Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad (Printable format)

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

# What You 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, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts thoroughly with olive oil, salt, and pepper on both sides.
02 - Cook chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks.
03 - 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 as needed to achieve desired consistency.
04 - In a large bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and celery.
05 - Add cooked chicken chunks to the salad mixture. Pour avocado ranch dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Transfer salad to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant fancy but comes together faster than takeout arrives.
  • The avocado ranch is creamy without being heavy, and you can adjust the herbs to whatever you have on hand.
  • Leftovers actually improve after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors meld together.
  • You can serve it over greens, in a wrap, or even stuffed into a pita.
02 -
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all the moisture will run out when you cut it, leaving you with dry, sad chunks.
  • Blend the dressing right before serving so the avocado stays bright green, it will brown if it sits too long.
  • If your dressing is too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time instead of more yogurt or mayo, which can make it too rich.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, guessing leads to overcooked or undercooked results.
  • Toast the chicken with a little smoked paprika before cooking for a subtle smoky flavor that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • If your avocado is too firm, microwave it for 10 seconds to soften it just enough for blending.
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