As a mayophobe, I've been making chicken salad with Greek yogurt for years, which, while tasty, isn't exactly traditional or unique.
Recently I came across Elise Bauer's recipe for Avocado Chicken Salad and without being too dramatic, all I can say is, Where has this been all my life?
It never occurred to me to add creamy avocados to chicken saladbut it turns out it's the perfect binder that brings chicken salad together the same way mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt) does. Avocado is creamy, rich, and can pair with a variety of flavor profiles. Most importantly, it's not mayonnaise!
Simple recipes / Elise Bauer
Here's how I made Elise's recipe. I didn't use as many add-ins because I prefer my chicken salad without too many other flavors.
I started by mashing the avocado with lime juice and salt to make a creamy base. I added some diced jalapeño, cubed leftover chicken, a drizzle of olive oil, and sliced green onions. After a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and a quick toss, I ended up with the most flavorful chicken salad I've ever made.
I served it on toasted multigrain bread with crispy lettuce, but the salad was so good on its own that I could have eaten it by the spoonful or even with tortilla chips.
I love that this upgraded version adds a fresh flavor to the chicken salad that you can't get with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. It was rich and creamy, but still light. The flavor is a bit reminiscent of a green goddess dressing. I can't wait to make a super herby version of this recipe once my garden herbs really start to thrive!
One thing to note:While no one likes chicken salad that's been sitting around for days, this version is one you'll want to eat right away. I added enough lime juice to keep the avocado from browning for about eight hours in the fridge. If it had sat any longer, it would have browned. However, I can assure you that this won't be a problem; my family ate the entire batch in one sitting.
Simple recipes / Elise Bauer
If you work in the food industry, and especially in recipe development, you may be familiar with that feeling of “How did I not think of that?!” when you come across a mind-blowing recipe. It’s always something you had completely overlooked, but it makes perfect sense once you try it.
Take chicken salad for example.
