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!!!
A scrumptious, healthy salad that's satisfying enough to have as a meal. The star of this is the creamy avocado dressing - full of nutrients, flavour and so delicious!
- 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
- 5 - 7 oz / 250 - 300g chicken breast , skinless boneless (I had 1 large one)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp each onion powder , garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Black pepper
- 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
-
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.
1. I like to puree it a lot so the cilantro/coriander becomes pureed into the dressing because it adds to the green colour of the dressing. But you could puree it less so you have more specks of green in the dressing. It doesn't affect the flavour, it's just aesthetics!
This makes more dressing than you will need. It's hard to make less. The leftovers are fantastic to use as a sauce for other proteins, use as a dip or to spread on toast! It thickens when you refrigerate it.
2. Nutrition per serving. Approximately 150 calories of this is attributable to the avocado dressing - and it assumes you use all of it, which you probably will not. So the chicken and salad is around 350 calories. Avocados are fairly high in calories BUT it is good fat. Remember that!!! 🙂
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. 🙂
Oh my, that avocado dressing looks ah-MA-zing! I am Pinning this to add to my menu of healthy eats next week! I can’t wait to try that!
OMG I am in LOVE with your blog name…..could / should be me
Haha, right? It pretty much sums me up to a tee. I can’t get off your blog now! I just added your feed to my reader so I can keep up and share your posts!
Hi! Can’t wait to try this recipe! I was wondering if you could clarify the chicken
portion of the recipe for me (I’m just back from spring break and can’t think clearly!)
How much boneless/skinless chicken do you need?
Do you cut if raw (before you cook it) and then also after it’s cooked?
How long do you cook it for? Also, can you throw the chicken breasts
on the grill instead of stovetop of it’s summertime?
Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Heather – as per the recipe, you need 5 – 7oz / 250 – 300g chicken breast, skinless boneless. Slice into steaks while raw then into strips after cooking. It will take a couple of minutes each side on the stove and YES you can grill it!
Nagi,
I found your blog recently and I can’t peel myself away. What lovely photographs, and great recipes.
This recipe is wonderful. I’m not one for salads, at all, and it’s difficult to find tasty ones. But this has it all – tasty chicken, avocado, corn… everything I love.
Thanks! And yes, more recipes is better. 🙂
Aida
Thank you Aida! I’m so glad you like my recipes!! I’m not one for salads either….so I totally get what you are saying!!!
Dear Nagi,
I’ve been silently reading and recreating your recipes for over a year now.
(Your Salmon Mille-Feuille has to appear at least every second sunday at our table 😉 )
What makes me want to comment now is, that your recipes are already perfectly healthy to me.
Whilst eating them I’ve lost 20kg over the past year and I really much enjoy your credo : taste over calories!
Anyways, I am really curious which recipes will be coming up to your delicious mind this year 😀
If there are more healthy ones this time around I’m all in for it, because I know they will be the most delicious “healthy” meals out there.
Thank you so much for your work.
Meggie
Hi Meggie! Thank you so much for your lovely message, you made my morning! I hope you do like the recipes I share that just happen to be lower cal!!! I have are really delish Middle Eastern beef stuffed eggplant coming up that is so filling and yet it’s only 420 calories – so excited! Hope you are having a fab weekend – N x
This salad is right up my alley– I make salads like this weekly– but this dressing! That is something I have to try. Like pourable guac 🙂 Delicious.
I have no idea how I totally missed out on seeing this as POURABLE GUAC! Hope you have a fab weekend Michelle! N x
Yummy!! Just made this and it hit the spot! This will be in regular rotation in our house! I used the dressing as suggested with your salad, but I’m using the leftover dressing on fajita salad tomorrow because we have fajitas left from last night! Should be just as good! Thanks! ?
So glad you enjoyed it Vida! And YES leftover Avo dressing is perfect for using with fajita salad! Love your thinking! 🙂
Goodness Nagi!! You are my dream!! Not just to your formulas sound and look awesome, you motivate me in such a large number of ways. I’ve as of now thought of a few thoughts for servings of mixed greens. Presently i should simply ace the pour shot. I’m going to rehash your recommendations so I don’t wind up having a considerable measure of velvety stuff everywhere
HA HA!! Believe me, I have had my share of getting dressing everywhere doing photoshoots!!! 🙂
Exactly
would love to see more healthy dishes
It’s on my radar Margaret! 🙂
Ooh… I love the idea of an avocado dressing! I eat so many avocados (I have a 12-a-month subscription), and am always looking for new ways to use them up!
An avocado subscription….????
This salad looks AMAZING, so colorful and delicious! And that avocado sauce…I’m pretty sure I would use all of it. I don’t care about the fat haha. Like you said, it’s good-for-you fat!
EXACTLY! 😉
That’s a doozy of a salad and the dressing is one that’s similar to one I make and we LOVE it. We agree that flavour and satisfaction comes before reduced calories but thankfully it’s possible to do both.
I know….we need to balance both…and I’m on a war path to find and share MORE food that tastes great but just happens to be lower calories! N x
Presented this delicious salad last night. Top marks for an attractive, healthy and flavoursome meal which was enhanced by the beautiful avocado dressing. A keeper recipe for next summer. Keep the creative posts coming.
? Thank you Jimela! You just made my day – I think you’re the first person who has tried it to leave feedback!! I am SO GLAD you enjoyed it! N x
Nagi I love this avo dressing recipe! Pinned! And yes I would love to see more healthy recipes because I´m always looking for healthy recipes that actually taste good (no compromising for me either!)
ME TOO!!!! N x
Your receipies looks good every time thank you Nagi!!!
Aww, thank you Ntombi! <3 N x
I going to do it, it looks very delicious thank you Nagi for your receipes
Thank you Ntombi! I do hop you enjoy it!
I love your blog. This recipe looks amazing. Can I substitute the milk with another liquid or water?
Hi Sue! I would just use water 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!! I literally just had leftover dressing on a salad for lunch today!
Ha ha editorial calendar! I suck at that right now, missing a bunch, life is a bit overwhelming right now. How did you know I am such a fan of avocados lol, loving this dressing. I was all in for the buttermilk until you said it was so much flavor.
Avocados are the BOMB! It is such a shame that they are so expensive here in Australia at the moment…..I am hanging for Avocado season! They should hit the stores in July or so I believe…. I have inside intel!
Hi Nagi I love all your recipes so please don’t hesitate in posting more! I am eagerly awaiting your kung pou chicken! !! Your sweet n sour dip in your wings book is amazing!!!
Oh wow Ruth, thank you so much for your lovely message! This is the 3rd message I’ve received about kung pao chicken this weekend – I didn’t realise it was so popular! I’ll bring it forward and post it soon – N x Have a wonderful weekend Ruth.
That’s a beautiful salad Nagi; definitely planning it next week for the lunch boxes
Thank you so much Dhanya! What a fantastic lunch to take in to work!
I have been meaning to say a massive thankyou to you ever since I stumbled across your cookbooks last year. My husband loves that you came into our lives as he was always complaining that we had the same meals ALL the time. Now he is blown away at meal times. Your recipes are so easy to follow and taste amazing. I am forever passing on your recipes to my family and friends. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou. Oh and thankyou for introducing my mum and I to Prosecco – just an added bonus (even though we can’t find Ricadonna Prosecco in Melbourne) 🙂
Awwww….thank you Sam! You just made my day! 🙂 No Ricadonna in Melbourne??? I’m so surprised, I thought it would be everywhere in Australia! PS How’s the endless summer in Melbourne? Still 32C everyday here in Sydney!