Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Cooked chicken, diced cucumber, and red onion are folded into a thick, pale-green herb dressing for a loose, spoonable salad. Start with rotisserie chicken or leftovers; there’s no cooking required. Blend the avocado, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon, and herbs separately so the dressing coats the chicken while the cucumber and onion stay distinct.
This version uses parsley, dill, and basil, though tender herbs can be adjusted to suit what you have. The salad takes about 20 minutes to prepare and serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients for Green Goddess Chicken Salad
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, shredded or roughly chopped (680g)
- 1 medium ripe avocado, flesh scooped out (about 150g)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (120g)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (30g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves (15g)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 scallion, roughly chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 to 3 tablespoons cold water, as needed
- 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber, patted dry (195g)
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion (40g)
Rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or fully cooked breast or thigh meat all work. If the red onion tastes too sharp, soak it briefly in cold water, then drain and dry it well.
How to Make Green Goddess Chicken Salad
- Prepare the chicken and vegetables: Shred or roughly chop the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces. Dice the cucumber and finely dice the red onion. Pat the cucumber dry so it does not add excess moisture to the salad.
- Blend the dressing: Add the avocado, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, dill, basil, scallion, garlic, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy and pale green with fine herb flecks, scraping down the sides as needed. If it is too thick to blend or fold through the chicken, add cold water a little at a time. The dressing should cling to a spoon, not pour like a vinaigrette.
- Fold together: Put the chicken, cucumber, and red onion in a large bowl. Gently fold in enough dressing to coat them, reserving any extra. Keep the chicken shreds and cucumber pieces distinct rather than mixing until they break down.
- Taste and serve: Adjust with salt, pepper, or a little more lemon juice. Serve right away for the crispest cucumber, or cover and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Adjusting the Dressing
Avocados vary in size and ripeness, so add water gradually rather than using all 3 tablespoons at once. If the finished salad needs more coating, fold in some of the reserved dressing; adding it all at the start can make the salad too wet.
Without a blender, mash the avocado with a fork and whisk it with the other dressing ingredients. Finely chop the herbs first. The dressing will be more rustic, with larger herb pieces.
Keeping the Cucumber Crisp
Dice the cucumber into bite-size pieces and pat them dry before mixing. The salad has its crispest texture soon after it is tossed; cucumber can soften and release moisture as it sits.
Serving and Storage
Serve the salad by the scoop in a bowl with crackers, or spoon it onto bread or into a wrap.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Press plastic wrap directly against the salad’s surface before sealing to reduce avocado browning. Stir gently before serving; the cucumber may soften and release moisture during storage.
For make-ahead prep, blend the dressing and refrigerate it separately, then stir it before tossing with the chicken and vegetables. Freezing is not recommended because the avocado dressing and cucumber can lose their texture after thawing.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1/6 of the recipe (about 215g): 280 calories, 38g protein, 12g fat, and 5g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 130 calories, 18g protein, 5g fat, and 3g carbohydrates. Values may vary with the chicken, yogurt, and mayonnaise used.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) cooked chicken, shredded or roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) diced cucumber, patted dry
- 1/4 cup (40 g) finely diced red onion
For the Dressing
- 1 medium ripe avocado, flesh scooped out (about 150 g)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup (15 g) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 scallion, roughly chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 to 3 tablespoons cold water, as needed
Instructions
- Shred or roughly chop the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Dice the cucumber and pat it dry. Finely dice the red onion.
- Add the avocado, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, dill, basil, scallion, garlic, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until creamy and pale green, scraping down the sides as needed. Add cold water a little at a time if needed; the dressing should cling to a spoon.
- Put the chicken, cucumber, and red onion in a large bowl.
- Gently fold in enough dressing to coat the salad, reserving any extra.
- Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or more lemon juice. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Add water gradually because avocado size and ripeness vary.
- Pat the cucumber dry to avoid adding excess moisture.
- Fold in only enough dressing to coat the salad; add reserved dressing as needed.
- For the crispest cucumber, serve soon after tossing.
- If the red onion tastes too sharp, soak it briefly in cold water, then drain and dry it well.
Variations
- Herb Swap: Adjust the parsley, dill, and basil to use other tender herbs you have.
- Rustic Dressing: Mash the avocado with a fork, finely chop the herbs, and whisk them with the remaining dressing ingredients.