If you are getting tired of typical mayo and celery chicken salad this summer you need to try this Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad. It is much lighter with a myriad of flavors from peppers, lime, cilantro, and spinach.
This cilantro lime chicken salad is one of my new favorite things to eat when the weather gets hot. It’s simple to make any day of the week, and I love good recipes like this that I can use leftover chicken on. Sometimes I’ll buy a rotisserie chicken from the store, and use some of the leftovers for this great recipe.
That tender chicken paired with fresh veggies not only adds great flavor but is perfect for creating a big batch of food to feed the family. There is always plenty to share!
I promise you that this Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad is a great recipe with a ton of flavor.
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If you’re a fan of salads, be sure to also try this Tajin Cucumber Salad as well as this Quinoa Black Bean Avocado Salad!
Ingredients
- Cooked chicken – I like the texture of cubed for this salad but shredded could work as well.
- Mayonnaise – Adds a nice and creamy texture to the base.
- Greek yogurt – You could also use sour cream.
- Cilantro lime pesto – Freshly diced cilantro adds an amazing flavor.
- Garlic salt – For flavor.
- Baby spinach – You can also use kale or other greens.
- Sweet peppers – For texture and a pop of sweetness.
- Avocado – A great healthy fat to add for flavor!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad
Step One: Mix the mayo, yogurt, cilantro, and garlic salt.
Step Two: Add the chicken, spinach, and peppers and mix well.
Step Three: Gently fold in the avocado. Enjoy!
Top Tip💡
You can easily add this to a bed of lettuce if you don’t want to add into the middle of tomatoes. A great salad recipe like this offers a variety of options!
Substitutions
- Chicken – As long as you make sure that you remove any bones, you can use any type of cooked chicken. Chicken thighs, skinless chicken breasts, or any other type of cooked chicken that you want.
Variations
- Fresh lime juice or lime zest – Squeezing a little bit of lime juice on top gives the salad a delicious citrus flavor.
- Cilantro lime rice – If you don’t want to add this to tomatoes or salad, you can pile this high on top of rice or cauliflower rice. It makes a complete meal no matter how you cut it.
- Tortilla strips – You can add these for a nice crunch. Thin strips are a must.
- Red bell peppers – You could also halve and add this classic chicken salad to halved bell peppers.
- Red pepper flakes – If you want to add some spicy to the creamy dressing, go for it!
See this Keto Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad for another one of my favorite salad recipes!
Equipment
All you need to make this chicken recipe is a cutting board, knife, and an airtight container to store leftovers.
Storage
Having leftovers of this juicy grilled cilantro lime chicken means that you get to enjoy it again. Simply add everything to a container, and keep it stored in the fridge. For the best flavor, eat within 2 days.
Common Questions
Give them the squeeze test. Ripe avocadoes that are ready to use should have a little bit of give when squeezed. If they are rock hard, they’re not going to be ready to enjoy for days. If they are too mushy, they’re going to be too ripe to have that texture that you’re looking for.
I love adding diced red onion and even a few black beans for more protein. If you do not want to use the tomato as a “bowl,” you can instead add cherry tomatoes to pair with the delicious chopped cilantro.
Sure, why not? You can easily dice up the ingredients, mix them together, and store them in the fridge in a container to chill and get ready to eat.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad
This light and refreshing Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad is a perfect lunch on a warm day!
Ingredients
Instructions
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Stir together the mayo, yogurt, pesto, and garlic salt.
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Add the chicken, spinach, and peppers and mix well.
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Gently fold in the avocado.
Notes
Pesto Directions: Process in a food processor until the cilantro and garlic are finely chopped.
Nutrition
Calories: 302.9Carbohydrates: 5.7gProtein: 24.5gFat: 20.5gSaturated Fat: 3.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 8.2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 445.7mgPotassium: 504.9mgFiber: 3.7gSugar: 1.2gVitamin A: 1092.5IUVitamin C: 19.1mgCalcium: 39.8mgIron: 1.3mg
Originally Published Revised and Republished July 11, 2024.