Avocado Chicken Salad
Updated Jun 06, 2025
This Avocado Chicken Salad is made with mashed and chunked avocado with shredded chicken, celery, green onions, and a lemon, cilantro seasoning.
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Avocado Chicken Salad without mayo!
Avocado chicken salad is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover shredded chicken, and I make a lot of chicken salad. I’ve done the classic version, one with Greek yogurt, a Buffalo-style one, and even a pasta salad twist (you can see all the recipes here). This avocado chicken salad came about when I had an avocado that needed to be used and some cooked chicken already in the fridge. It’s like a fresh take on the chicken salad I grew up with.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Avocado Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Avocado: Ripe avocados work best; make sure they have some give when you gently squeeze them.
- Greek Yogurt: Use full-fat, or if you prefer, mayo or sour cream will work.
- Dijon Mustard: Or try wholegrain mustard for a milder flavor.
- Lemon: You’ll use both the lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Chicken: Use cooked, shredded chicken. This chicken and avocado salad is a great way to use up leftover roasted chicken!
- Vegetables: I like finely chopped celery and sliced green onions.
- Seasoning and Herbs: Just salt and pepper, along with cilantro. If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, you can use parsley, or skip it. You can also cut up some garlic.
How to Make Avocado Chicken Salad
Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 avocados chopped, divided
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced, optional
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mash half the avocados. Add the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, garlic (if using), lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk together until well combined (or blend in blender or food processor for a smoother consistency).
- Add the chicken, celery, green onions, salt, and pepper on top and stir to combine. Cover the mixture and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
- When ready to serve, fold in the remaining chopped avocado and top with fresh cilantro, if using. Enjoy it on its own, as a dip, in a croissant, or on whole grain bread as an avocado chicken salad sandwich.
Equipment
- Garlic Press (optional)
- High Speed Blender (optional)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
If you try this Avocado Chicken Salad recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Make the base of the salad dressing in a blender. You can easily mash the avocado with the ingredients by hand, but for a more even consistency, try blending everything in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
- Make sure your avocado is ripe. It should give a little when you squeeze it, but it shouldn’t be mushy. A ripe fruit creates a smoother dressing for the avocado chicken salad sandwich.
- Let your chicken cool before mixing it with the other ingredients. Shred it, then let it sit for 10 minutes if you’re cooking before combining.
Serving Ideas
- Mains: Poached Salmon, Grilled Eggplant, Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Soup: Zucchini Soup, Baked Feta Soup, Harira Soup
- Salads: Lentil Salad, Quinoa Edamame Salad, Mediterranean Kale & Farro Salad
FAQs
Keep leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to two days. When ready to eat, just assemble the sandwiches.
If you didn’t pat your chicken dry, if you used low-fat yogurt, or if your vegetables had a lot of moisture, these things could contribute to a watery consistency. So, to prevent this, pat your chicken dry and let it rest after cooking, dry your vegetables before adding, and strain any liquid off the top of your yogurt.
You can use thighs, breasts, or a mix for this no-mayo chicken salad. It can be baked, roasted, poached, or grilled, and you can use fresh chicken, canned chicken, or leftover chicken. As long as your chicken is cooked and shredded, it’s good to go!
Comments
Love the recipe. I added diced Jalapeños for a little kick.
Yum, love that!! So happy you enjoyed it!
Deeeeelicious and fresh
Thank you! So happy you liked it!
I made it only with chicken lemon mayo avocado and garlic…….enjoyed it
Glad it was a hit.
Wonderful and fresh! I didn’t have yogurt so I went with mayonnaise. Delicious. I’m excited to find other healthy recipes with you. Thank you!
You’re so welcome. Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was insanely delicious!! I omitted the garlic because of an intolerance for it but other than that it was made as directed. Definitely putting this in my lunch rotation!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe nonetheless. Hope you continue to love it!
Will try your chicken salad recipe soon but I’m not understanding one of your steps. The avocados are suppose to be mashed yet in photo #6, there are visible avocado chunks (not mashed)?
In that photo, I just added more chunks of avocado. You can do the same or leave all of the avocados in there mashed.
I was craving a chicken sandwich so bad so I just popped on here to see what recipes you had and OMG this did not disappoint! So happy with this quick and easy meal and will definitely be doing it again. Thank you!!
So glad you came across this and it hit the spot! You’re so welcome!
Hi, Yumna I made this salad for my lunch for work and it was so good!! But I added tuna instead of chicken and some boiled pasta to bulk it up. This is now my go to healthy lunch thanks for the inspiration!!
Yay! That’s a great idea!!
This was amazing!! Made for mine and my brother’s family and EVERYONE loved it and had third servings!! We ate it on its own, on a tortilla wrap, on lettuce and on sourdough bread. All so relish!!!
Thank you so much! That’s so great!!
I just made this last night, added basil and grape tomatoes. I am so glad I ran into your recipe! Thanks!
I love the sound of that! Same here!! You’re so welcome!
This was delicious! I used half a lemon and a green bell pepper instead of green onion because I didn’t have any and it added a nice flavor and crunch! I will definitely be making this again soon, thanks Yumna! 🙂
That sounds lovely too! Yay!! You’re so welcome!
I made these today and they were absolutely delicious!
Just made this on the fly – I didn’t measure any of my ingredients out and just tasted as I went and it was AMAZING. Such a quick, easy and healthy meal with ingredients I already had on hand. I didn’t have any green onion or celery but it was still really good. They would’ve added some nice crunch and flavor though. I also only used a bit of lemon juice from half a lemon, only one avocado, and added a lot more cilantro because I love it. Highly recommend!!
I love that! Next time it’d definitely be worth adding the green onion and celery. Thank you!
I have been craving a healthier version of chicken salad, and this hit the spot! It was great on its own, in a wrap/pita bread, or in a lettuce wrap for the low-carb version. I didn’t have green onions or cilantro but it was still fabulous without these garnishes. Thank you as always for another great recipe to add to my repertoire!
I’m so glad this hit the spot! You’re so welcome!
Super easy to make and extremely fresh especially for the summer!!! Love that it is ingredients you either already have or can easily find!
Thank you so much! Exactly what I was going for!
Hello Yumna, I love following the recipes 😍. But please Turkish yogurt, not Greek. Thanks
Thank you! You could do that too if you prefer.
I loved this the first time I made it using brown sugar but tonight I made it with Stevia not realizing that the ratios are so different. A word to the wise, if using a substitute use a LOT less. We had to throw the whole thing away!
Hi Alisha – There’s actually not sugar in this recipe. How come you added the brown sugar and then the stevia?