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    Home » Salad Recipes

    Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad

    5 from 3 votes
    Posted April 23, 2021 by Wendy Polisi

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    This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Two stacked photos of a salad in a white bowl with the text in the center that says Avocado Grilled Chicken Salad

    This Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad is a surprisingly filling main course salad that I can’t get enough of! Crisp romaine and crunchy bacon pair perfectly with juicy chicken, creamy avocado, and sweet grape tomatoes. Top it off with a sprinkling of blue cheese and a creamy, punchy dressing, and you have got a salad to get excited about!

    Overhead photo of a Avocado Grilled Chicken Salad in a white bowl drizzled with a creamy dressing.

    It is no secret that I love salads, and this Grilled Chicken and Avocado Salad Recipe is one of my favorites!

    It is ridiculously satisfying and perfect for meal prep! 

    Give it a try, and I think you will be hooked too!

    Ingredients for Making Grilled Chicken and Avocado Salad Recipe

    • Buttermilk:  This gives a nice tang to the dressing. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, heavy cream or half and half are also options. Alternatively, you can follow this tutorial on How to Make Buttermilk.
    • Greek Yogurt:  If you want to use regular plain yogurt, line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and strain it first.
    • Apple Cider Vinegar:  If you prefer, red wine vinegar is another option.
    • Worcestershire Sauce:  If you are gluten intolerant or gluten-free, make sure you choose one that does not contain gluten.
    • Chives:  If you do not have fresh chives, you can use two teaspoons of dried chives.
    • Garlic:  If you don’t have fresh garlic, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder may be used.
    • Cayenne Pepper: I love the subtle hint of heat cayenne gives, but feel free to omit this if you are sensitive to heat.
    • Salt and Pepper:  Adjust the amounts to your liking.
    • Bacon:  Used whatever type of bacon you like here. Turkey, pork, or beef will all work nicely
    • Chicken: I used chicken breast, but thighs will work too.
    • Romaine:  If you prefer spring mix, that works nicely as well.
    • Avocado: If you plan to have leftovers of this salad, only cut the amount of avocado you plan to use right away.
    • Grape Tomatoes:  Cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes will work.
    • Blue Cheese:  I prefer to buy a block and crumble it myself because it has more flavor, but you can purchase pre-crumbled if you are short on time. 

    Tips, Tricks, and Variations

    • If you would like a thicker, more traditional ranch dressing, feel free to add in ¼ cup of mayonnaise.
    • Short on time? Skip making the dressing and use your favorite store-bought brand. Or dress the salad in a simple combination of olive oil and lemon juice.
    • Sometimes I like to add in some red onion. They play perfectly with the tomatoes, avocado, and bacon!

    Tools Needed to Make Grilled Chicken Salad with Avocado

    As an amazon associate, I earn from qualified sales.

    • A skillet (I love my cast iron skillet!)
    • Blender
    • Cutting Board
    • Large Bowl
    • Instant Read Thermometer

    Storage

    You can make the dressing ahead of time and keep it for up to 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

    If you would like to make the avocado salad with grilled chicken ahead of time, you can combine all of the ingredients except for the avocado in a large bowl and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. Wait to add the dressing and avocado until you are ready to serve.

    Photo of a white bowl with grilled chicken and avocado salad against a white background.

    More Gluten-Free Salad Recipes to Try

    • Beet Quinoa Salad
    • Chicken Tortilla Salad
    • Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese
    If you like this recipe don't forget to leave a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the below comments, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, Instagram, and PINTEREST to see all my delicious recipes.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad

    This Avocado Bacon Grilled Chicken Salad is a great weekend lunch or weeknight dinner!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time22 mins
    Total Time42 mins
    Course: Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine: American, Gluten Free, Healthy
    Keyword: acorn squash quinoa salad
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 414kcal
    Author: Wendy Polisi

    Ingredients

    Dressing

    • ⅓ cup buttermilk
    • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 tablespoons fresh chives minced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

    Salad

    • 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
    • 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast
    • 5 ounces romaine lettuce washed, dried and chopped
    • 1 avocado peeled, pitted and sliced
    • 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes quartered
    • 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

    Instructions

    • To make the dressing, place buttermilk, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chives, garlic, cayenne, sea salt and fresh ground black pepper in a blender. Process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • Meanwhile, heat a grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Spray with oil.
    • Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be 165° F.
    • Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
    • Place romaine in a large bowl and toss with bacon, chicken, avocado, tomatoes and blue cheese. Add desired amount of dressing and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1611mg | Potassium: 1086mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3885IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg

    This recipe was originally published June 16, 2016. It was updated April 23, 2021.

    Filed Under:

    Chicken RecipesGluten Free RecipesSalad Recipes

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    About Wendy Polisi

    Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, 5 time cookbook author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 16 & 17 and my late life princess is 9.

    Reader Interactions

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      Rating




    1. Glam Karen

      June 20, 2016 at 6:48 pm

      This salad looks really yummy - the avocado and chicken and tomatoes...all my fave food ingredients for a salad! Cant ever have a salad without blue cheese, too! Grab me a fork!
      Karen | GlamKaren.com

      Reply
    2. Terri Steffes

      June 20, 2016 at 7:35 pm

      Love the kitchen design and the recipe sounds so amazing. I love that combination of flavors in the summer. I could eat avocados every day, every meal.

      Reply
    3. Kid Minds

      June 20, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      I love my kitchen. It's big and bright. But the one in the pics comes pretty close even though it's a completely different style. I haven't seen the smudge-proof slate finish appliances yet but I love the sound of it!

