• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hungry Healthy Happy
  • Slow Cooker
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE eBook
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Slow Cooker
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE eBook
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Let's get social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Slow Cooker
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • FREE eBook
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Let's get social!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Salad

    Chilli and Lime Prawn and Avocado Salad

    Published: Aug 15, 2016 · Modified: Sep 14, 2021 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 63 Comments

    498 shares
    • 383
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Jump to Recipe
    Prawn avocado salad with a text title overlay.

    A simple, but flavour packed salad that is ready in under 10 minutes. Add some extra flavour to prawns (shrimp) with a little lime and chilli and pair with creamy avocado for a light summer salad. This Chilli and Lime Prawn and Avocado Salad is a tasty lunch or light dinner that proved that salads don't have to be boring.

    A large bowl of prawn salad next to a blue towel.

    In the warmer months, we practically live on salads. But, having the same one all the time can get a little boring, so we are always creating new and exciting salads, and this is one of our favourites. Slightly crispy prawns cooked in a chilli and lime marinade on a bed of greens with creamy avocado. This is a simple salad, with just a few ingredients, that has a lot of flavour.

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • Step by step
    • How to pick the perfect avocado
    • Marinated prawns
    • Salad Dressing
    • How to adapt it
    • What to serve it with
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More prawn recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • A light and fresh salad
    • Ready in under 10 minutes
    • Just a few simple ingredients
    • A new way to enjoy prawns
    • Easy to adapt

    Ingredients needed

    All the ingredients needed to make this recipe with text overlay labels.
    • Salad greens - The base of any good salad, we like to have a good mixture. We have used romaine for crunch, and then spinach for a nutrient boost. Feel free to use your favourite, or whatever you have that needs using. Something like rocket lettuce (arugula) adds a nice peppery flavour too.
    • Prawns - We used cooked king prawns. If you are using raw prawns, then cooking times will vary.
    • Lime and chilli - This is where all the flavour comes from. You might need to use a whole lime if your lime isn't very juicy. If you don't like spicy food, then take the seeds out of the chilli and it won't be as spicy.
    • Avocado - This adds lots of creaminess to the salad and healthy fats too. See below for our tips on choosing the perfect avocado.
    • Herbs - We used coriander, as it goes really well with the lime and chilli. Fresh parsley would work well too.
    • Red onion and cucumber - An easy way to add some crunch and colour to the salad.
    • Salad dressing - We used our Lemon Vinaigrette as a dressing for the salad leaves.

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    Step by step

    One: Mix the prawns with the oil, coriander (cilantro), garlic, lime juice and chilli flakes. Add to a hot pan and fry for 2 minutes.

    Three shot collage of prawns in a bowl, then with marinade added, then cooking in a pan.

    Two: Make the lemon vinaigrette and dress the salad leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl.

    Three shot collage of salad dressing then salad leaves in a bowl, then dressed salad in a bowl.

    Three: Top the lettuce with the cucumber, avocado and cooked prawns.

    Two shot collage of salad in a bowl. The first with lettuce, cucumber and avocado slices, the second with cooked prawns added.

    How to pick the perfect avocado

    The key is to pick a ripe but not over-ripe avocados. We like Hass avocados. Try to look for avocados that give a bit to a gentle squeeze. But you don't want one that it too soft, as it will be over ripe.

    Don't worry if when you cut in to it there are some bruised or brown bits, as you can scoop those out and discard before chopping up the rest up.

    Take a look at our post on different ways to eat avocados.

    Marinated prawns

    The majority of the flavour in this prawn and avocado salad comes from the sesame oil, chilli, lime and herbs that the prawns are cooked in. They are flash fried for just a minute, to take on the flavours and give them a little crispiness. A splash of soy sauce adds some nice flavour too.

    You don't have to add these though, and you could swap them for your favourite seasoning blend like Mexican or Cajun.

    Marinated prawns on top of avocado and salad leaves.

    Salad Dressing

    This prawn and avocado salad doesn't have a dressing in the traditional sense. We have used our Lemon Vinaigrette for the salad leaves.

    However, you could add a dressing if you prefer. A balsamic based dressing would work well with the creaminess of the avocado.

