The concept is simple—a quick, basic chicken salad that uses mashed avocado as a binder instead of the more traditional mayonnaise.
That was my idea as I set out to repeat the success we had with our Avocado Tuna Salad. It would be a “sequel” of sorts, hopefully a sequel more like Toy Story 2 (brilliant!) than the second Bridget Jones (yikes).
Nailed it! At least I think so. You will be the final judge.
The unexpected ingredient in this chicken salad is chopped apple. Apple brings sweetness, tartness, and crunch to the chicken salad, helping to round out the flavors.
Avocado replaces the fat of the mayonnaise, but not the seasoning. So we’re adding salt, pepper, and a good dose of lime juice. I’m also adding plenty of chopped fresh cilantro, you could easily use parsley instead.
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| Avocado Chicken Salad Healthy Recipe |
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
- 1 ripe avocado, seeded and peeled (see How to Cut and Peel an Avocado)
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro or parsley
- 2 teaspoons lime juice or a tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- Sandwich bread or salad greens
METHOD
- Place the chicken, avocado, apple, celery, and red onion in a medium bowl. Gently mash the avocado with a fork and stir it around so that everything gets well mixed.
- Add the cilantro or parsley, lime juice or lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add more lime juice or salt to taste. If the mixture seems a little dry, you can stir in a teaspoon or two of olive oil.
- To store, place in a bowl and cover completely with plastic wrap so that no part of the chicken salad is exposed to air. Will keep a couple of days in the fridge.
- Serve on sandwich bread, toasted bread, or salad greens (I recommend arugula or watercress for extra zing).
