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Guacamole Chicken Salad

Name: Guacamole Chicken Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 large avocados, peeled and pitted; 1/2 medium red onion, chopped finely (roughly 2/3 cup); 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 jalapeno, seeded + chopped finely; 12 ounces cooked + shredded chicken breast*; juice and zest of 1 lime; 1/2 tsp sea salt; freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 tsp cumin; optional: handful of chopped cilantro

September 5, 2023

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This Guacamole Chicken Salad is an easy, healthy and delicious lunch recipe. Using pre-made chicken your new favorite sandwich is ready in less that 5 minutes!

Guacamole chicken salad sandwich on thick slices of wheat bread. Two halves of the sandwich are stacked on top of each other with the middle facing the camera. Ingredients in the foreground and background of the image.

The Best Chicken Salad Recipe!

From start to finish, this recipe takes me just 5 minutes to make and feeds me for at least three days. I can’t say this officially but this might be the fastest and easiest recipe I’ve ever posted!

I love chicken salad for a few reasons! Obviously I love how simple it is to make but I also love how versatile it is and how great it is for meal prep! Make it once and enjoy it all week… or for however long it lasts!

Ingredients in Guacamole Chicken Salad

Avocados – the avocados should be firm but give slightly when you apply pressure. Avoid super mushy or super firm avocados!
Garlic clove – adds a savory flavor base – this is entirely optional if you prefer a garlic-free guacamole (which sometimes I do).
Red onion – finely chopped to add a robust flavor base to this salad.
Jalapeño – seeded and finely chopped to add a little heat! You can skip this step if you don’t like jalapenos
Chicken – you can either purchase pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great for a shortcut!) or cook at home
Lime – we’ll be using all the juice from one lime
Sea salt and black pepper – to bring all of the flavors together.
Cumin – adds a kick of flavor!
Cilantro – optional but I love adding this fresh herb to the salad!

How to Make Shredded Chicken [3 Ways!]

1. Buy Store-Bought – This is my go-to method because it’s so easy and ensures this guacamole chicken salad is ready in under 5 minutes. Just purchase a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and remove the chicken breasts. Shred using two forks or your hands.

2. Cook on stove-top – Coat two chicken breasts with salt + pepper. Add a little olive oil to a pan and cook chicken breasts on the stove-top over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side or until the interior temperature reaches 165ºF. Let chicken cool slightly and then shred with 2 forks. You can also do this on your grill.

3. In the Instant Pot – Add two chicken breasts to your Instant Pot and top with 1/2 a cup of water or stock. Season with salt + pepper. Close lid and valve and pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes. Let naturally release steam for 10 minutes. Open lid and let cool slightly. You can shred chicken directly in Instant Pot.

How to Make Guacamole Chicken Salad

STEP 1: MASH AVOCADO

Place the avocados in a large bowl and mash using a potato masher or fork. You can leave some chunks for texture if you’d like or make this more creamy!

STEP 2: ADD IN REMAINING INGREDIENTS

Add in the garlic clove, onion, jalapeño, chicken and lime zest and juice. Stir well to combine.

Overhead shot of guacamole chicken salad in orange mixing bowl.

STEP 3: SPICE + ENJOY!

Season with salt, pepper and cumin and stir once more. Add more spices to taste. Enjoy!

Close up shot of guacamole chicken salad sandwich on thick slices of wheat bread. Two halves of the sandwich are stacked on top of each other with the middle facing the camera.

How to Serve Chicken Salad

One of the reasons I love chicken salad is because there are so many different ways to eat it! Here are some ideas:

Bread – add a scoop to a piece of bread or toast and enjoy! Want extra veggies? Add some greens to your sandwich.

Crackers or tortilla chips – scoop up the chicken salad with crackers or tortilla chips. I love the salty, crunchy combo with the salad!

On a salad or with veggies – enjoy a salad on a salad! But for real, this chicken salad is delicious on a bed of greens or scooped with fresh veggies like carrots and bell peppers.

How to Store Leftovers

This salad stores really well! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. This guacamole chicken salad may brown slightly after a few days but the lime juice should help prevent that. Even if it browns a little it is still delicious!

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