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Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad

By:Nagi
130 Comments
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This filling Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad has all the essentials of a really great salad – it’s jam packed with fresh, vibrant flavours, big, creamy chunks of avocado and irresistible Mexican grilled chicken. 

It’s like a giant salad version of Mexican Avocado Salsa – with the addition of chicken to complete the meal! To fill it out even more, try it with a side of Easy No Yeast Flatbreads, a southwest Cowboy Rice Salad or try some of these amazing easy No Knead Bread Rolls.

Overhead photo of Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad in a bowl, ready to be served

Avocado Chicken Salad – with Mexican flavours!

I’ve had a Giant Salad* almost everyday for the past month or so. Hopefully it’s more than just a phase and it becomes just a natural part of my lifestyle – that I crave a salad instead of pasta. Or cupcakes piled high with the fluffiest ever buttercream frosting. Or fall apart lamb shanks. Or cheese or potatoes in any shape or form.

OK. So that vision I painted of a holier-than-thou, new clean eating me is completely unrealistic.  You know it, my mother knows it, and everyone who knows me knows it!

Having said that, this is Avocado Chicken Salad is something that even non-salad-craving people like myself will love because it’s big, filling, interesting and packed full of flavour.

* The official definition of Giant Salad: flavour packed salads that are satisfying enough to have as a meal. No wimpy salads in my world!!

Close up of chicken for Mexican Chicken Salad

Loaded with all things Mexican

I call this Avocado Chicken Salad a Mexican Salad because it’s loaded with all things Mexican:

  • Mexican marinated grilled chicken;

  • Avocado Tomato Corn Salsa; and

  • Fresh lime coriander/cilantro dressing

All piled up over crisp lettuce leaves.

So just to be clear, it’s not a traditional Mexican salad. It’s a big, fat, satisfying salad that’s packed with fresh Mexican flavours!

Salsa for Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad in a white bowl

Triple duty dressing and marinade

This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe uses a neat trick where the lime coriander/cilantro dressing does triple duty as:

  • the dressing for the salad;

  • dressing for the salsa; and

  • marinade for the chicken.

This technique of a dressing doing double or triple duty is a highly effective technique I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember. I’m such a fan of it that it was the first theme I asked to do when I used to do regular features in Super Food Ideas magazine!

Jar with lime dressing for Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad

Mexican Chicken Salad in a white bowl, ready to be served

With all the things going on in this Avocado Chicken Salad, it’s a satisfying salad for dinner or lunch. Lots of nutrition, protein from the chicken, creaminess from the avocado, great textures, and a fresh dressing that’s anything but dull.

If you want to add some carbs, try this with a side of Easy Homemade Flatbreads, add some lime rice (use this Lemon Rice recipe, just switch the lemon with lime), Cowboy Rice Salad, or make some of these easy No Knead Soft Bread Rolls.

Pack this up for lunch simply by assembling the salad and keeping the dressing separate. Make all your co workers jealous! – Nagi xx

Watch how to make it

Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad recipe video!

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Loaded with all the good stuff! This Mexican Chicken and Avocado Salad is unbelievably good! www.recipetineats.com

Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 23 minutes
Main Course
Mexican
4.96 from 43 votes
Servings3
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above (see how I scoop out avocado!) A fully loaded salad, satisfying to have as a meal! Crunchy lettuce, creamy avocado corn and tomato salsa, marinated Mexican chicken drizzled with a lime dressing. Makes 2 meal size servings or 3 normal servings. Marinate 30 min.

Ingredients

Lime Dressing / Marinade:

  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (65ml)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ tsp salt + black pepper

Chicken:

  • 2 small chicken breasts, 400g/14oz (pound or split if thicker than 2cm / 4/5”)
  • 1/2 tsp EACH chipotle powder (Note 1) and oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Avocado Salsa:

  • 1 avocado, chunky dice (watch video to see how I do this)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¾ cup corn kernels (canned, drained)
  • ½ red onion, finely chopped

Salad:

  • 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro, finely chopped
  • 5 heaped cups cos / romaine lettuce, cut into bite size pieces

Instructions

  • Place Lime Dressing ingredients in a jar, shake well.
  • Put 2 tablespoons of Dressing in a ziplock bag. Add chipotle, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, mix/squidge bag. Add chicken, seal and massage to coat. Marinate 30 min – overnight.
  • Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium low, cook chicken to taste (2cm / 4/5” takes around 8 minutes), getting a nice brown crust on it. Rest 5 min then slice.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of coriander into Dressing, shake.
  • Place avocado, corn, tomato and onion in a bowl. Add remaining coriander, drizzle with a bit of Dressing, toss gently.
  • Place lettuce in a bowl, drizzle with a bit of Dressing, toss.
  • Assemble Salad: Place lettuce on a serving platter. Top with Salsa and sliced chicken. Drizzle with remaining Dressing. Serve.

