Chicken Avocado Black Bean Salad

Chicken Black Bean Avocado Salad — A Mexican-inspired salad with tender chicken, black beans, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and more! EASY, ready in 20 minutes, HEALTHY, and packed with fiesta FLAVORS galore!

Healthy Chicken, Avocado and Bean Salad 

This Mexican-inspired black bean salad is sure to be a hit. Who can say no to tender chicken, black beans, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, and fresh cilantro? Certainly not me.

You definitely won’t miss the lettuce in this awesome lettuce-less salad that’s perfect for your next lunch, healthy and naturally gluten-free dinner, or for a casual backyard get-together.

The avocado chicken salad is easy, ready in 20 minutes, and has so much flavor thanks to cumin, chili powder, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and more.

And between the protein in the chicken, the fiber in the black beans, the healthy fats in the avocado, and all the veggies, this Mexican black bean salad will keep you satisfied for hours!

What’s in the Black Bean Avocado Salad? 

Here’s what you’ll need to make the chicken and avocado bean salad: 

• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts 
• Cumin and chili powder
• Garlic
• Black beans
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Green onions
• Avocado
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime juice
• Apple cider vinegar
• Agave or honey

How to Make Chicken Black Bean Avocado Salad

This is an easy bean, chicken, and avocado salad recipe that’s good to have on hand. To make this chicken avocado black bean salad, first cook the diced chicken in a skillet with some olive oil, cumin and chili powder (this should only take about 5 minutes). 

Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for a minute, or until it becomes fragrant. Add the black beans to the skillet and season with salt and pepper, to taste. You only need to cook the beans until they’re slightly warmed through! 

Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large bowl, and stir in the remaining ingredients. 

This Mexican black bean salad is best enjoyed right away, but it will keep in the fridge for up to three days. The avocado will likely brown, but it’ll still be okay to eat! 

Can I Make Changes to This Recipe?  

Yes! This bean and avocado chicken salad is a very flexible recipe, and you can add extra ingredients based on what you have and enjoy.

Add some shredded cheese, queso fresco, or cotija cheese. Or swap out the green onions for red onions. Try red bell peppers instead of tomatoes. And if you have fresh summer corn, it would be great in this black bean avocado salad.

Some crumbs from the bottom of the bag of tortilla chips, Doritos, or Fritos? They would add awesome crunch, texture, and a salty pizazz.

Tips for Making the Bean, Chicken and Avocado Salad 

Want to bulk it up and feed a crowd? Add a half pound of cooked pasta, like bowtie or ziti. You dress up this salad so many different ways depending on your mood! 

Another key thing to note: when you’re mixing the salad together, based the exact quantities of ingredients you’re using (i.e. 2 avocados rather than 1, closer to 1.25 pounds of chicken rather than 1), if your salad seems drier than you like, you may want to add an additional drizzle of olive oil, and/or extra lime juice or vinegar to coat everything nicely. I didn’t have to, but just in case I wanted to share that tip (I hate dry food).

Finally, it’s important to season the salad properly so that all the ingredients taste their best. Salt and pepper are your friends, so don’t be afraid to add them if necessary.

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4.54 from 41 votes

Chicken Black Bean Avocado Salad

By Averie Sunshine

A Mexican-inspired salad with tender chicken, black beans, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and more! EASY, ready in 20 minutes, HEALTHY, and packed with fiesta FLAVORS galore!

Prep Time: 13 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 to 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cumin
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
• ▢ 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• ▢ one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (I use no-salt added)
• ▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ▢ 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• ▢ 2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
• ▢ 1 or 2 medium ripe Hass avocados, diced into medium chunks
• ▢ ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, or to taste
• ▢ 2 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 to 3 teaspoons agave or honey, optional and to taste
• ▢ pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste

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Instructions 

• To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, evenly sprinkle with cumin and chili powder, and cook over medium-high heat until done, about 5 minutes. Stir and flip intermittently to ensure even cooking.
• Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
• Add the black beans, stir to combine, evenly season everything with salt and pepper, and cook for about 1 minute, or until beans are lightly warmed.
• Transfer skillet contents to a large bowl, add the tomatoes, green onions, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and stir to combine.
• Check for seasoning balance, and if desired, add the optional agave/honey, optional cayenne, additional salt or pepper (I needed to add another 1 teaspoon of each), etc.

Notes

Salad is best fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days, noting the avocado will oxidize as time passes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 676kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 56g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g, Cholesterol: 120mg, Sodium: 750mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Originally published August 13, 2018 and republished July 8, 2020 with updated text.