This Avocado Chicken Salad starts with the simplest ingredients. Chicken, mayo, celery, green onion, mustard, dill, bacon, and blue cheese. Expect minimal dishes because it’s served in a pitted avocado… and enjoy the extra crunch from Milton’s Cheesy Cheddars!
Chicken salad is one of those old-world recipes that every home chef should have in their back pocket. Speaking of the classics, make sure to check out My Grandma’s Super Easy Recipe for Bierocks, these addicting Brioche Monte Cristo Sliders, and my extra crispy Parmesan Air Fryer Fried Pickles.
MY GO-TO BASE RECIPE:
For starters, I pan-sear or grill the chicken breast. I usually season it with what I have on hand (garlic powder, dried herbs, paprika, onion powder, etc), so this can slightly vary from time to time. While the chicken cooks go ahead and chop up the celery and green onions, then set them aside. Once the chicken is cooked and cooled, chop it up to your desired consistency. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the chopped chicken, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and you’re good to go.
OPTIONAL MIX-INS:
For today’s recipe, I decided to add crumbled bacon, blue cheese, and top it all off with crushed Milton’s Cheesy Cheddars. The end result? Mind-blowing. Other mix-ins you might like include:
NUTS: Slivered almonds, pecans, pistachios, cashews and walnuts are a few of my favorites. Please note, I don’t recommend peanuts unless you’re doing a Thai-style Avocado Chicken Salad…. oh. Now that’s a grand idea! More on that soon.
FRUIT: Grapes are always a popular addition, other options include dried cranberries, diced apples, fresh blueberries or chopped avocado (yes, avocado is a fruit).
EGGS: It’s always fun to add hard-boiled eggs to chicken salad for extra oomph. If you want to get adventurous, add some miso! Miso Egg Salad is one of my favorite things, ever. Oh, and I also use the same recipe for these Miso Deviled Eggs.
CHEESE: In addition to blue cheese, other cheeses that work well include feta and finely shredded cheddar (sharp, mild, white).
TIPS FOR MAKING AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD:
- Instead of grilling or pan-frying, you can prepare the chicken in a slow cooker for several hours. This will give you a shredded consistency instead of chopped. I like it both ways, so this is really just a personal preference.
- I chose to serve my chicken salad inside the avocado for easy clean-up and a fun preparation. You could also cut up the avocado and mix it within the chicken salad.
- Milton’s Cheesy Cheddars are the perfect addition to add some extra flavor and crunch! Trust me on this one, they’re a total game changer!
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
California-Inspired Chickpea Avocado Salad
Double-Dipped Air Fryer Onion Rings
Avocado Stuffed Mexican Flautas
- 2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & chopped
- 1 Stalk Celery, chopped
- 1 Green Onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
- 4 Bacon Strips, cooked & chopped
- ¼ cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
- Salt + Pepper, to taste
- 3 Avocados, cut in half and pit removed
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Dill
- Milton's Cheesy Cheddars Crackers
- Cook chicken by your desired cooking method, chop and set in the refrigerator to chill.
- Add all chicken salad ingredients to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut avocados in half and remove the pits. Using a spoon, scoop out some of the interior flesh to create a larger well in the center.
- Fill each avocado well with your desired amount of the chicken salad. Sprinkle with fresh dill and crushed Milton's Cheesy Cheddars. Serve immediately.
NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
- The chicken salad (not inside the avocados) will last in the fridge for 3 – 5 days if you’re looking to meal prep. Do not cut the avocado until you’re ready to consume, as it will brown as it sits.
- Can you freeze this recipe? Sadly, no. I do not recommend freezing recipes that involve mayonnaise or avocados.
- Milton’s Cheesy Cheddars are great with dips as well! Try them with my Fresh Herbs and Cream Cheese Veggie Dip, Classic Spinach Dip, or serve them on your favorite Charcuterie Board.
- Milton’s Cheesy Cheddar’s are available nationwide at Harris Teeter and Kroger. You can also find them near you by visiting their store locator.
This post is sponsored by Milton’s Craft Bakers. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend an ingredient that I did not immensely enjoy myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support SliceOfJess.com!
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