Looking for a light lunch? How about a Chicken Salad No Mayo? No mayo? Exactly. Mayo out, avocado in! Nutritious and no less delicious, this chicken avocado salad recipe has chicken, avocado, onions, herbs, spices and olive oil. No matter if you are on a diet or not, this tasty and healthy avocado chicken salad will be one of your favorites.
I know that you love mayo. I mean who doesn’t? Granted, mayo goes great in a chicken salad. However, we sometimes need to go light. Plus, mayo is not so innocent with the oils and additives that comes with it. I know that it seems inseparable from chicken salad, but contrary to what most people think, chicken salad without mayo is not necessarily boring. When combined with the right ingredients, your chicken salad will be as tasty as ever. And healthier.
Chicken salad with avocado instead of mayo makes a nutritious and light lunch. Keto Chicken Salad With Avocado is a standby lunch for me when I need to be fast and healthy. It works perfect especially if I still have work to do in the afternoon. As I have it quite often, I wanted to diversify my salad and ended up with this avocado chicken salad no mayo recipe. One of the yummiest salads so far. Avocado never fails when combined with onions, garlic, lemon, herbs and a kick of different spices. Yumm! What can go wrong when guacamole combines with chicken?
Chicken Salad Recipe No Mayo Ingredients
What to add in chicken salad recipe without mayo is not off-limits. You can always play around what to include in your salad. Here is what I have in my cocktail:
- chicken breasts
- green onions
- onion, avocado
- parsley
- dill
- cucumber for its fresh crunch,
- black pepper
- salt
Usually, people prefer celery ribs,and fruit like grapes or cranberries in chicken salad. I do love Chicken Salad with Apples but in this salad, I did not add any fruit since I wanted the avocado to be more dominant. But it is totally up to you.
What also goes very well in all salads is nuts. I especially eat walnuts quite often in my salad for some extra crunch and healthy fats.
As for the dressing, I use the same vinaigrette I use for my favorite Tuna Salad Without Mayo. A combination of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and mashed garlic for good kick and fresh mint for extra freshness. You can always add more spices if your taste buds can handle it.
How To Make Chicken Salad Without Mayo
Salad makes the perfect go to lunch because it is so easy to put together. This recipe has three easy stages.
First, poach the chicken breasts. Place them in a single layer in a pan and sprinkle salt and black pepper over them. Cover the chicken breasts with water. Bring it to boil over medium high heat. Then, you can reduce the heat to low and cook covered until the chicken is tender enough. Okay, now your chicken is cooked. Transfer it on a plate or on a cutting board, wait to chop it until it cools.
Second, chop the chicken and combine it with the rest of the salad ingredients in a bowl. I love the avocado diced for some creamy chunks but if you are more interested in a mayo like smooth texture, you can use your avocado mashed.
Third, prepare the dressing of your salad. It is super easy to make vinaigrette dressing. Just put all the ingredients in a small jar and give it a good shake. Pour it over the salad and stir. Voila! Your healthy and tasty chicken salad without mayonnaise is ready!
Substitute For Mayonnaise In Chicken Salad
Greek yogurt is one of the most popular substitute for mayo in chicken salad. I use it in my Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad when I want a lighter and healthier version of mayo.
If you prefer a dairy free chicken salad, the best substitute for mayonnaise in chicken salad is mashed or diced avocado.
Hummus and basic dressings can make great alternatives for mayo in salads, as well. Here in this mayo free chicken salad, I use a vinaigrette recipe which is one of my favorite dressings. If you like these kinds of dressings, check out Nicole’s Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing.
FAQs About Mayo Free Chicken Salad
What Type Of Chicken?
You have a couple of options here. Rotisserie is the easiest and the most practical one. But I hardly ever go for that one since I prefer to make chicken at home. I usually poach chicken breasts for my salad. Or sometimes even better, I make crispy simple roasted chicken pieces in oven for dinner. Then next day, I use the leftovers in my salad. It is so practical and it is like I have two meals out of one. And you can do it with any leftover chicken.
How To Serve Chicken Salad Without Mayo or Dairy
Chicken salad is super versatile. You can have it right from the bowl or you can have it in sandwiches. You can create your simple chicken salad sandwich recipe by adding whatever you want in the sandwich. I usually stuck the leftovers in bread and take it with me for lunch. So simple. It is perfect for a go-to lunch both in bowls or in sandwiches.
They make great snacks on pita breads, crackers or Sommer’s gluten-free cloud bread. If you are having a party, pass around a plate of these. You will see they will disappear before long.
Looking for a lighter way to serve your mayo-free chicken salad? Serve them on lettuce leaves just as we do when serving our Low Carb Chicken Salad. With the crunchiness of lettuce leaves, they make a great match.
Can I Freeze Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad
You can easily make chicken in bulk and eat a variation of it throughout the week.
However, if you want to freeze it for later use, I would not recommend it because the herbs and avocado will lose their taste. What you can do is to cook chicken and cut it in pieces. You can freeze the cooked chicken pieces in freezer bags to use in your salad later. It can be very practical when you have even less time to make a chicken salad.
Avocado Chicken Salad No Mayo
No mayo chicken salad loaded with herbs, avocado and enriched with a mouthwatering vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 pound skinless chicken breasts (poached)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ cup cucumber, diced
Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, mashed
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
Instructions
Salad:
- Poach the chicken breasts. Place them in a single layer in a pan. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over them. Cover the chicken breasts with water and bring it to boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered until the chicken is tender enough. Transfer the chicken on a plate or on a cutting board and chop when it cools.
- Combine chopped chicken and the rest of the salad ingredients in a bowl and put it aside.
Vinaigrette :
- Put all the ingredients in a small jar and shake well. Pour it over the salad, stir and serve in a bowl, on lettuce leaves or in sandwiches.
Assemble the salad:
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss well.
Keywords: chicken salad with vinaigrette, tangy, herbs, avocado
Elena says
Love this salad! I made a sandwich with the leftovers. YUM!
★★★★★
Mimi says
Very interesting. I like your choice of herbs. I do love mayo, but with a dressing, its absence wouldn’t be noticed at all! And, it’s pretty.