This Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing is made with a seasoned, juicy chicken with a colourful salad, and tossed with an awesome creamy avocado dressing that tastes just like guacamole. Avocados are cholesterol free and full of nutrition – we need to get MORE in our diet!
Gasp, shock horror, I’m finally posting a salad! Long overdue….so much for my New Years’ resolution to post more green things here on RecipeTin Eats. ?
Can I be honest? I’ve actually made and photographed a handful of salads….salads with oomph, not wimpy ones. I mean salads that are healthy but still truly satisfying to have as meals.
I write up the recipe and even schedule it to publish….then I get distracted by something I’m even more excited about. Like that Baked Chinese Sesame Chicken I shared a couple of weeks ago. I actually had the slot reserved for a Buffalo Chicken Salad, but it got bumped at the last minute because I made the Sesame Chicken the day before and I got overly excited about it.
Oops. So much for a professional editorial calendar. I could never run a proper magazine. Can you imagine?? Changing my mind at the last minute like that!
But today I’m sticking to my guns because Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing is seriously worthy of having as meal. And it all comes down to this – the creamy avocado dressing. 🙌
Beautiful ripe avocado and a handful of other ingredients to make a luscious avocado dressing that actually tastes like avocado.
I used to make avocado dressing with buttermilk, using that to thin it out to a dressing consistency. But then one day my sister was around, and in her usual form, she opened the fridge and started poking around for things to eat. Spied a tub of avocado dressing, stuck her finger in for taste, scrunched up her nose and said “This doesn’t taste like avocado.”
In response to which, I instantly stuck my finger in for a taste, ready to argue….and realised….it didn’t. At least, not enough like avocado.
Buttermilk was the problem. The flavour was too intense, it overpowered the avocado. So I fixed my recipe. 🙂
I make this salad with a tasty chicken which is seasoned for extra flavour. I really think it is worth making a basic spice rub to flavour chicken for salads. Makes salads extra interesting!
And it’s carb free. And cheese free. Miracle of miracles! 🙂
I promise to share more healthy, lower calorie meals in 2016. My recipes aren’t typically cream / butter heavy unless it’s for a special treat. But I have a whole repertoire of lower calorie, more nutrition dense recipes.
I am seriously thinking about increasing my weekly recipe posts from 3 to 4, and making the extra recipe a healthy one.
What do you think? Do you want to see more healthy recipes here on RecipeTin Eats?
– Nagi x
PS That’s healthy…..without compromise! I can’t compromise flavour for calories…I just can’t. It’s not in my DNA!!!
MORE CHICKEN SALADS YOU’LL LOVE
- Lemon Chicken Salad
- Hawaiian Chicken Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Thai Chicken Salad
- Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad
- More giant Salads for Meals
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Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
Avocado Dressing
- 1/2 large or 1 small ripe avocado
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 2 tbsp diced red onion
- 1/4 cup cilantro , stems and leaves, not packed in
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
- 1 tbsp plain low fat yoghurt (I use Greek)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 3 - 5 tbsp low fat milk
- 1/4 tsp onion or garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Chicken
- 5 - 7 oz / 250 - 300g chicken breast , skinless boneless (I had 1 large one)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Spice Rub
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp each onion powder , garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Black pepper
Salad
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 corn , steamed, kernels cut off (or 3/4 cup cooked kernels)
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes , halved or quartered
- 5 cups chopped lettuce
Instructions
- Avocado Dressing: Place the ingredients in a small food processor and whizz until smooth. Use MILK to adjust consistency, and adjust salt to taste. (Note 1)
- Spice Rub: Combine ingredients and scatter on a plate.
- Chicken: Slice into 4 - 5 thin steaks on the diagonal, then coat both sides with Spice Rub.
- Cook Chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook both sides until dark brown. Remove onto a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes then slice thickly.
- Pile the Salad ingredients onto a serving platter then place the chicken on the side.
- Serve with Avocado Dressing.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
PS I have included Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing in the RecipeTin LITE category (which is only for recipes <500 calories) on the basis that I doubt you will use all the avocado dressing. 🙂
What a sensational dressing!!!! Thank you, Nagi.
You’re so welcome Diane!! N x
Hey Nagi – very excited to try this recipe. How long will the dressing last in the fridge? Can I batch make it? Thanks 🙂
Is it 1 whole garlic?
1 clove 🙂
Your recipes are by far that anyone posts out here. I cannot say enough about how amazing they are. When I see one come to my e-mail I immediately go to as I know it will be spectacular. Thank you so much. Your a chef extroidinaire!!
Aww you flatter me Lesley! I’m so pleased you are enjoying my recipes, thank you for trying them! N x
I just made the dressing and wanted to let you know that it is excellent. Thanks
That’s terrific to hear Andrea! Thanks for taking the time to let me know – N x
Hi, I absolutely can’t stand cilantro (coriander). Will this recipe be okay without it or should I substitute something else in its place.
Hands down one of my favourites – you make eating healthy (and chicken breast) taste good Nagi! xx
WHOOT! So great to hear that Cassie, thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
This,is a really really nice avocado dressing. I using it in future on top of a turkey Cobb salad as well as your chicken recipe here I am making tonight for first time.
I LOVE HEARING THAT!!!! Thank you for letting me know Marlayne! N xx
Wow! This was delicious beyond my expectations. Even further beyond the expectations of my fussy family.
The avocado dressing was to die for! The chicken was amazing.
So healthy, so easy.
My husband asked me to put it on the ‘regular rotation menu’ which, by the way, consists mainly of your recipes Nagi.
I’m sorry I haven’t reviewed for a while, but let me tell you that around 90% of our meals are RTE meals these days.
Keep up the good work, you rule xx
What a compliment! Thank you so much for trying my recipes Jacqui, I’m so glad you enjoyed this! 🙂 N x
WOW!!! This looks like something I could eat every single day!
Great photos of all your creations too!!!!!
This is the sort of thing I SHOULD eat every day!!!! 🙂