While traditional chicken salad recipes rely on mayonnaise to provide a creamy texture and depth of flavor, replacing it with avocado is a lighter and tastier option.

When mashed, blended, or diced into a chicken salad, avocados can provide the same creaminess and a similar flavor as mayo. Plus, it’s high in healthy fats.

Diced avocado pieces will soften as they’re mixed in, while mashed avocado will give an even creamier result. To mimic the exact texture of mayo, try blending your avocado.

When picking an avocado, opt for one that gives a little bit when squeezed gently, indicating that the interior is firm enough to stay intact when put in the chicken salad.