Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad (Printable)

Grilled chicken with creamy avocado ranch dressing, fresh vegetables, and herbs. Light, refreshing, and ready in 30 minutes.

# Required Ingredients:

→ 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

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper on both sides.
02 - Cook chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked and juices run clear. Allow to 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 incrementally to reach desired consistency.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and celery.
05 - Add warm or cooled chicken chunks to the salad mixture. Pour avocado ranch dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated.
06 - Transfer to serving plates or bowls. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The avocado ranch dressing is silky and bright, replacing store bought bottles you will never miss.
  • It comes together in under thirty minutes, even when youre moving slowly on a weeknight.
  • Leftovers hold up beautifully in the fridge for next day lunches without getting soggy.
  • You can serve it on greens, in a wrap, or straight from the bowl with a fork.
02 -
  • Do not skip resting the chicken, or you will lose half the juices on the cutting board and end up with dry chunks.
  • Add water to the dressing slowly because avocados vary in moisture, and you can always thin it more but cannot thicken it back easily.
  • Toss the salad just before serving so the greens stay crisp and do not wilt under the weight of the dressing.
03 -
  • Blend the dressing with a handful of baby spinach or kale for extra greens without changing the flavor.
  • If your avocado is not quite ripe, let the dressing sit in the fridge for an hour and the lime juice will soften it slightly.
  • Grill extra chicken and freeze it in portions so you can throw this salad together in ten minutes on busy nights.
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