Avocado Chicken Salad is filled with fresh corn, creamy avocado, tender chicken, crispy bacon, tangy red onion, and the best dressing!
For more tasty chicken salads, try my creamy chicken salad, pesto chicken salad, or healthy chicken salad made without mayo.
The Best Avocado Chicken Salad
Chicken and tuna salads are my go-to lunches. I love them! I’m always trying out new flavors to keep things interesting, and this chicken salad with avocado is a new favorite!
There’s no mayo or sour cream, but it still has all the flavor! A super tasty dressing covers the chicken, bacon, and veggies—it’s so good.
I love the flavor fresh dill adds, but you can skip it if it’s not your thing. Or, try a different herb like parsley, basil, or cilantro.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe:
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is quick and easy. Many stores sell it already cooked and shredded.
- Corn: Fresh corn is delicious, especially grilled to get a great smoky flavor. If not, fire-roasted frozen corn works well—just sauté it in a bit of oil to thaw.
- Avocados: Choose ripe but firm avocados to avoid mushiness.
- Red Onion: Soak in cold water to reduce sharpness. Skip it if you’re not a fan.
- Bacon: Baking is my favorite, but microwave bacon works in a pinch.
- Fresh Dill: Adds a fresh flavor that boosts the salad.
Dressing:
- Olive Oil: Use good quality for the best flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Brings a nice tang.
- Lemon Juice & Zest: I like to use a grater to get the lemon zest and a juicer to get the juice.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness.
- Dijon Mustard: Gives the dressing a great flavor and makes it nice and thick so it will coat the ingredients well.
How To Make Avocado Chicken Salad
- Cook Corn: Sauté or grill the corn, then let it cool.
- Make Dressing: Mix dressing ingredients in a jar, add salt and pepper, and shake until combined.
- Assemble Salad: In a big bowl, mix chicken, corn, avocado, bacon, red onion, and dill.
- Add Dressing: Pour dressing over the salad (as much as you like) and toss to mix.
- Serve: Eat right away; this salad is best fresh.
Quick Tip
If you want to save this salad for later, leave out the avocados. Instead make chicken salad in an avocado. Each day, scoop out a fresh avocado, cut it up, and mix it with the salad before you eat.
How To Serve Chicken Avocado Salad
There are lots of ways to serve this salad—it’s super flexible! This protein-packed salad is perfect for lunch, dinner, or even a snack!
- In a Sandwich: Put it between slices of toasted bread or a croissant.
- On Salad Greens: Serve it on top of lettuce or spinach. Or make lettuce wraps by scooping this salad into butter lettuce leaves.
- In a Wrap: Roll it up in a tortilla with some veggies; like this chicken salad wrap.
- With Crackers: Eat it with crackers.
- In an Avocado: Fill an avocado half with the salad.
Storage
How To Store Avocado Chicken Salad
- Fridge: Store the salad in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Separate Avocados: If you want leftovers, don’t add the avocado in the chicken salad, or it will get mushy. Add them just before eating.
- Eat Quickly: If you add avocado, eat the salad the same day. Without avocado, it’s good for 3-5 days.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Fruit Salad with the best 3-ingredient dressing
- Strawberry Salad with my favorite citrus dressing
- Orzo Pasta Salad with loads of veggies!
- Avocado Tuna Salad with fresh lemon
- Applebee’s Chicken Salad restaurant copycat recipe!
Avocado Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Pan
- Mason jar or other sealable container
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken see note 1
- 1 cup corn see note 2
- 2 small ripe avocados peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onion see note 3
- 4 strips cooked bacon crumbled
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill optional
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon
- 1 heaping tablespoon honey
- 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add drizzle of olive oil to a pan, then sauté frozen corn until warmed through, or grill fresh corn (see note 2). Set aside to cool.
- Zest a lemon to get 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and juice to get 3 tablespoons juice.
- Combine all ingredients under “Dressing” in a wide-mouth mason jar. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Seal and shake until well combined. Stir if honey settles at the bottom.
- In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, corn, diced avocado, crumbled bacon, diced red onion, and dill (if using). Drizzle dressing over the top (add to taste; you may not need all of it) and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings if needed.
- Enjoy immediately. This salad is best eaten the same day as it doesn’t sit well. If you want leftovers, don’t add the avocados, or they’ll get mushy. Add them to individual portions just before eating.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is 542 cal/serving based on 2 servings or 4 servings per recipe?
4 servings per recipe! 🙂
Thank you for getting us through summer veggie season with so many fresh, flavorful recipes! This is our favorite for corn. I appreciate the simple technique suggested for grilling corn also!!
So happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes; thank you Robyn! 🙂 Glad this was a hit!!
This look soo good! I’m looking forward to trying it.
Yay!! I’m so excited to hear what you think!
How many calories?
Hey Nancy! I just added them! 🙂