Creamy avocado chunks are combined with tender chicken pieces in a fresh and slightly tangy dressing in this Avocado Chicken Salad.
Avocado enthusiasts will love this dish, but even if you’re not that keen on the creamy green fruit, I recommend giving this recipe a try. My family hasn’t always loved avocados, but they loved this chicken salad recipe.

After my boys decided they love guacamole a few years ago, the Roasted Garlic Bacon Guacamole and Pomegranate Guacamole are regular hits. (Side note, don’t bang on the pomegranate guacamole until you’ve tried it my friends. It’s amazing!)
Chicken salad with avocado
We almost always have avocados around the house these days because I always buy as many as I can when they’re on sale. I do my best to use them before they’re overly ripe, but occasionally we end up with several ripe avocados that need to be used as soon as possible.
There are worse problems than an overabundance of avocados, right? Whenever that happens, I take the opportunity to have fun getting creative in the kitchen.
This Avocado Chicken Salad was the happy result of having a few too many avocados around the house, along with a fried chicken begging to be made into a salad for sandwiches.
When I first made this Avocado Chicken Salad recipe we couldn’t believe how amazing it turned out! Everyone in my family has chosen to eat their chicken salad differently, so we can guarantee it’s delicious however you consume it.
My boys enjoyed their on toasted slices of sourdough bread. I ate mine with a handful of multigrain crackers and Sean chose to eat it lettuce wrap style.
Also delicious in a wrap or on a garden salad. The last time I made this chicken salad, we ate it sandwiched between a few slices of bread for more traditional chicken salad sandwiches.

Avocado Chicken Salad
For this recipe you need the following ingredients:
- boiled chicken
- avocados
- mayonnaise
- Hot cholula sauce
- salt and pepper
- fresh lime juice
- fresh cilantro or parsley
How can you tell if avocados are ripe?
Unless you’re buying a lot of avocados, it can be difficult to figure out which ones to pick from the fruit basket.
If you’re going to eat the avocados the same day or use them in a recipe, try to buy them ripe. If you won’t be using them for a few days, look for avocados that have not yet reached peak maturity. A ripe avocado can become overripe in a day!
A ripe avocado will be a little firm, but will give when gently squeezed. Immature avocados will be rock hard, while overripe avocados will feel soft and mushy. If you buy avocados that aren’t ripe, just leave them on the counter for a few days or until they’re ripe.

Chicken Avocado Salad Recipe
For this recipe, combine bite-sized chicken and avocado chunks in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, cholula (or other hot sauce of your choice), salt, pepper, and fresh lime juice.
Pour the dressing over the chicken and avocado and stir well. Enjoy the salad on sandwiches, toast, salad for wraps or with crackers.
I like to serve this with some chopped cilantro on top. The herb adds a wonderfully fresh flavor that goes well with the spiciness and creaminess of the recipe. If you’re not a cilantro fan, parsley makes a wonderful garnish, too.
Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container and refrigerate if not eating immediately. This keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
The hot sauce is optional but adds deep flavor and very little heat. I strongly recommend trying it. The lime juice and hot sauce combine to create a great flavor combination.

chicken and avocado
Chicken and avocado are a really great combination, as I first learned when my sister Jenny made these chipotle chicken kabobs for us and served them with a creamy avocado dipping sauce.
The chicken skewers disappeared in minutes and we didn’t even get a chance to sit at the table. We ended up standing around the kitchen island and dunking the skewers in the avocado cream sauce once the meat was cool enough to eat. My whole family votes two thumbs up for this combo.
I need more chicken and avocado recipes in my life right now because this combo? It’s a winner with every single member of my family.

Chicken salads are one of our favorite lunches here. They’re delicious, versatile, easy to make and are great on leftover cooked chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
You can use any cooked chicken for this chicken salad recipe, but I happened to have fried chicken on hand and it worked like a dream. I often make these recipes on hot summer days when I want a homemade meal without turning on the stove or oven.
If you like this Avocado Chicken Salad recipe, you might also enjoy 5 Minute Ranch Chicken Salad. It’s one of my most eaten quick and easy lunch recipes and I love it on a chicken salad sandwich, in a wrap, or on top of a fresh raw vegetable garden salad. It would also make a fantastic savory dip for raw veggies!
Then there’s Cashew Chicken Salad, a recipe I created when I had a craving for a specific chicken salad served at a favorite restaurant. It has sweet, juicy red grapes, crunchy roasted cashews, and a bit of lemon juice that adds a bright, tangy flavor to the chicken salad.
Another one of my favorites is this Chicken Salad Wrap. Eaten on top of a homemade or store-bought tortilla and with lots of seasoning, it’s a great option for a packed lunch, picnic, or quick meal at home.
For chicken salads without mayonnaise or other creamy dressings, check out Chinese Chicken Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing and Fuji Apple Chicken Salad.
Servings: 6 portions
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Combine the chicken and avocado in a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl or large glass measuring cup, stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
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Pour the dressing over the chicken and avocado and stir well. Serve on sandwiches, toast, salad or crackers. Sprinkle with fresh coriander or parsley before serving.
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Store in an airtight container and refrigerate if not eating immediately. This salad will keep in the fridge for a few days.
I add the full 3 tablespoons of hot cholula sauce into the recipe and there is almost no heat at all. It just adds a nice depth of flavor to the salad. If you find this suspicious, start with a small amount and gradually experiment until it’s the right amount for you.
Calories: 325kcal · Protein: 17G · Fat: 28G · Saturated Fatty Acids: 5G · Cholesterol: 63mg · Sodium: 209mg · Potassium: 147mg · Vitamin A: 75ie · Calcium: 10mg · Iron: 0.9mg
{originally posted 6/25/18 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/3/23}
