Chicken Avocado Salad

Crisp, succulent, straightforward, no-fuss. Does it get any better than that when it comes to salad and summer, Spiriteds? No, no it does not. Gluten-free Chicken Avocado Salad is so absolutely surprising in its simplicity that it’s hard to believe it really is as good as it is. This salad is yummo, by the way, like, really yummo. And can we just talk for a moment about how absolutely satisfying cucumbers are when they are drizzled with fresh garlic and olive oil? Because I was nervous about adding that juicy green to this salad, and per usual, I needn’t have been. Cucumbers BELONG with chicken and avocados. I’m telling you, it’s love, Spiriteds. K-Hubs and I never even made it to the dinner table. We stood over the counter where we prepped our mouthwatering salad and ATE IT RIGHT THERE.

Also, I would never eat at the dinner table if it wasn’t a social custom and I didn’t have children. I’m an over-the-sink-or-plopped-on-the-couch dinner kind of person. There is no stopping it. Send prayers, and let me live my life. 

So, old habits die hard, and we ate our dinner standing up, which turned out to be a plus because we ended up making more right there on the spot. Chicken Avocado Salad will do that to a person. Diving in, bite after bite, was easy. Deciding exactly how to prep the chicken and drizzle the final product proved to be more difficult. 

While catching up on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, I decided NOT to add flavoring to the chicken while I sautéed it. There was a tornado in that episode. And everyone was near death and baby Katie was crying, and I could not even handle it. WHY AM I WATCHING EMOTIONAL SHOWS WHILE MAKING CHICKEN?????

Spoiler alert: Dr. Mike and family survive. Phew. Because seriously. Sometimes that show is a bloodbath. Maybe not on par with The Godfather, but “deathy” enough. Morgan, “deathy” isn’t a word. Send more prayers, and let me live my life.

Once I knew the tornado had passed, I made important recipe decisions. Because chicken releases a lot of liquid while it cooks, and I drain the liquid for this salad recipe, I didn’t want to run the risk of draining the flavor, too. So, I added the olive oil, garlic, and sea salt afterward. It worked beautifully. Also, I feel like Dr. Mike would have done the same thing. Or maybe not. A running gag in the storyline is her inability to cook, which I totally missed the first time I watched it. Mom was also a terrible cook. #Twinning

But back to the task at hand. Drain the liquid, then add the flavors, and finally, throw your Chicken Avocado Salad together. It’s as easy as that! I also decided to go bonkers with parsley flakes and coarse black pepper because I have no chill and I’m addicted to flavor. And while you don’t need an additional dressing for Chicken Avocado Salad, you can check out Lemon Celery Seed Dressing and Homemade Italian Salad Dressing for inspiration. Today’s salad is gluten-free, grain-free, paleo-friendly and ready for your tastebuds. The aforementioned salad dressings also tick the same boxes. Thus, if gluten-free and paleo-friendly are important to you, then spoon up! This salad has your back.

You might be wondering whether Chicken Avocado Salad has make-ahead qualities? I say YES!!!! In fact, that’s how I prepare my salad. I make the chicken the day before. let it chill overnight, and eat it the next day. If you want to make this for meal prep, you can definitely prepare the chicken and pre-slice the onion. Then day of, add avocado, cucumbers, and lettuce. Not exactly meal prep in the traditional sense, but enough to give you a head start on your meals for the week. The bulk of the leg work will have already been done.

So, suit up, Spiriteds, grab your fork, and get salading. Chicken Avocado is worth every bite.

Chicken Avocado Salad

Print Recipe

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 3 to 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 hearts of romaine lettuce
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cucumber, sliced and then halved
• 1/2 cup white onion, sliced
• Pinch or two of dried parsley flakes
• Coarse black pepper for garnishing

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Instructions

1. In a medium skillet, sauté the chicken in coconut oil. Drain and set aside to let cool. In a small dish combine olive oil, garlic, and sea salt. Pour over chicken and toss until evenly coated.
2. Chop up hearts of romaine lettuce and toss them with the chicken in a large serving bowl. Add the avocado, cucumber, and white onion.
3. Top with parsley and black pepper, if desired, and ENJOY!

Notes

I call this recipe “paleo-friendly” depending on the dried herbs used. Some may contain additives that are not paleo compliant.

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