Recipe Notes:

1. Chipotle Powder is irritatingly difficult to find here in Australia!! It is a brilliant seasoning - it's like smoked paprika on steroids. More complex, more flavour, VERY Mexican (it's actually ground dried smoked jalapeños). I get mine from Firework Foods (online Mexican store), at some fruit & veg stores like Thomas Dux, sometimes from Harris Farms, stores that carry Herbies spices, and ethnic stores.
SUBSTITUTION: Australia and non US- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, pinch each of chilli powder, coriander, cumin. US - 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp chili powder (i.e. what the US knows as chili powder which is not just pure ground chili).
2. Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings.

First published May 2017, post refreshed May 2018 - no changes to recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 390gCalories: 487cal (24%)
Keywords: Avocado Chicken Salad, Mexican Salad
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

MORE CHICKEN SALADS YOU’LL LOVE

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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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130 Comments

  1. Kate says

    5 stars
    Delicious! I added a third chicken breast to make sure it was enough for my husband and I for dinner and for a work lunch the next day. I will definitely make this one again.

    Reply

  3. Matt says

    Looks like you have transposed the metric and imperial measurements for the thickness of the chicken.
    2″ is close to 4/5cm. Not the other way around.

    Reply

  4. Laurian Rhodes says

    5 stars
    So delicious! I’ve made it several times, the first two times without the corn because I didn’t have any and it was just as good. I like to sprinkle crumbled cotija cheese on top, but it’s not necessary. My kids love it too. Thanks, Nagi!

    Reply

  5. Hibber says

    5 stars
    Second time I made this recipe. I made a little extra dressing and it was barely enough for 2 people. Served with broccoli, red mizuna mustard, & cilantro microgreens, and added micro-scallion and extra cilantro to the dressing.

    Reply

  8. Bec N says

    5 stars
    It’s another winner Nagi which will go on my regular rotation. The lime dressing really made this something special. I served with some baked corn chips for some added crunch.

    Reply

  9. Joy says

    Loved this! Although I have to confess that I didn’t make it exactly as you did. I had leftover chicken that I used so I sprinkled the cumin over the entire salad. I also added black beans and half of a baked sweet potato that I had left over. I was also out of chipotle so no chipotle. It turned out great anyway. I look forward to making it again with the chipotle.

    Reply

  12. Jane says

    5 stars
    Wow what a lovely salad. Started my diet off today so this was perfect added a can of black beans to pad it out.
    Just love your recipes keep up the fantastic cooking ideas.

    Reply

  13. Leah says

    Made this tonight for dinner and it was so delicious!! Even all the kids ate it (9yrs, 7yrs and 18 months). Have shared it around already and will definitely be making it again!!!!!

    Reply

  14. CherieDe says

    5 stars
    This salad was delicious. I’ve made it twice in a week. I thought the spice might be too much initially but when you combine it with the dressing and the other ingredients, it was perfect!

    Reply

  15. Michelle says

    5 stars
    Oh my days, Nagi, this was tea tonight. I’m here after setting my knife and fork down. It was out of this world. Thank you for another amazing recipe 🙂
    PS – my husband enjoyed it so much he washed the dishes 😉

    Reply

  16. Peta says

    5 stars
    I actually mixed 1/4 cup Avocado oil with the cumin, chipotle mix, and some grated lime rind. Coated the chicken both sides and marinated for 6hrs.
    Did the rest as suggested. Tops!

    Reply

  19. Faustina says

    I make your Mexican Chicken and Avocado Salad all of the time and so do friends of ours. It’s absolutely delicious and refreshing. Thank you. I would love a recipe for creamy avocado dressing if you have one.

    Reply