Creamy Chicken Salad With Avocado

A tase bud-tantalizing alternative to mayo-based salads

This light and creamy chicken salad, scooped inside half an avocado, will wow your taste buds. It doesn’t call for mayonnaise and gets much of its flavor from healthy fats.

Ingredients

Dressing

1 tablespoon tahini (or nut butter of choice)
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
Juice from 1 lime, plus zest from half a lime
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled

Salad

2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
10 ounces mixed salad greens
Juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon gluten-free, reduced-sodium soy sauce
Dash cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
2 tablespoons cilantro, plus more for garnish, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
2 avocados

Directions

In a blender, blend all dressing ingredients until a liquid dressing is formed.
Place shredded chicken in a bowl, add dressing and toss to coat.
In a large salad bowl, place lettuce, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper to taste and mix so lettuce is coated.
Divide among four plates.
Halve avocado and remove pits. Place about 1/2 cup of chicken salad in each avocado (carve a little avocado meat out if you need more room).
Serve over salad greens. Spoon leftover chicken onto salad. Garnish with extra cilantro.

Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator, covered, for three days.

Ingredient health benefits

Garlic: Let’s be honest; nothing about a garlic clove seems remarkable or exciting. But before you go fishing the powder out of your spice cabinet to save a little time, here are some benefits to consider that might make the chopping worth your while. For starters, garlic has reached superfood status for its impressive ability to boost your immune system, and eating garlic regularly might have a positive impact on your blood pressure. There’s also some evidence to suggest that adding it to your meal may keep harmful bacteria from taking over your food.
Ginger: With important nutrients like vitamin C, bone-strengthening magnesium and potassium, this ancient root has plenty to offer your salad. Ginger also boasts anti-inflammatory abilities that can help with conditions related to joint inflammation like arthritis. And if you’re ever sick to your stomach, try eating a fresh piece of ginger to help suppress nausea.
Chicken breast: It’s not the most glamorous ingredient out there, but chicken breast is high in vitamin K2 and rich in iron. It’s also a good source of protein and has niacin (vitamin B3), an essential vitamin for many important functions throughout your body, such as building and repairing DNA.
Leafy greens: You can’t go wrong with these, no matter which ones you choose. Salad greens have vitamin K, but other nutrients can vary based on your plant of preference. Spinach, for example, has plant-based iron, while lettuce has carotenoids that are great for your eyes, like beta-carotene and lutein.
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO): This cooking oil has made quite a splash in conversations about health and wellness. Like ginger root, it’s an old culinary ingredient with uses outside of cooking, and it has a lot of perks. EVOO is packed with antioxidants like polyphenols that fight inflammation along with monounsaturated fats. These fats also promote heart health by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure. And certain compounds in extra virgin olive oil may help prevent cancer as an addition to a well-balanced diet.
Avocado: Who doesn’t love the buttery texture of a ripe avocado? Not to mention, it’s loaded with heart-healthy fats, as well as vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin K1, vitamin B6 and folate, which support many aspects of your health from your skin to your heart. And there’s a bit of fiber to help your gut out, as well.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Serving = 2 cups dressed salad, 1/2 avocado stuffed with 1/2 cup chicken salad

Calories: 431
Fat: 27 g
Saturated fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 64 mg
Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 31 g
Carbohydrate: 20 g
Sodium: 345 mg