Lemon Herb Avocado Chicken Salad

This Avocado Chicken Salad takes everything you love about a hearty, fresh salad and makes it even better. Juicy grilled or pan seared chicken, creamy avocado, crispy bacon, and soft feta come together in one bowl, creating a chicken avocado salad that feels bright, filling, and incredibly satisfying.

If you are looking for the ultimate healthy salad with chicken that doesn't taste like diet food, you have found it. It's fresh, it's filling, and it's one of those recipes we make on repeat here on the Gold Coast when we want something light but satisfying!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

As a food blogger and busy mum, we need meals that tick all the boxes. High protein, full of flavour, and quick to throw together. The lemon herb mixture acts as both a marinade for the chicken and a dressing for the greens. Less mess, more flavour. It's packed with protein and healthy fats from the lean chicken and the avocado, this salad keeps you full for hours. It's good for a quick lunch, a light dinner, or even meal prep.

If you are obsessed with loaded chicken salads like we are, you definitely need to try our BLT Balsamic Chicken Avocado Feta Salad or the fan-favourite Skinny Chicken and Avocado Caesar Salad next. Or for another unique take on chicken and creamy avocado in a salad bowl, try our savory chicken & halloumi avocado salad.

What Goes Into Avocado Chicken Salad

This Avocado Chicken Salad comes together with simple, fresh ingredients that work perfectly together to create a bright, satisfying meal.

• Chicken Thighs or Breasts: We prefer thighs for juiciness with the skins on or off, but breast works perfectly for a leaner option. For a spicier alternative, try this Grilled Cajun Chicken Salad.
• Avocado: Essential for any great chicken avocado salad, it adds creaminess without needing heavy dressings and makes each bite feel more filling and luxurious. If you love avocado, check out our Chicken Caprese Salad which is basically summer in a bowl.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice lifts the flavours of the marinade and brightens the entire salad, giving the chicken and avocado a refreshing finish.
• Feta Cheese: Adds salty richness and a creamy bite that complements the chicken and avocado, tying the textures together beautifully. See below notes about the feta we choose.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

Spotlight on Feta cheese

If you want this salad to taste like it came from a restaurant, the cheese matters! Here is our golden rule for buying Feta.

• Look for the red and yellow PDO stamp (Protected Designation of Origin). This guarantees it is authentic Greek Feta made from sheep and goat's milk. It has that signature tangy kick and crumbly texture that makes this salad pop.
• Skip the Cow: “Danish Feta” or “Feta Style” cheeses are usually made from cow's milk. They are much creamier and smoother, but they lack that zesty punch we want here. Plus, sheep's milk is often easier to digest!
• Please, we beg you do not buy pre-crumbled feta! It is coated in anti-caking agents that make it dry and chalky. Buy the block stored in brine and crumble it yourself with a fork. It takes 10 seconds and tastes a million times fresher.

On the stove

1. Whisk Marinade: Combine all marinade or dressing ingredients in a large jug, then pour half into a shallow dish for the chicken and refrigerate the rest for serving.

1. Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken to the dish and coat well, letting it marinate for 15 to 30 minutes or up to two hours in the refrigerator.

1. Prepare the Salad: While the chicken marinates, assemble the lettuce, avocado, feta, tomatoes, red onion, and bacon in a large salad bowl.

1. Cook the Chicken: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill over medium high heat and sear the chicken until browned and fully cooked through.

1. Rest and Slice: Let the cooked chicken rest for five minutes before slicing it into strips for serving.

1. Assemble and Serve: Arrange the sliced chicken over the salad, drizzle with the reserved dressing, and finish with lemon wedges.

This Avocado Chicken Salad already brings a great mix of brightness and protein, so it pairs beautifully with sides that add a little extra crunch. A warm pull-apart piece of The Ultimate Pull Apart Cheesy Garlic Bread is an unexpectedly fun pairing, giving you a soft, garlicky, cheesy bite. If you want something a little heartier, try it with Spinach and Ricotta Grilled Cheese.

Kitchen tip

• Marinate the chicken a little longer if you can. We always find that even an extra 20 minutes gives the lemon and herbs time to soak in.
• Slice the avocado right before serving so it stays bright and creamy. We usually give it a tiny squeeze of lemon too, just to keep it from browning.
• Let the chicken rest before slicing. It keeps all those flavorful juices where they belong instead of running onto the board.
• Taste the dressing before drizzling. Sometimes we add an extra pinch of salt or a splash of lemon depending on how tangy we want the salad that day.

Recipe FAQ's

Use a ripe but firm avocado and slice it just before serving. Gently toss it into the salad instead of stirring to avoid breaking it apart.

Let the chicken rest first, then slice it against the grain. This gives you tender, easy to chew pieces that mix well with the rest of the salad.

Wash and dry the leaves thoroughly, then keep them chilled until you assemble the salad. Excess moisture softens the greens, so pat them dry well before adding the dressing.

What you need

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper or to taste
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets or chicken breasts
• 4 cups Romaine lettuce leaves washed and dried
• 1 avocado large, pitted, peeled and sliced
• 8 ounces feta cheese
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1/4 red onion sliced, optional
• 1/4 cup diced bacon trimmed of rind and fat
• 4 lemon wedges to serve

Method

1. Whisk together all of the marinade/dressing ingredients in a large jug. Pour out half of the marinade into a large, shallow dish. Refrigerate the remaining marinade to use as the dressing later.
2. Add the chicken to the marinade in the bowl; marinade chicken for 15-30 minutes (or up to two hours in the refrigerator if time allows). While waiting for the chicken, prepare all of the salad ingredients and mix in a large salad bowl.
3. Once chicken is ready, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on both sides until browned and completely cooked through (about 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness).
4. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes; slice and arrange over salad. Drizzle salad with the remaining UNTOUCHED dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.