This healthy chicken salad is one of my favorite things to eat during the spring. It’s fresh, flavorful, easy and can be eaten a variety of ways. This basil coconut chicken salad is my newest rendition and one worthy of staying in the rotation!
The base for this chicken salad is mashed avocado and coconut milk instead of the traditional mayonnaise. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good mayo-based chicken salad too (avocado oil mayo is so delicious), but I love to experiment with other options as well. Plus, I know not everyone is a mayo fan anyway.
In addition to the avocado and coconut milk, there’s fresh basil, lime juice, grated ginger, spices and unsweetened coconut flakes in the mix. It all gets blended in the food processor and then coated over the cooked chicken. That’s it! So easy, right?
I hope you love this healthy basil coconut chicken salad! It is:
· Full of healthy fats
· Loaded with fresh flavor
· Super easy to make
· Incredibly satisfying
If you’re interested in other chicken salad recipes, be sure to check out my za’atar chicken salad, coconut curry chicken salad, or this Chinese Chicken Salad!
Cheers, and enjoy!
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Basil Coconut Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb cooked boneless skinless chicken breast shredded or cubed
- ½ cup packed fresh basil
- ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 large avocado halved and pitted
- ½ medium lime juiced
- ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
- ¼ tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes not shredded
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Red pepper flakes for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except the chicken and unsweetened coconut chips, to the food processor bowl.
- Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and re-blending as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Lastly, add the unsweetened coconut flakes and pulse several times until slightly broken down, but still a little chunky.
- Place the cubed or shredded chicken in a large bowl and pour the basil mixture on top. Mix well to coat all of the chicken.
- Serve however you like and garnish with extra coconut flakes, fresh basil and/or red pepper flakes, if desired.
Only thing you’re missing is some foraged veggies 😉
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