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This Guacamole Chicken Salad is an easy, healthy and delicious lunch recipe. Using pre-made chicken your new favorite sandwich is ready in less that 5 minutes!
The Best Chicken Salad Recipe!
From start to finish, this recipe takes me just 5 minutes to make and feeds me for at least three days. I can’t say this officially but this might be the fastest and easiest recipe I’ve ever posted!
I love chicken salad for a few reasons! Obviously I love how simple it is to make but I also love how versatile it is and how great it is for meal prep! Make it once and enjoy it all week… or for however long it lasts!
Ingredients in Guacamole Chicken Salad
- Avocados – the avocados should be firm but give slightly when you apply pressure. Avoid super mushy or super firm avocados!
- Garlic clove – adds a savory flavor base – this is entirely optional if you prefer a garlic-free guacamole (which sometimes I do).
- Red onion – finely chopped to add a robust flavor base to this salad.
- Jalapeño – seeded and finely chopped to add a little heat! You can skip this step if you don’t like jalapenos
- Chicken – you can either purchase pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great for a shortcut!) or cook at home
- Lime – we’ll be using all the juice from one lime
- Sea salt and black pepper – to bring all of the flavors together.
- Cumin – adds a kick of flavor!
- Cilantro – optional but I love adding this fresh herb to the salad!
How to Make Shredded Chicken [3 Ways!]
1. Buy Store-Bought – This is my go-to method because it’s so easy and ensures this guacamole chicken salad is ready in under 5 minutes. Just purchase a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and remove the chicken breasts. Shred using two forks or your hands.
2. Cook on stove-top – Coat two chicken breasts with salt + pepper. Add a little olive oil to a pan and cook chicken breasts on the stove-top over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side or until the interior temperature reaches 165ºF. Let chicken cool slightly and then shred with 2 forks. You can also do this on your grill.
3. In the Instant Pot – Add two chicken breasts to your Instant Pot and top with 1/2 a cup of water or stock. Season with salt + pepper. Close lid and valve and pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes. Let naturally release steam for 10 minutes. Open lid and let cool slightly. You can shred chicken directly in Instant Pot.
How to Make Guacamole Chicken Salad
STEP 1: MASH AVOCADO
Place the avocados in a large bowl and mash using a potato masher or fork. You can leave some chunks for texture if you’d like or make this more creamy!
STEP 2: ADD IN REMAINING INGREDIENTS
Add in the garlic clove, onion, jalapeño, chicken and lime zest and juice. Stir well to combine.
STEP 3: SPICE + ENJOY!
Season with salt, pepper and cumin and stir once more. Add more spices to taste. Enjoy!
How to Serve Chicken Salad
One of the reasons I love chicken salad is because there are so many different ways to eat it! Here are some ideas:
Bread – add a scoop to a piece of bread or toast and enjoy! Want extra veggies? Add some greens to your sandwich.
Crackers or tortilla chips – scoop up the chicken salad with crackers or tortilla chips. I love the salty, crunchy combo with the salad!
On a salad or with veggies – enjoy a salad on a salad! But for real, this chicken salad is delicious on a bed of greens or scooped with fresh veggies like carrots and bell peppers.
How to Store Leftovers
This salad stores really well! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. This guacamole chicken salad may brown slightly after a few days but the lime juice should help prevent that. Even if it browns a little it is still delicious!
More Healthy Lunch Recipes:
- Avocado Tuna Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Curried Chickpea and Avocado Salad
- Curry Chicken Salad
- Mediterranean Egg Salad
Guacamole Chicken Salad
This Guacamole Chicken Salad is an easy, healthy and delicious lunch recipe. Using pre-made chicken your new favorite sandwich is ready in less that 5 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 large avocados, peeled and pitted
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped finely (roughly 2/3 cup)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded + chopped finely
- 12 ounces cooked + shredded chicken breast*
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- optional: handful of chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Place the avocados in a large bowl and mash up using a potato masher or fork.
- Add in garlic clove, onion, jalapeno, chicken breasts and zest and juice of lime. Stir well.
- Add in salt, pepper and cumin and stir once more.
- Place one large scoop of salad onto a bread.
- Salad will keep for several days in refrigerator. May brown slightly in fridge but it’s still good.
*Roughly 2 chicken breasts. You can purchase pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to shred or see above for cooking instructions.
I think I could add avocados to just about anything and be happy!!!!
Yup! I’m in the same boat!
I don’t ever make bread at home. I want to start doing this! I have only tried to make it from scratch once and it was an epic fail. Try try try again?
or just microwave it for 8 mins 😉
Dude this is awesome- I remember you telling me about them! Now as for the sandwich- You make sandwiches so attractive.
Not nearly as attractive as you 😉
I would EAT all of it in a heart beat…Quick easy lunches are usually eggs and whatever veggies are lying around, plus some avocado…So basically the “kitchen sink” and usually ready in under 20 minutes. 🙂
the best! eggs and guac also make an epic combo!
Uhhhhh YUMMMM. Between this, and your tuna salad, you’re making my avocado dreams come true. So thanks for that 🙂 and I’m SUPER curious about this bread/steamer situation. It sounds so cool!
There are Epicure consultants all across the country who would be happy to order one of those steamers for you. Website is http://www.epicure.com and you can search for a consultant in your area and contact them or order directly from the website. They are fantastic!
Yum! This looks so perfect!
Thank you!
Amazing! This is the perfect way to feed my guac addiction.
My favourite fast lunch is usually an omelette with avocado toast!
I need to go to rehab for my guac addiction. I ate it alllll week in CR and I’m still not sick of it!
Can I get one of those steamers??? i want to make GF bread. I eat sprouted bread thinking it won’t do anything to me then I’m always wrong when I feel like junk an hour later 🙁
I need to get you a steamer! You can make popcorn in it too. You would LOVE it!
This is a killer sammy! Love the avocado so it’s (egg/mayo) free! XOXO
Yes! I love making lunch salads without the mayo 🙂
Oh yum–what perfect timing too. We just bought a Costco chicken and avocados are on sale days. 🙂
I saw that!!! Avos are NEVER on sale but I got 2 for $4 which is super cheap in Toronto!