Chicken salad: a classic dish with a healthy twist

Growing up, chicken salad sandwiches were always sure to make an appearance in my lunchbox. From childhood to adulthood, this concoction of chicken and mayo has yet to lose its appetizing flavor. However, there is a downside- mayo is by no means healthy. Per tablespoon, mayo typically comes in at around 90 calories and 10 grams of fat (usually not the good kind), making this one condiment that the health-conscious should be sure to avoid. So, does this mean that we have to ditch the chicken salad in order to maintain a healthy diet? Absolutely not; with just a bit of tweaking to the recipe, by no means do we have to do such a thing!

There are plenty of ingredient swaps that can be made to give meals of the less healthy variety a nutritious makeover, and one of those handy baking substitutes happens to be the avocado. Yes, this will add a dose of fat to your dish, but of the healthy type of fat that you want to be including in your diet.

Because of its creamy texture and moistness, avocados make a great replacement for mayo, oil, and butter. I put this claim to the test when I whipped up my avocado-based chicken salad, and sure enough, it was like I was eating a colorful version of the chicken salad I used to eat back in the day.

Next time you go to make yourself a sandwich or a spread for your crackers, I highly recommend you give this dish a try! For a recipe to get inspired by, check out this chicken salad recipe from Serious Eats, and for more healthy baking substitutions, read up on Greatist's recommendations by clicking the link here!