This filling Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad has all the essentials of a really great salad – it’s jam packed with fresh, vibrant flavours, big, creamy chunks of avocado and irresistible Mexican grilled chicken.
It’s like a giant salad version of Mexican Avocado Salsa – with the addition of chicken to complete the meal! To fill it out even more, try it with a side of Easy No Yeast Flatbreads, a southwest Cowboy Rice Salad or try some of these amazing easy No Knead Bread Rolls.
Avocado Chicken Salad – with Mexican flavours!
I’ve had a Giant Salad* almost everyday for the past month or so. Hopefully it’s more than just a phase and it becomes just a natural part of my lifestyle – that I crave a salad instead of pasta. Or cupcakes piled high with the fluffiest ever buttercream frosting. Or fall apart lamb shanks. Or cheese or potatoes in any shape or form.
OK. So that vision I painted of a holier-than-thou, new clean eating me is completely unrealistic. You know it, my mother knows it, and everyone who knows me knows it!
Having said that, this is Avocado Chicken Salad is something that even non-salad-craving people like myself will love because it’s big, filling, interesting and packed full of flavour.
* The official definition of Giant Salad: flavour packed salads that are satisfying enough to have as a meal. No wimpy salads in my world!!
Loaded with all things Mexican
I call this Avocado Chicken Salad a Mexican Salad because it’s loaded with all things Mexican:
Mexican marinated grilled chicken;
Avocado Tomato Corn Salsa; and
Fresh lime coriander/cilantro dressing
All piled up over crisp lettuce leaves.
So just to be clear, it’s not a traditional Mexican salad. It’s a big, fat, satisfying salad that’s packed with fresh Mexican flavours!
Triple duty dressing and marinade
This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe uses a neat trick where the lime coriander/cilantro dressing does triple duty as:
the dressing for the salad;
dressing for the salsa; and
marinade for the chicken.
This technique of a dressing doing double or triple duty is a highly effective technique I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember. I’m such a fan of it that it was the first theme I asked to do when I used to do regular features in Super Food Ideas magazine!
With all the things going on in this Avocado Chicken Salad, it’s a satisfying salad for dinner or lunch. Lots of nutrition, protein from the chicken, creaminess from the avocado, great textures, and a fresh dressing that’s anything but dull.
If you want to add some carbs, try this with a side of Easy Homemade Flatbreads, add some lime rice (use this Lemon Rice recipe, just switch the lemon with lime), Cowboy Rice Salad, or make some of these easy No Knead Soft Bread Rolls.
Pack this up for lunch simply by assembling the salad and keeping the dressing separate. Make all your co workers jealous! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad recipe video!
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Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Lime Dressing / Marinade:
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil (65ml)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp salt + black pepper
Chicken:
- 2 small chicken breasts, 400g/14oz (pound or split if thicker than 2cm / 4/5”)
- 1/2 tsp EACH chipotle powder (Note 1) and oregano
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- Salt & pepper
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Avocado Salsa:
- 1 avocado, chunky dice (watch video to see how I do this)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup corn kernels (canned, drained)
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
Salad:
- 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro, finely chopped
- 5 heaped cups cos / romaine lettuce, cut into bite size pieces
Instructions
- Place Lime Dressing ingredients in a jar, shake well.
- Put 2 tablespoons of Dressing in a ziplock bag. Add chipotle, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, mix/squidge bag. Add chicken, seal and massage to coat. Marinate 30 min – overnight.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium low, cook chicken to taste (2cm / 4/5” takes around 8 minutes), getting a nice brown crust on it. Rest 5 min then slice.
- Add 2 tablespoons of coriander into Dressing, shake.
- Place avocado, corn, tomato and onion in a bowl. Add remaining coriander, drizzle with a bit of Dressing, toss gently.
- Place lettuce in a bowl, drizzle with a bit of Dressing, toss.
- Assemble Salad: Place lettuce on a serving platter. Top with Salsa and sliced chicken. Drizzle with remaining Dressing. Serve.
Recipe Notes:
First published May 2017, post refreshed May 2018 – no changes to recipe.
Nutrition Information:
MORE CHICKEN SALADS YOU’LL LOVE
More giant Salads for Meals
Life of Dozer
When Dozer gets booted out of the house….. (and the reason the window isn’t closed is because he’d beat the glass with this heavy paws)
BRILLIANT! There is a no wimpy salad rule in my world too. Cant wait to try. Thanks Nagi! 🙂
Ba ha ha! You crack me up Anna! N xx
Mmmmm Nagi this looks perfect I am defenatly going to do it over the week-end as i will be having family visits it looks so yummy. Thanx Nagi for this
I hope you LOVE IT Ntombi! N xx
looks so appetizing! How about naming it MCAS (the sorta rhymes with NCIS)?
OMG! You made it sound so cool, I love it!!
Since there are no seasons in my cooking and I very definitely eat salads all year around this is a gorgeous recipe even on a cold autumnal day 🙂 ! For chipotle powder I > Herbies first and Fireworks second in Australia but know not of availabilities elsewhere . . . Main meal for the day for me and I know friends dropping in would appreciate!
Ha! We think alike! Isn’t it ANNOYING that chipotle powder isn’t sold at the supermarkets?? Why oh why??
When I scrolled down and saw that gorgeous boy peeking in the window, it just made my day! The salad looks super, too. Thanks for both!!
Awww! Messages like this always score highly with me! 😂
Well..as soon our weather heats up enough to enjoy a nice crisp and cool salad, this one will be first on the list for me!
Ya know…if Dozer wasn’t loved to the moon and back, and royally spoiled rotten ( 😉 ) I’d almost feel sorry for him peering through the window. He’s such a beautiful baby!
We never EVER feel sorry for that dog. He is absolutely spoilt rotten, he is a total prince(ss). 😂
Hi Nagi! Its my first comment on here, but I have been reading your blog for a good while now, its my favourite 😊
Absolutely loved this recipe. Chicken came out full of flavour and, surprisingly, so tender too. Lovely salad, but then again, every salad with avocado in it is lovely 😉The dressing was spot on. I tripled the chicken amount and spices accordingly (hungry hubby) and served with cous cous.
Felt really good about myself – eating something healthy, but it was so tasty it did not feel like a challenge!
Hi Kasia, it’s so nice to hear from you, thank you for taking the time to write in! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed this salad, I really really loved it and I talked it up a lot! Glad you’re feeling good about yourself – I felt great too, even after eating a GIANT serving of it!!
How about Cinco de Mayo salad? You’ve made it just in time for the Mexican holiday!
Looks delicious!
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU!!!!????? 😂
Can’t wait to try this….Perfect for us since we are starting our HOT season in Californian Desert…High tomorrow 103 F.
And we are starting out COLD season!!!! The next few months are going to be fun…..winter soup one day, summer salad the next!!😂
Really cool recipe. That avocado salsa feels just right for tonight, gotta start the week eating healthy:)
Ha! That’s what I always think too – then by Friday, pizza cravings hit…. 😏
Hi Nagi. I do crave salads quite frequently and looking at this one is causing a very big craving. All the fresh vegetables and that juicy chicken are perfect. I often opt for a salad if we go out. Shrimp might be a good sub for the chicken ?
OOOH YES. What’s your favourite shrimp salad? I have a serious craving now! I am thinking….how about a salad with a rose marie type sauce??
YES, that dressing/sauce would be perfect. Check out Marissa’s blog for my Mexican shrimp cocktail which she turned into a salad.
OOOH! I will! I really think my next salad will be a shrimp one! 🙂 N xx
Mmmm this looks delicious!! Perfect healthy lunch recipe!
Or dinner!!!