Everyone’s always looking for a good no-mayo chicken salad, right? Well, no one I know, but surely someone is. And for that person, I offer this recipe for Venezuelan Avocado Chicken Salad. It uses avocado in place of mayonnaise, and is sort of like chicken guacamole. Sounds great, right? Actually, it’s pretty tasty, and one bite will instantly transport you to Venezuela, which looks a lot like my dirty kitchen and hurricane-ravaged street. (This, by the way, is one of my most hated blogger phrases — “you will be instantly transported” — who are we kidding?). One caveat — do not make this until you’re ready to eat it, otherwise the avocado will turn a most unappealing shade of brown and you’ll no longer want to be instantly transported to Venezuela.
- 2-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is great)
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- ½ red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
- 3 tablespoons minced onion
- 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
- ½ jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Place avocados and lime juice in a large bowl and mash together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. (Note: this is best eaten the day it is made -- the avocado will discolor after that, and although it will still taste good, it will not look good.)
Get ready to rumba