Easy No Mayo Chicken Salad Perfect for Filling Wraps and Your Appetite
Just say no. To mayo.
I’m the guy who always asks for “no mayo” on his sandwiches.
It goes back to when I was like 8 years old. I was at Burger King eating a Jr. Whopper that had mayo… and that’s enough of that story.
Because you’re not here to learn that mayo is one of the only foods that I’m not really into.
You’re here to learn how to make a healthy avocado chicken salad. One that you can pull together on a weeknight after a long day of work and the hustle of life. And feel accomplished that you were able to cook such a tasty dinner with all the other stuff you have going on.
Because the best tasting dinners are the one you make yourself.
Avocado is a perfect substitute for mayo in many cases. Swap out store-bought mayonnaise for healthy avocado for an easy no mayo chicken salad. Once you have the chicken made, it only take 5 minutes to make. Perfect for topping salads, wraps, and bread, this healthy no mayo chicken salad will leave you feeling full and refreshed.
Remember how I mentioned the part about making the chicken? Well, if you use leftover chicken or make a batch for meal prep for the week, then you just crushed out dinner in 5 minutes!
Avocado Chicken Salad Ingredients
Just a few ingredients make up this creamy salad. Here is a rundown:
- Avocado – Ripe avocados are slightly soft, but not mushy. When you press or squeeze on it, it should give a little bit.
- Chicken breast – I love chicken breast here for its shred-ability and healthiness. But, thighs, drumsticks and legs would be great here too. It’ll just be a bit more work since you’re dealing with bones. Check out my chicken buying guide for how to buy the best chicken.
- Onion – Choose a bulb that is heavy for its size and firm with tight skin. It shouldn’t have any soft spots.
- Garlic – Choose garlic in the same way as onions.
- Cumin – Add an extra hit of earthiness with some ground cumin.
- White wine vinegar – I like to keep it simple and use white wine vinegar. Other types of vinegar like red wine or apple cider can be substituted. Citrus would also be great here. If you have some on-hand, try using a lime or half a lemon for an extra refreshing salad.
- Kosher Salt – Diamond Crystal kosher salt was used for this recipe and all other recipes on walktoeat. Use this conversion table from The Spruce Eats if you only have another type of salt.
Nutrition Benefits
This no-mayo chicken salad is super healthy.
Chicken breast is packed with lean protein. In a 3 oz serving of boneless, skinless chicken breast, there is 26 gram protein and just 2.7 grams of fat. Your body uses this protein to build muscle and strong bones. Plus, it helps you feel full and control blood sugar levels.
Chicken breast is also a good source of vitamin B`12. This promotes brain development and helps your nervous system function.
Avocados are a health and fitness friendly fruit. According to Cedars-Sinai Academic Medical Center, avocados are packed with fiber, healthy fats, and a long list of nutrients. And all those healthy fats in avocados make you feel full.
Avocado Chicken Salad FAQs
How Long Does this Salad Keep?
Avocados are great. Except for the fact that they brown after being exposed to air. So, this chicken salad isn’t great for meal prepping. It will last you about one day before getting discolored.
How Should I Cook the Chicken Breasts?
There are a bunch of different ways you can cook chicken breasts. I walk you through my 3 favorite ways in this how to cook chicken breasts article.
For this recipe, I like to use the pan method since it’s not a huge amount of chicken. Just heat a glug of olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add the chicken breast, cook for 1 minute, flip, cover the pan, and turn the heat to low. After 10 minutes or so, you should have a nice and juicy breast.
If you’re cooking a large batch of chicken breasts for meal prepping, oven is the way to go. Just rub the breast all over with salt and olive oil, add to a pan, and bake in a preheat to 425 F oven for 15-`18 minutes.
How Can I Serve this Avocado Chicken Salad?
You can serve this no-mayo chicken salad just how you’d serve one with mayo. Here are some ideas:
- Sandwich or wrap – Smear some salad between two pieces of bread or in a wrap and you have yourself a healthy lunch.
- Salad topper – I love this chicken salad because it has a nice blast of acid from white wine vinegar and fat from avocado. Conveniently, just like a creamy salad dressing. So, use it as one.
- Avocado (chicken) toast – Pump up the protein on your avocado toast and use this salad instead.
- Grain salad – Pile this chicken salad on some healthy grains like quinoa, farro, or barley to make it a tasty filling meal.
More Chicken Articles and Recipes
- Cast Iron Skillet Chicken and Crispy Potatoes
- How to Cook Chicken Breast: 3 Ways
- Sesame Lime Grilled Chicken Wings With Veggies
- Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Everything You Need to Know About Buying Chicken
- Buttermilk Marinated Whole Roast Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chicken, Cauliflower, and Sweet Potatoes with Lemony Yogurt and Scallions
- Chicken 101: Everything You Need To Know About Cooking Chicken
Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast (about 4-5 oz or 1 cup), shredded or chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat a pan or skillet over medium heat. When hot, add oil. Season chicken breasts generously with salt and add to pan. Cook for 1 minute. Flip breasts, reduce heat to medium low, and cover with lid for 10 minutes. When done, juices will run clear and the internal temperature of the breast will be 160-165 F. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Add avocado to a bowl. Mash with a fork. Add cumin, garlic, vinegar, onion, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Shred or chop up chicken. Add to bowl and mix to combine. Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Ready to Make This Healthy No Mayo Chicken Salad?
You could do a lot of things in 5 minutes. You could check Instagram, order takeout, watch the news, or eat a cupcake. Or you could make this healthy avocado chicken salad.
My vote is the salad, because none of those other things will make you feel nearly as refreshed, full and accomplished. Enjoy!