Avocado Basil Chicken Salad (Printable)
Creamy avocado and cottage cheese chicken salad in crisp lettuce cups with fresh basil.
# List of ingredients:
→ Protein & Dairy
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat or full-fat
→ Vegetables & Herbs
03 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
05 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
07 - 1 head butter lettuce or romaine, separated into cups
→ Dressing
08 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnish
12 - Extra fresh basil leaves
13 - Cracked black pepper
# Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cottage cheese, diced avocado, quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped basil, and sliced green onions.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the mixture is fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and gently toss to combine, taking care to keep the avocado pieces intact.
04 - Carefully separate the butter lettuce or romaine leaves and arrange them on a serving platter.
05 - Spoon the chicken salad evenly into each lettuce cup.
06 - Garnish with extra basil leaves and cracked black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Cottage cheese replaces mayo entirely and somehow makes everything richer and tangier without the guilt.
- These cups come together in under thirty minutes and disappear even faster at any gathering.
02 -
- Avocado oxidizes quickly so assemble the filling no more than two hours before serving or the color will shift from vibrant green to murky brown.
- Pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of any leftover filling buys you an extra day in the fridge without discoloration.
03 -
- Let the cottage cheese drain in a fine mesh sieve for ten minutes before mixing so your filling does not become watery.
- Taste the filling before adding salt because cottage cheese and Dijon both carry hidden sodium that can sneak up on you.