Keto Avocado Chicken Salad (View Print Version)

Protein-rich avocado and chicken layers with fresh veggies, ready in mason jars for a quick lunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves

→ Dressing

07 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

# Method:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
02 - Divide the dressing evenly among the bottom of 4 large mason jars.
03 - Layer the salad ingredients in each jar in the following order: red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, chicken, avocado, and baby spinach.
04 - Top each jar with chopped cilantro if desired.
05 - Seal jars tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat.
06 - To serve, shake the jar to distribute the dressing, or pour contents into a bowl and toss.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's keto-friendly without the guilt or the weird replacement ingredients that taste like cardboard.
  • Everything stays perfectly fresh and crisp because the dressing sits at the bottom, not drowning your greens.
  • You can make four jars on Sunday and honestly forget they're waiting for you until hunger hits.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about shaking a jar and knowing you're about to eat something genuinely delicious.
02 -
  • The jar-layering strategy isn't just pretty; it's functional—dressing on bottom, greens on top is the golden rule that prevents everything from turning into watery sadness.
  • Don't dice your avocado more than a few hours before jarring, or it'll oxidize and turn an unappetizing gray no matter how much lemon juice you throw at it.
03 -
  • Use 16-ounce mason jars specifically; they're the perfect size and the proportions taste right, not too salad-heavy or dressing-light.
  • If you're bringing this somewhere, pack it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack because the avocado stays fresher and everything tastes colder and crisper when you eat it.
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