Monica Nedeff

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • My Nutrition Philosophy
    • Nutrition Counseling
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Main Meals
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • Travel
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
      • My Nutrition Philosophy
      • Nutrition Counseling
    • Recipes
      • Breakfast
      • Desserts
      • Drinks
      • Main Meals
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
      • Snacks
    • Travel
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Meals

    Guacamole Chicken Salad

    Jump to Recipe

    Guacamole Chicken Salad is a spin on the classic summer recipe. No mayonnaise here, just creamy avocado!

    chicken salad made with avocado and jalapenos

    This recipe is perfect for on the go meals, especially packed lunches since you can eat it cold on a sandwich, build it into a salad or have it as a dip with chips.

    Sandwiches are the go-to packed lunch option, and it makes sense - they're easy to put together and filling! So variety is key before you start getting sick of the same old turkey and cheese sammie day after day.

    Hence, you gotta try this recipe! It'll upgrade your packed lunch game like no turkey and cheese sandwich could.

    Jump to:
    A Spin on a Classic Recipe
    Steps & Instructions
    Serving Suggestions
    Storage Tips
    Guacamole Chicken Salad

    A Spin on a Classic Recipe

    Traditional chicken salad is made with mayo, but in this recipe, the avocado replaces the mayo. You get the same creaminess from the avocados!

    Since this chicken salad is made with avocado, I find the usual add-ins in chicken salad like walnuts and raisins don't go well, which is why I put a Mexican twist on it with the guacamole. I adapted my simple 4 ingredient guacamole recipe and gave it a kick with some spices.

    But don't worry if you don't like spicy things! I can't withstand much spice....I always go for a 2 out of 5 on level of spiciness at restaurants, so this has more of a hint of spice! But of course, as always, adapt the recipe for your taste buds!

    If you also love a good classic chicken salad recipe, give my cranberry walnut chicken salad recipe a try. It's more of a tradiontal recipe, but also has Greek yogurt for creaminess - not just mayo!

    Steps & Instructions

    This recipe is a - throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mash well - kinda recipe aka super easy and super simple! In my opinion, the best kind of recipe.

    Since it's quarantine, we're stocked up on canned chicken. I love having canned proteins on hand like canned chicken, salmon, beans, etc. It makes for quick meals. You can use canned chicken in so many different ways, but I'd say chicken salad is probably what comes to mind most often.

    I always drain the liquid from the can before adding the chicken to the bowl. Since the chicken is pretty salty, I only add a ¼ teaspoon of salt to the recipe. However, if you're cooking the chicken yourself, you'll want to add more salt.

    I wanted to give this chicken salad some spice, so we got jalapeno and cayenne pepper for spice. Onion, garlic and paprika blend so well, so all together you got one flavorful chicken salad recipe!

    mixing bowl of canned chicken, avocado, jalapeno and spices

    Serving Suggestions

    You can eat this straight outta the bowl if you're feeling it. Put it on crackers, make it into a sandwich or a melt with cheese, or a bowl with beans and rice and your favorite veggies - so many ways!

    My go-to is a sandwich with a slice of tomato, lettuce and onion - just like a classic chicken salad sandwich but guac style!

    Storage Tips

    As you're probably familiar with guacamole, food with avocado turns brown with time as it's exposed to the air. To prevent it from turning brown, place saran wrap over the container and press the saran wrap so that it touches the salad.

    This will limit air exposure and keep it as fresh as possible. Most prepared food can be eaten within a week. However, with this recipe, I'd recommend eating it within 4 days for optimal freshness.

    avocado chicken salad garnished with cilantro
    spoon in a bowl of guacamole chicken salad

    Guacamole Chicken Salad

    Chicken salad is super easy to prepare. Add in creamy avocado and some spices and you got a new re-invented chicken salad - aka a guacamole edition. Enjoy it as a sandwich, with crackers or as a salad with rice and beans - no mayo and dairy-free!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Author: Monica Nedeff
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric
     

    • 2 large avocados
    • 12oz can of chicken drained or 1.5 cups chicken breast
    • ½ cup diced onion
    • 1 seeded and minced jalapeno
    • 1 minced garlic clove
    • 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • cilantro for garnish (optional)

    Instructions

    • Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mash well with a potato masher or fork.
    • Refrigerate and serve cold as a salad, sandwich or dip!
    • Garnish with extra jalapeno and cilantro if desired.

    Notes

    1. If cooking your own chicken instead of using canned chicken, more salt will be needed than ¼ teaspoon since canned chicken is very salty.
    2. Add more or less spice as needed for your taste buds!
    3. When storing, place saran wrap on top and press it into the salad so that it reduces oxygen exposure and delays it from turning brown.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 179mg | Potassium: 538mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

    (Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Keyword: no mayo chicken salad, dairy free chicken salad
    Tried this recipe? I love seeing your creations!Mention @monicanedeff.rdn or tag #monicanedeff so I can share them with the community!
    « Za'atar Fries (Mediterranean Fries) + Tahini Sauce
    Learn to Meditate - Free Guide & Resources »

    Comments

    1. Rose Plummer says

      June 13, 2020 at 11:10 am

      Love this recipe. . . easy to make and adds variety to what I often consider a "boring" meal. . .lunch.

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff says

        June 14, 2020 at 11:43 am

        Lunch can get a bit boring! Glad you found this helpful in adding variety!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Hello! I'm Monica - a registered dietitian nutritionist, solo female traveler and recipe developer helping you eat healthy on the go while empowering you to nourish your body, mind and soul!

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • chocolate sea salt granola on a baking sheet
      Chocolate Sea Salt Granola
    • Hand holding a turkey burger with tzatziki dripping down the bun
      Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers With Tzatziki
    • ground turkey sweet potato skillet
      Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet with Brussels Sprouts & Apples
    • lemon lavender cookies stacked
      Glazed Lemon Lavender Cookies

    Bright Spring Recipes

    • lavender lemon chicken on a baking sheet
      Lavender Lemon Chicken
    • balsamic roasted brussels sprouts garnished with basil leaves
      Balsamic Marinated Brussels Sprouts with Basil
    • cup of lemon sherbet
      Lemon Sherbet
    • Kidney and cannellini beans mixed with feta, cucumbers and onions in a large salad bowl
      Mediterranean Bean Salad With Italian Vinaigrette

    Need Help Cooking?

    grocery bag of healthy food

    Grab my Grocery List + Cooking Tips + Meal Prep Guide for free to put the joy back into cooking and ease into preparing nourishing meals.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Mission

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and freebies

    Contact

    Email

    Copyright © 2025 Monica Nedeff | All Rights Reserved

    guacamole chicken salad pin
    avocado chicken salad pin
    no mayo chicken salad pin