Since guacamole and chicken salad are two of our favorite things, I decided it was time to combine them! This guacamole chicken salad is mayo-free, packed with flavor, protein, and perfect for easy lunches! It’s paleo, Whole30 compliant and keto friendly, too.
This recipe is SO easy that I almost felt strange actually posting it. Almost, that is! The idea came straight from my older daughter about two weeks ago.
We were eating guacamole together, sans chips (as in, with a fork) as a snack. Not weird at all for us, really. Anyway, she said “this is good but it would be so much better if it had chicken in it!”
And so, why not, right?! You want chicken in your guac, you got it! Or maybe it’s “you want guac in your chicken?” Honestly it’s one of those “what came first” things that doesn’t really matter. All I know is that we combined the two and made guacamole chicken salad MAGIC.
I have to say, the reality is definitely just as good as the fantasy here. I mean how could it NOT be? The whole idea of avocado replacing mayo in egg salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad is not new. In fact, it’s a tried and true favorite for many.
However, the idea of basically just making the BEST guacamole possible and then adding in perfectly seasoned diced chicken is flipping delicious.
It’s like having chips and guac for lunch except without the chips. It’s better than chips, because it’s Whole30 compliant, keto friendly and STILL better than chips!
The recipe itself is just SO easy. You cook your chicken. Or, you can always just use leftover chicken if you happen to have some (I never do since that same daughter sneaks leftover chicken for snacks.)
You just have to remember to leave enough time for the chicken to cool before tossing it all together with the other ingredients. This is definitely one that needs to be room temp or cooler to enjoy.
As for the other ingredients, they’re just the same as all my favorite guacamole recipes except with the flavor kicked up just a bit. Since you’re adding chicken to the mix, even if it’s already seasoned, you’ll need to add a bit more of everything to make the flavors really pop.
This chicken salad, like all recipes involving avocado, is best served right away or at least within several hours of making it.
I actually found that it lasted about 24 hours in the fridge before the avocados started turning that ugly brown color. Depending on the ripeness and quality of your avocados you might be able to get a solid day out of it as well!
That being said, this one is so good it might not even last an hour, if you know what I mean! So grab those avos and get that chicken cooked because I KNOW you’re going to love this one – now let’s go make the best guacamole chicken salad!
Guacamole Chicken Salad {Paleo, Whole30, Keto}
Guacamole Chicken Salad {Paleo, Whole30, Keto}
Ingredients
- 2 avocados medium
- 1/3 cup onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 jalapeno pepper minced (adjust for spice preference)
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh lime juice or to taste
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 lb chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked (about 2-2.5 cups cooked) see below instructions for my cooking method
Instructions
Cook Chicken (This step should be done ahead of time so the chicken has time to cool.)
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and turn to coat. Season on both sides with sea salt, black pepper, plus onion + garlic powder, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through (no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear.)
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Allow chicken to cool completely, then either dice or shred depending on what you prefer for chicken salad.
Assemble Salad:
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In a large bowl, add the cooked diced chicken with all remaining ingredients except for the salt. Mix well, mashing avocado as you mix. Once fully combined, add sea salt to taste. Serve immediately, leftovers will keep for about a day in the refrigerator but because the avocado will brown, it won’t last much longer than that. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Want More Easy Paleo Lunch Ideas? Try One of These!
Easy Egg Salad with Bacon and Scallions
Veggie Packed Avocado Lime Tuna Salad
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