Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken breast with creamy avocado ranch dressing, fresh vegetables, and herbs. Perfect for lunch or light dinner.

# What You’ll Use:

→ 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, 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:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
02 - Cook chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Let rest 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 as needed for desired consistency.
04 - In a large bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and celery.
05 - Add warm or cooled chicken chunks and pour avocado ranch dressing over the salad. Toss gently to coat.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The avocado ranch is so rich and tangy you'll want to drizzle it on everything for the rest of the week.
  • It uses simple ingredients you probably already have, no specialty store trips required.
  • You can meal prep the components separately and toss them together right before eating so nothing gets soggy.
  • It's filling enough to keep you satisfied without that heavy, sluggish feeling after lunch.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time for the chicken or you'll lose all the juices when you cut into it, leaving the meat dry.
  • If your avocado ranch turns too thick, add water slowly because too much liquid at once will make it runny and watery.
  • Toss the salad right before serving or the greens will wilt under the weight of the dressing.
03 -
  • Press the lime juice through a fine strainer to catch any seeds or pulp that might make the dressing gritty.
  • If your avocado isn't perfectly ripe, let it sit in a paper bag with a banana overnight to speed up the process.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken, 165 degrees is the magic number for juicy, safe chicken every time.
  • Taste the dressing before tossing and adjust the salt or lime juice, avocados can vary in flavor and you want it perfectly balanced.
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