders blend to the point the sauce will become liquidy instead of creamy – don’t puree to that point.  Stop blending when your avocado dressing is thick and creamy.
  • Adjust consistency:  Depending on actual liquid in your sour cream or Greek yogurt, size of avocados,  and the way your blender blends, you may need to add a tablespoon or so of milk.
  • Scrape down sides.  After you’e blended your avocado dressing, stop and scrape down the sides, then blend some more to make sure your sauce is completely smooth.
  • Serve hot or cold: You can serve this Avocado Chicken Salad cold or warm.  If serving warm, gently warm on the stove – never boil or the sour cream/Greek yogurt can curdle.

WILL AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD TURN BROWN?

This Avocado Chicken Salad can be made and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.  The lime juice will prevent the salad  from discoloring too much, but it will darken slightly.  A change in color of  color doesn’t mean it’s going bad, it simply means the sauce is oxidizing.

Showing how to make Avocado Chicken Salad by combining filling and avocado dressing in a bowl

How to Serve Avocado Chicken Salad 

Avocado Chicken Salad can be enjoyed SO many different ways!  You can eat it plain, OR:

  • Avocado Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps.  You can either fill butter lettuce with chicken salad to create low carb lettuce wraps or pile it on top of lettuce to create a green salad base.
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Wraps.  Fill a tortilla with chicken salad along with lettuce, fresh tomatoes, bacon, etc..
  • Avocado Chicken Salad with Grains. I love my chicken salad on top of brown rice or wild rice.  It would also be delicious with quinoa, cauliflower rice or broccoli rice.  I could even see it gently warmed and served over Spaghetti Squash. 
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Toast.  Toast some bread and create an open faced sandwich by piling on chicken salad along with tomatoes and optional sprouts and/or lettuce.
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Pita. Pile the filling in a pita with all your favorite topping such as cheese, tomatoes, bacon, etc.
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwich. And now my FAVORITE way to eat Avocado Chicken Salad, in a Flatout’s Foldit Flatbread!  To assemble, line flatbread with juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, tangy cheese and crispy tortilla strips and top with Chicken Avocado Salad.  Flatout’s Foldit Flatbread is super soft so it wraps the filling perfectly and I am in love with their Roasted Garlic Foldit Flatbread – this garlic infused flatbread seriously makes everything better.  Their Foldits also come in Ancient Grains, Classic White, 5 Grain Flax, and Rosemary and Olive Oil – so the Foldit and filling possibilities are endless as are the locations to eat them!

Is Avocado Chicken Salad Healthy?

YES!  If you’re looking for a healthy yet deeply satisfying meal, look no further than Avocado Chicken Salad!  The filling ingredients are packed with nutrition and the star avocado is a nutritious powerhouse.

Studies have shown that cholesterol levels are significantly are reduced when you eat 1 to 2 avocados a week – and this salad has two avocados!  Here are some of the most abundant nutrients, in a single 3.5-ounce serving of avocado:

  • Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)
  • Folate: 20% of the DV
  • Vitamin C: 17% of the DV
  • Potassium: 14% of the DV
  • Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV
  • Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
  • Vitamin E: 10% of the DV
  • 10 grams of Fiber: 36% of the DV
  • avocados also contains small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Print Recipe
 Avocado Chicken Salad (Sandwiches)
This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe is my favorite way to use leftover chicken!  It is quick, easy, creamy, flavorful, and refreshing!  This Avocado Chicken Salad is made with chicken, mangos, corn, and black beans enveloped in a tantalizing blender avocado dressing spiked with robust Mexican spices.  You can eat the Avocado Chicken Salad alone, or make lettuce wraps, tortilla wraps, sandwiches, on toast, or my favorite way is cocooned in Flatout Foldits Flatbreads!  This Avocado Chicken Salad is the perfect lunch, light dinner or for any day on the go! 
These Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwiches are my favorite way to use leftover chicken! They are super easy, creamy, flavorful, refreshing and I love the Mexican spices and crunch of tortilla strips!
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings
sandwiches
Ingredients
Chicken Salad
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 1/3 cup sweet corn cut fresh from the cob
  • 1/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1-2 mangoes, chopped
  • 1 medium avocado
Blender Avocado Crema
  • 1 avocado peeled and pitted
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp EACH ground cumin, chili pwdr, smoked paprika, salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sandwiches
  • 5 Flatout Foldits Flatbreads
  • 5 slices Monterrey or Pepper Jack Cheese
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • chopped lettuce
  • tortilla strips
  • bacon (optional)
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings
sandwiches
Ingredients
Chicken Salad
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 1/3 cup sweet corn cut fresh from the cob
  • 1/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1-2 mangoes, chopped
  • 1 medium avocado
Blender Avocado Crema
  • 1 avocado peeled and pitted
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp EACH ground cumin, chili pwdr, smoked paprika, salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sandwiches
  • 5 Flatout Foldits Flatbreads
  • 5 slices Monterrey or Pepper Jack Cheese
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • chopped lettuce
  • tortilla strips
  • bacon (optional)
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice
These Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwiches are my favorite way to use leftover chicken! They are super easy, creamy, flavorful, refreshing and I love the Mexican spices and crunch of tortilla strips!
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Add all of the Avocado Blender Crema ingredients to your blender then chop then puree until smooth, scraping sides down as needed.
  2. Add all of the Chicken Salad ingredients to a medium bowl followed by Avocado Crema. Stir until combined. Chill for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
  3. When ready to serve, toss Chicken Salad with 1 tablespoon lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste (I like extra salt and lime to really enhance the flavors). Top Foldits with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, Chicken salad, bacon (optional) and tortilla strips.
Recipe Notes

TIPS & TRICKS 

  • Prep Ahead:  you can chop all of your Avocado Chicken Salad ingredients ahead of time except the avocados.  This makes assembling the chicken salad a snap.
  • Other Proteins:  This Avocado Chicken Salad is CHICKEN salad, but it also works well with other proteins, particularly shrimp.  It is also delicious with the addition of hard-boiled eggs.
  • Vegetables and Fruit:  I kept with the Baja theme, but feel free to mix up the veggies with your favorites such as cucumber, celery, asparagus, mushrooms, apples, craisins, pineapple, etc.
  • Seasonings: You can mix up the flavor profile and go Italian by swapping the cilantro for basil and parsley, swapping the lime juice for lemon, adding Parmesan cheese, and swapping out the Mexican seasonings for Italian seasonings.
  • Use your Blender!: a blender is a must for the creamiest avocado dressing.  It purees the avocados whereas a food processor will leave you with chunky dressing.  Note that some blenders blend to the point the sauce will become liquidy instead of creamy – don’t puree to that point.  Stop blending when your avocado dressing is thick and creamy.
  • Adjust consistency:  Depending on actual liquid in your sour cream or Greek yogurt, size of avocados,  and the way your blender blends, you may need to add a tablespoon or so of milk.
  • Scrape down sides.  After you’e blended your avocado dressing, stop and scrape down the sides, then blend some more to make sure your sauce is completely smooth.
  • Serve hot or cold: You can serve this Avocado Chicken Salad cold or warm.  If serving warm, gently warm on the stove - never boil or the sour cream/Greek yogurt can curdle.

How to Serve Avocado Chicken Salad 

Avocado Chicken Salad can be enjoyed SO many different ways!  You can eat it plain, OR:

  • Avocado Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps.  You can either fill butter lettuce with chicken salad to create low carb lettuce wraps or pile it on top of lettuce to create a green salad base.
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Wraps.  Fill a tortilla with chicken salad along with lettuce, fresh tomatoes, bacon, etc..
  • Avocado Chicken Salad with Grains. I love my chicken salad on top of brown rice or wild rice.  It would also be delicious with quinoa, cauliflower rice or broccoli rice.  I could even see it gently warmed and served over Spaghetti Squash. 
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Toast.  Toast some bread and create an open faced sandwich by piling on chicken salad along with tomatoes and optional sprouts and/or lettuce.
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Pita. Pile the filling in a pita with all your favorite topping such as cheese, tomatoes, bacon, etc.
  • Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwich. And now my FAVORITE way to eat Avocado Chicken Salad, in a Flatout's Foldit Flatbread!  To assemble, line flatbread with juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, tangy cheese and crispy tortilla strips and top with Chicken Avocado Salad.

