Almond-Free Avocado Chicken Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

A creamy avocado chicken salad free of nuts and eggs, dressed with a fresh lemon herb vinaigrette, perfect for Whole30 reintroduction phases. This american-inspired whole30 (gluten free) ready in about 15 minutes pairs cooked chicken breast, ripe avocado, celery stalks for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1 medium, peeled and diced ripe avocado
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (Whole30 compliant)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast, 1 medium diced ripe avocado, 2 diced celery stalks, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley.
2. Step 2: In a separate small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp Whole30 compliant Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified.
3. Step 3: Pour the lemon herb dressing over the chicken and avocado mixture and gently toss everything together until well coated, taking care to keep the avocado pieces intact.
4. Step 4: Chill the salad for 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.