Avocado Herb Chicken Salad (Print version)

A light lunch featuring avocado, tender chicken, herbs, and crisp lettuce cups for freshness and flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (about 2 medium breasts)

→ Vegetables & Herbs

02 - 1 large ripe avocado, diced
03 - 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt or dairy-free mayo
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Assembly

12 - 8 large butter lettuce leaves or romaine hearts
13 - Optional: cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, diced avocado, celery, red onion, parsley, and dill.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
03 - Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
05 - Spoon the chicken salad evenly into the lettuce leaves to form cups.
06 - Garnish with cherry tomato halves if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 40 minutes flat, which means lunch doesn't have to be boring or complicated.
  • The lettuce cups are sturdy enough to hold up but delicate enough to feel elegant, so it works for a solo meal or impressing someone.
  • You can prep everything the night before and just assemble in the morning—no soggy regrets.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour ahead or the lettuce will start to wilt and the avocado will oxidize—timing is everything with fresh, delicate components.
  • If you're using mayonnaise instead of Greek yogurt, use less of it (about 2 tablespoons) because it's richer and will make the salad heavy instead of bright.
03 -
  • Buy your avocado a day or two before you plan to make this—patience with ripeness is the difference between perfect and disappointed.
  • Taste the dressing on its own before you combine it with everything else, and remember that lettuce has virtually no flavor, so the dressing needs to be bold enough to carry the entire dish.
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