STORAGE

This Avocado Chicken Salad can be made and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.  The lime juice will prevent the salad  from discoloring too much, but it will darken slightly.  A change in color of  color doesn’t mean it’s going bad, it simply means the sauce is oxidizing.

 ©Carlsbad Cravings Original

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Comments

  1. Hi Jen! These just scream summer! I really like flatbreads for sandwiches because of the ratio of filling (more) to bread (less). I also like lettuce wraps for that same reason. How fortunate you are to live so close to the ocean!

    Reply

    • Hi Dorothy, I am just getting back from Lake Powell (with no service) and loving your comments, thank you! SO true about the ratio of filling to bread using flatbread – so perfect! Hope you are having a great week!

      Reply

  2. Hi Jen, I just made these and they were delicious !! It was hard not to eat the avocado crema by the spoonful. I didn’t have a jalapeño pepper so I used a tablespoon of puréed chipotle in adobo, amazing! I just discovered your blog a month ago and have already made ten of your recipes, I am never disappointed. Have you ever thought of doing a cookbook? On a different note, I have read your personal story and think you are incredible inspirational. I believe your story is changing lives for the better!

    Reply

    • Hi Tina, THANK YOU so much for your comment! I love hearing that you have made 10 of my recipes, including this one – wow, that is awesome! It is so fun when you find a “foodie kindred spirit” who shares similar tastes as you. And the tablespoon of pureed chipotle in adobo sounds amazing as well! I have been approached to do a cookbook but I don’t think its something I’m interested at the time – if anything ever changes I will definitely let my readers know – but thank you for the compliment 🙂 And thank you for taking time to read my story and your kind words – that means more to me than anything! I am grateful every day to get to do what I love and “meet” people like you!

      Reply

  3. I LOVE chicken salad, which is perfect for me to take to lunch for work. 🙂

    Reply

    • Awesome LaTrice, I hope you love this version – it definitely makes the perfect make ahead lunch! Thank you!

      Reply

  4. Now that is what I call a sandwich! YUM!! I would definitely wear my apron — that subs as a bib. I know I would get messy eating it but it sure would be worth it. Great inspiration. Have a sunshine filled day!

    Reply

    • LOL! Yes, an apron that doubles as a bib is definitely in order – messy sandwiches are the best because the are packed with yuminess :)! I am jut getting back from Lake Powell, so it has been a very sunshine filled week – thank you! I hope you have a wonderful week as well!

      Reply

    • Thank you Anna! I love a packed salad too – the mangoes have to be my favorite part!

      Reply

  6. Hi Jen

    Love it love it love it, as Tina says, this just screams summer! I appreciate you providing such cool and delicious recipes on the web…I totally forgot, -fortunately- what it is to pay the typical burguer and fries and I´m more nowadays into becoming a skilled chef! :p Many good restaurants post their own recipes on their website have you checked? Exquisite salads, pastas and pizzas such as Barilla Restaurants ones!! 🙂 http://www.barillarestaurants.com/menu

    Have a great weekend!

    Reply

    • Hi Patricia, sorry for the delay as we have been moving and its been a little crazy over here but I SO appreciate your comment! I love hearing your cooking has replaced the typical takeout – that is awesome! Thank you so much for trying my recipes and thank you so much for the Barilla Restaurant reference – I have checked it out and it looks awesome – I am excited to explore more!

      Reply

  7. thanks for sharing this recipe! These look amazing! i’ll try this today

    Reply

    • You are so welcome Max! I hope you love them!

      Reply

  8. This was amazing! I’ve now made a few of your recipes and I am never disappointed. Everyone at our house gets excited when they know we’re having a Carlsbad Cravings recipe! Thank you!

    Reply

    • That is the sweetest!!! I love hearing that everyone gets excited when they hear its my recipe – Thank you SO much for sharing that with me – totally made my day! and I’m happy this was another winner! Thanks Hannah!

      Reply

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