Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad (Printable Version)

Grilled chicken tossed with creamy avocado ranch dressing, fresh vegetables, and herbs for a light, satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Avocado Ranch Dressing

05 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
06 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
07 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried dill
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
14 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water for thinning as needed

→ Salad

17 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
18 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
19 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
20 - 1/2 cup celery, diced
21 - 4 cups mixed salad greens or romaine lettuce, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks.
02 - While chicken cooks, combine avocado, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, chives, parsley, dill, garlic, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding water gradually to achieve desired consistency.
03 - In a large bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and celery.
04 - Add warm or cooled chicken chunks to the salad mixture and pour avocado ranch dressing over top. Toss gently until evenly coated.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The avocado makes the dressing unbelievably creamy without feeling heavy, and you can taste every fresh herb.
  • It comes together in half an hour, but feels like something you spent way more time on.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day once the flavors settle into each other.
  • You can serve it on greens, in a wrap, or straight out of the bowl with a fork.
02 -
  • If you overcook the chicken, it turns dry and chewy, so use a meat thermometer and pull it off the heat at 165 degrees F.
  • Blend the dressing until its completely smooth or youll get chunks of avocado that look weird mixed into the salad.
  • Add the water to the dressing slowly because you can always thin it more, but you cant thicken it back up easily.
  • Toss the salad right before serving or the greens will wilt under the weight of the dressing.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking so the juices redistribute, otherwise theyll run out when you cut it and the meat will be dry.
  • Taste the dressing before you toss it with the salad and adjust the lime, salt, or herbs to your liking.
  • If your avocado isnt ripe enough, the dressing will be lumpy and bitter, so wait an extra day or two if you need to.
  • Use a sharp knife to dice the veggies evenly so every bite has a good mix of textures.
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