      Reply
    4. Rebecca Bryant

      June 20, 2016 at 11:35 pm

      Oh my that kitchen looks amazing adn so does the salad., I am drooling over both.

      Reply
    5. Rebecca @ Strength & Sunshine

      June 21, 2016 at 12:02 am

      Such a hearty meal! Salads are never boring when you do them like this!

      Reply
    6. Rachel Zampanti Langer

      June 21, 2016 at 2:31 am

      Wow this salad looks so yummy! Avocados give me a crazy bad stomach ache, but I bet it will taste simply amazing even without them.

      Reply
    7. Mrs.AOK

      June 21, 2016 at 3:20 am

      The kitchen looks BEAUTIFUL. And oh my that salad looks wonderful!! I have to pin this for sure. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

      Reply
    8. Ana De Jesus

      June 21, 2016 at 7:19 am

      Your kitchen looks stunning! I love me some avocado and avocado salad is so delicious, I love how colouful yours is!

      Reply
    9. Rose Sahetapy

      June 21, 2016 at 5:27 pm

      What could be better for Summer recipe than fresh salad like this recipe? Love the combination of avocado and tomatoes, but the dressing though is something quite new for me as I've never use buttermilk in dressing. I'm curious now.

      Reply
    10. Heather

      June 21, 2016 at 11:01 pm

      I made something similar for dinner last night! Yum! I am constantly thinking about new appliances for my kitchen - a double oven for one. A gas stove, a bigger fridge, a deep freezer so I can start doing more freezer meals...yes...I have a very long list 🙂

      Reply
    11. Debra Hawkins

      June 21, 2016 at 11:56 pm

      Oh my heck. This is all of my favorite things combined into one salad. I must have this in my life as soon as possible!

      Reply
    12. Louise Bishop

      June 22, 2016 at 3:10 am

      Our family is big on having special meals for special events. It is a big deal for us as well. I love the presentation of this salad. Great job!

      Reply
    13. Reesa Lewandowski

      June 22, 2016 at 3:19 am

      That kitchen!! It's a dream come true for me! This salad looks so delicious and perfect for a summer night!

      Reply
    14. Becca Wilson

      June 22, 2016 at 11:41 am

      This grilled chicken salad looks amazing! That kitchen also looks just as amazing. I need both of them in my life.

      Reply
    15. Maria - Tough Cookie Mommy

      June 22, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      This salad looks so hearty and delicious. I've never been a big fan of salads but I would certainly love to try this one since it has avocado and bacon.

      Reply
    16. Mandy Webb

      June 22, 2016 at 11:17 pm

      I completely agree when it comes to cleaning the kitchen; definitely not my favorite job. That salad might be worth a little clean up though!

      Reply
    17. stacey

      June 23, 2016 at 2:50 am

      I'm totally making this salad!! Bacon and Avacados together is devine! And I agree about the double oven! I would love one too!

      Reply
    18. Blythe A.

      June 23, 2016 at 7:39 pm

      It's so true, no matter how hard you try the kitchen is never completely clean. I'm really liking the slate appliances, they are a nice change from the typical stainless. It's also nice to see a kitchen without white in it. I like my kitchen to feel warm.

      Reply
    19. Alisa Fleming

      June 24, 2016 at 5:35 pm

      You just made my favorite chicken sandwich into a salad recipe. I could hug you Wendy.

      Reply
    20. Kaila

      June 25, 2016 at 11:39 am

      My dream kitchen would be a bit smaller and cozier than yours, but those pictures are still stunning! And, the salad is so colorful and flavorful. 🙂

      Reply
    21. Amanda Kanashiro

      June 25, 2016 at 12:21 pm

      I now have kitchen envy, mine is the size of a closet, and I wish i was joking! Salad looks fabulous!

      Reply
    22. Kelly

      June 26, 2016 at 4:59 am

      Bacon and avocado are quite the dream team, and I'm going to be dreaming of this salad!

      Reply
    23. Elle @ Only Taste Matters

      June 26, 2016 at 5:05 am

      Anything with avocado and bacon is winner in my book! Yum!

      Reply
    24. Lucy Valdez

      June 27, 2016 at 1:41 pm

      Now you have me dreaming about this kitchen too! My dream is to have two homes...one in the country with a rustic look similar to the ones in your post, and then a cute little beach house with a vintage kitchen...Dare to dream!

      Reply
    25. Sharon

      June 28, 2016 at 7:11 pm

      This salad looks AMAZING - I need to make it asap!

      Reply
    26. RunToTheFinish

      July 06, 2016 at 2:29 pm

      I love a summer salad. We haven't had many good avocados around here lately, so I'm going hunting for some today!

      Reply
    27. Nutrimom

      July 06, 2016 at 11:44 pm

      LOVE salads and this one is making me drool!

      Reply
    28. Megan

      July 08, 2016 at 2:39 am

      I love that there is a river of bacon running through this salad!

      Reply
    29. Shannon Graham

      September 02, 2017 at 4:53 am

      5 stars
      No joke, you had me at bacon.

      Reply
    30. kelly smith

      September 22, 2017 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      My kids are not interested in eating vegetables they just want fast food, now I decide to put something spicy at home. I follow your recipes.

      Reply
    31. Sheila

      October 01, 2017 at 4:28 pm

      I also consider food as my love language and I am excited to try this avocado bacon grilled chicken salad. It looks so good and healthy.
      Thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply

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    Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, 5 time cookbook author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 16 & 17 and my late life princess is 9.

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