Avocado Chicken Salad

I hate mayonnaise.

Just so we're clear.

Before my decision to eat clean, I would use it to make Ranch dressing.  I'd eat it in potato salad, coleslaw and occasionally...hidden in a chocolate cake.

It was several years before I'd touch anything with mayonnaise in it...except Ranch dressing.  Ranch dressing will forever be the exception.

A few years ago, because of Cheree's recommendation, I bravely ordered a Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich from Panera.  And fell in love.  Creamy, sweet, delicious chicken, dressing, grapes, almonds...celery?  Is there celery in that?

Regardless, I was smitten by a sandwich.

The other night, while surfing Pinterest, I came across this recipe.  Of course, mine didn't turn out like the original...for a few different reasons.  But I still love it, so here ya go.

What I used:

• 1 extremely large boneless, skinless chicken breast (recipe recommends 2-3, these were monsters so 1 was enough)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 of a medium-sized onion (recipe states 1/4 onion)
• Cilantro
• 4 tbsp lime juice (recipe says the juice from 1/2 lime)
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt
• Salt & Pepper

So here's how this all went down...

Last night I baked my chicken.  I took a Pyrex square brownie pan, lined it with aluminum foil, and sprayed it with non-stick cooking spray.  I washed the chicken and placed it in the pan.  Sprinkled it with garlic salt, pepper and drizzled it with olive oil.  Then...I folded the foil around the chicken to make a little pouch and popped it into my 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

I let it cool in the pan, transferred it to a bowl, covered it, and put it in the fridge overnight.

Before I had my breakfast this morning, I put the salad together.  It should go pretty quick...so long as your avocado is ripe.

Mine was not.

Not sure why this happens to me, the avocado felt fine and the stem area was the right color, but this thing was hard as a rock.  But I pressed on and peeled it the best I could.  One band-aid later...

I was back to it.  The recipe says to shred the chicken.  I diced mine and put it in a bowl.  I also diced my rock hard avocado and added it to the chicken.  Onion?  Same thing.  Diced and added to the bowl.  I chopped about 1/4 cup of cilantro and added that too.  Threw in the lime juice and swirled it with some olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and tossed to make this beautiful dish.


And it's so delicious already.  It's currently "marrying" in the fridge for my lunch.  Of course...had the avocado been more ripe, it would have acted as a more delicious mayonnaise.  Instead...it's a stand-alone flavor and texture in my bowl.  And I'm not picky.

Unless it's mayonnaise.  Keep that goo away from me!