Is it just me, or is chicken salad like a blank canvas when it comes to lunch entrées? Everyone has their own way of doing it. Grapes, celery, nuts… you name it, someone has tried it. It’s pretty much a free for all. And while I totally love surprises and spontaneity, sometimes that’s just not what you want when ordering lunch.

Last week I ordered a side of chicken salad to put on top of my bed of lettuce (true life: i was too lazy to cook a protein before work for my salad, so I opted to buy that portion of my lunch out and pack the rest). The chicken salad I received was quite possibly some of the best I’ve ever had. Grapes, celery, not runny… it had it ALL going on.

Three days later, I was craving that exact same meal. Yet what I got was not the same chicken salad. My second order was heavy on the mayo and I ended up tossing half of it away, sulking back to my desk in a state of depression. It totally threw my day off because I was truly looking forward to that lunch. It was right then and there that I vowed to never leave it up to fate again. I would create my own chicken salad recipe so I knew exactly what I was getting, every single time. And of course, I’d swap avocado for mayo, because you should never miss a chance to swap avocado for mayo, duh.

This recipe is perfect to pack for lunches during a busy week. Pro tip: toss the avocado pit in your tupperware or squeeze extra lemon over the mixture when refrigerating to help keep from browning.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 medium chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• 1 stalk celery, diced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dill, minced
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved (optional)
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the chicken, celery, scallions, herbs and grapes. Set aside.
2. In a separate small bowl, mash avocado and stir until smooth. Whisk together the avocado, lemon juice, dijon, salt and pepper.
3. Add the avocado mixture to the chicken and mix gently to combine.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!