Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad (Print Version)

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

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lb)
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 Make It:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts evenly with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
02 - Cook chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting 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 gradually to achieve desired consistency.
04 - In a large bowl, combine salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and celery.
05 - Add warm or cooled chicken chunks to the salad. Pour avocado ranch dressing over the mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Divide among serving plates and garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The avocado ranch dressing is creamy without feeling heavy, and it clings to every bite of chicken and greens.
  • You can have this on the table in thirty minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute guests.
  • It satisfies like a full meal but leaves you feeling light and energized, not weighed down.
02 -
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or it will lose all its juices when you cut it, leaving you with dry chunks instead of tender bites.
  • Add water to the dressing slowly, because it's easier to thin it out than to fix a watery dressing that won't cling to the salad.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it over everything, since avocados vary in richness and you might need a little more lime or salt.
03 -
  • Grill the chicken over medium-high heat instead of high heat to avoid a charred outside and raw inside.
  • Make the dressing in the morning and let it chill in the fridge so the flavors deepen and meld together by lunchtime.
  • If your avocado isn't quite ripe, let it sit on the counter for a day or two, because an underripe one will make the dressing gritty and bland.
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