Egg-Free, No Mayo – Better than Ever!
This high protein dish is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You may not consider it standard breakfast food but it’s a great flavorful protein that can help fuel your day. I prefer it topped with spinach or butter lettuce and shredded carrots. The mayo replacement is an avocado dressing that really adds creaminess, yum. I’m a sucker for a good curry and don’t always want to cook a big meal so this hits the spot for a healthy lunch in the middle of a busy work day.
Ingredients
- 1 pound shredded chicken cooked- I prefer breast and thigh meat (about 2-3 cups of pre-cooked chicken). I use the shred attachment on my food processor.
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 10 leaves fresh basil, stacked and cut chiffonade style
- 1 large ripe avocado (about 7-8 ounces in weight)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey (to taste) – Omit for Keto
- 1 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper
- 1 Tablespoon curry powder
- 1/4 cup filtered water
Optional:
Any of these are lovely:
- 1/2 cup raisins or sulfur-free cranberries – Omit for Keto and Paleo
- 10 baby tomatoes cut in half
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 2 Tablespoons of pepitas (pumpkin) or sunflower seeds for garnish
- ½ cup diced mango – Omit for Keto and Paleo (If you’re in the mood for Yumm, then add some diced mango and drop the tomato!)
Instructions
- In a large glass bowl, combine the shredded chicken, celery, green onions, cilantro, and basil.
Dressing Instructions:
- In a blender or food processor, combine the avocado, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey, salt, curry powder, and water. Blend until smooth, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, if needed to thin out the sauce. Taste and add one more tablespoon of maple syrup or honey if you want it a little sweeter.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken salad ingredients, and stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Add in raisins or cranberries if desired, then the optional sliced baby tomatoes, OR mango!
- Transfer the salad to the fridge and chill for 2 hours to let the flavors blend well.
- Stir in the optional pecans right before serving if you like to have more crunch, otherwise you can add them right before you chill for 2 hours.
Serving Suggestion:
Serve chilled on a bed of spinach or butter lettuce, sprinkle with pepita or sunflower seeds.
Storage Tip:
Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days (the avocado won’t brown). But don’t store it on lettuce as it will wilt and get soggy.
Buen Provecho!