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.
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!!
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!
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!
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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Mexican Avocado Chicken Salad
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:
First published May 2017, post refreshed May 2018 – no changes to recipe.
Nutrition Information:
MORE CHICKEN SALADS YOU’LL LOVE
More giant Salads for Meals
Life of Dozer
When Dozer gets booted out of the house….. (and the reason the window isn’t closed is because he’d beat the glass with this heavy paws)
Hi there i was wondering how far ahead you can make this if i’m prepping for a dinner party thanks 🙂
I have salad for lunch everyday. As this is a recipe for three people, would it keep well in the fridge for three days or so?
HI Heather! Salads leaves never keep well after dressing them but if you keep the components separate and the avocado from browning, definitely yes! N xx
Nagi, I’m having friends from Boston come to town and was thinking of making this as part of a 3 course meal. Seafood Soup starter, then this salad to follow with a main. Do you think a seafood tomato bisque, then this salad but instead of chicken , a shrimp/prawn Mexican salad and then the main.l Would shrimp go well with this salad? Already cooked shrimp or raw to marinate? If marinate, how long? Can you suggest a main dish to compliment the soup salad.
Oooh fabulous! I would toss the shrimp in the dressing like I do with the chicken then cook in a stinking hot skillet for 2 minutes, no more, keep them nice and juicy. 🙂 What kind of main are you after? Do you want to stick with seafood theme or white meat or red? Big thing to share or individual plates? Formal or informal? 🙂
Oh that sounds fab. Will try. I think I’m going to stick with seafood. Possibly a sea bass?
Oh you made it to Eataly. Love that place. Enjoy your trip.
Did you see this salmon side recipe? It’s my cheating show off dinner party dish – cheating because it’s so easy but everyone always oohs and ahs when I put it in the middle of the table! 😉 https://promotown.info/baked-parmesan-crusted-salmon-with-lemon-cream-sauce/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Can I marinated salmon with it??
Oooh YES! 20 minutes max 🙂
What is “cos” lettuce?
Hi Judy! It looks kind of like iceberg lettuce in a football shape!
In North America, we call it Romaine Lettuce. I have to say this is probably the most amazing salad I’ve ever had. From the dressing…which is like something I want to cover every food group I ever eat from now on, to the balance of flavors….the sweet of the honey/corn balances out the strength of the red onion, the cilantro/coriander plays on the lime….this is going to be my “go to” salad. The avocado and chicken fills you up. What a great healthy meal. Thanks Nagi. 😍😍
Oh wow! I’m so happy to hear that Steven, thanks so much for letting me know! And thanks for interpreting Aussie into American 😉 N xx
Oh my goodness this is my new favorite salad recipe. The marinade turns the chicken into such juicy tender chicken. I ended up using boneless thighs as my family prefers dark meat. My fam are also not big tomato fans so when I made the salsa, I put the tomatoes on the side, and I double the salad dressing as well as one of your other readers. Yummy…thanks for sharing with us!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this so much Liz! N x
As in my husband’s words ” pretty damn good”! I will be making this again. Thank-You.
That’s so terrific to hear Barbara! Thank you for letting me know – N xx
This was amazing but I had to double the dressing as I like my salads drenched in sauce, slowly going through your recipes!!! Thank you for providing me with some yummy food
So fantastic to hear that Lay, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Just made this tonight. Where has this recipe been all my life???? It was delicious!!
WHOOT! I’m so pleased to hear that Tammy, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
I LOVED this salad!! I also used it to make a wrap. So good!
WHOOT! So pleased to hear that Nicole! N xx
I love these salads. Beautiful to look at and very tasty and fresh. Pinned.
Is coriando the same thing as cilantro? Or, is that 1/4 cup required of each?
Actually, coriander is the seed produced from cilantro. If you grow cilantro, let a bit go to seed. Save them. Grind them up into coriander powder. Use when you saute shrimp or other seafood. Can use in or on deviled eggs, potatoes, and more. So good.
Hi there! Coriander is what cilantro is called in much of the world outside of America! I use both in the recipe ingredients list, then either/or throughout. 🙂 N xx
This salad was so great! I add cilantro, more garlic, cumin, chili powder, and paprika to the marinade. Also, I use a cilantro cotija dressing from HEB. Instead of tomatoes and red onion, I grabbed a container of pico and stirred in the corn and avocado. This is such a great recipe and your photos are beautiful!
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Crissy! Thanks for letting me know – N xx ❤️
Just made this tonight for dinner. Absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe to the letter except that I roasted the chicken in the oven 20 min on convection and added to the “salsa” some pinto beans that I marinated in chipotle salsa. But those were the only minor deviations and, like your othe recipes, was a great hit. Thank you for another winner!!
Oooh! But your deviations totally took this to another level!!!
Hi NAGI;
I’m a long time subscriber (copier) of your E-mail recipes and have failed to provide you with a review comment. I’m remedying that now … This meal fully satisfied myself, my wife, and 29 year old son who is in college to become an Optometrist. Amazing how quickly all the food disappeared. I’ve always felt I should critique recipes based on the original version without tweaks from myself. My son has already asked for this meal to be prepared again … YES! Here in Washington State, I used Zateran’s Creole Seasoning instead of the chipotle powder since that is what I had in my pantry. I used a 20-tine onion/tomatoe slicer to cut the 3 chicken breasts into thin even slices. I doubled the recipe for Lime Dressing and Salsa. Used 3/4 head of green leaf lettuce. Your video showed me a neat way to get chunky avocado pieces. I love learning new techniques and offering my own tips. As a retired U.S. Naval Officer, I say BRAVO ZULU to this meal!
Glad to hear you liked the avocado tip! And that you enjoyed this 🙂 Thank you for letting me know – N xx ❤️
I am fairly new to cooking…what kind of lettuce is this?? 🙂
Hi Mollie! It’s kind of like iceberg lettuce but shaped like a football. 🙂 Bad description – here’s a photo! http://www.vegkitchen.com/tachyon/2011/07/Romaine-lettuce.jpg
This was dinner tonight and it was gorgeous! Definitely going into the summer meal rotation. Thank you. 🙂
WHOOT! 🙌🏻
Yess! Just in time for Cinco De Mayo! This is the perfect healthy twist so Im not regretting all the tacos haha
YES! Go ahead and load up on tacos!!! 😉 N xx
YUM! Those flavours have me tummy grumbling over here!! I am with you 100% Nagi all about the big interesting salads. hefty salads! Wimpy little salads arent that nutritionally dense anyway 🙂 Pinning for dinner tomorrow x
I AGREEE! Ban all wimpy salads! 😉
This is a great looking salad.
I’m thinking of serving it over rice and making it a big rice bowl salad. Maybe use thighs. Wait, that defeats the point of reducing my carbs/fat. Well, it sounded good for a minute.
Your video was well done and shows the ease of making the salad. This one is a must make for us.
Thanks Nagi.
Ooh YES to making a rice salad bowl!!