    How to adapt it

    The great thing about salads is that they are so easy to adapt. Switch and swap ingredients to suit your own tastes, or just use whatever you have in the fridge to help reduce food waste. Here are some of our favourite ingredients to add:

    • Grains - Anything like giant couscous, bulgar wheat, wild rice, pasta or orzo works to bulk this salad out and make it a more filling meal.
    • Beans - Give this prawn and avocado salad a protein boost with some cooked beans. Butter beans, chickpeas or black beans all work well, and they add some creaminess too.
    • Vegetables - We love anything that we can add some extra vegetables to, and this salad it just that. Grated carrot is an easy way to do that, and it adds lots of colour too. We also like roasted peppers and artichokes.
    • Fruit - We love fruit in salad (have you tried our Grilled Peach Salad?). Add some sweetness to this salad with some grilled mango or pineapple.
    • Nuts or seeds - To add some crunch to this salad, finish it off with a sprinkle of pine nuts or toasted flaked almonds. Peanuts work well too.

    What to serve it with

    If you want a really light and low calorie salad, then serving this by itself works well. However, we like to turn this in to more of a filling meal with a few sides. Here are some of our favourites:

    • Easy Homemade Flatbreads
    • Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
    • Easy Spanish Rice
    • Baked Tortilla Chips
    • Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Roasted Lemon Asparagus
    • Spanish Olives
    • Greek Potatoes
    • Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
    Prawn salad in a bowl with a spoon.

    FAQs

    Is prawn and avocado salad healthy?

    This is a delicious and nutrient dense salad. Avocados can be quite high in fat, but they are the healthy mono-saturated fats, which are good for the heart. Avocados are also abundant in vitamins K, C, B5, B6, E, folate and potassium. They are full of fibre and can also help to reduce cholesterol and help with eye health. Pretty much the ideal superfood!
    Prawns are not lacking either! Prawns are a good source of selenium, which is one of the most effective antioxidants at maintaining healthy cells. They also contain high levels of zinc, which is important to develop a healthy immune system. 

    How to store a prawn and avocado salad.

    This salad stores for 2 days in the fridge in an air tight container as long as it hasn't been dressed. Adding the dressing will make it go soggy. So, if you think you are going to have leftovers, transfer the extras in to an air tight container before dressing and store it in the fridge.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • To store unused halves of avocado, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge - it will be good until the next day. Don't worry if it goes a little brown, as you can just scrape that bit off and you will be left with bright green avocado.
    • If you are using raw prawns, then cooking times will vary. Make sure prawns are fulling defrosted if you are using frozen prawns.
    • Sprinkle some chopped spring onions (scallions) on top for some extra crunch.

    More prawn recipes

    • A wooden bowl of garlic prawn noodles.
      Garlic Prawn Noodles
    • Prawn and Chorizo Pasta in a bowl with rocket lettuce leaves on top.
      Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
    • Air Fryer King Prawns on a white plate, topped with lemon slices.
      Air Fryer King Prawns
    • Three Crispy Prawn Tacos surrounded by lime wedges and spoons with salsa and sauce.
      Crispy Prawn Tacos

    If you’ve tried this prawn and avocado salad, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Prawn Avocado Salad in a large oval bowl.

    Chilli and Lime Prawn and Avocado Salad

    By: Dannii Martin
    This Chilli and Lime Prawn and Avocado Salad is a tasty lunch or light dinner that proved that salads don't have to be boring.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    4.84 from 56 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: British
    Prep: 3 minutes mins
    Cook: 2 minutes mins
    Total: 5 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 340kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a shrimp.
    Shellfish
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 240 g (9 oz) Mixed lettuce leaves
    • 180 g (6.5 oz) King prawns
    • 0.5 teaspoon Olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
    • 1 Lime - juice only
    • 10 g (0.66 cups) Fresh coriander (cilantro) - finely chopped
    • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
    • 1 Avocado - sliced
    • 0.25 Cucumber - sliced
    • 1 Red onion - thinly sliced
    • 100 ml (0.5 cups) Lemon vinaigrette

    Instructions

    • Mix 180 g King prawns with 0.5 teaspoon Olive oil, 10 g Fresh coriander (cilantro), 2 Garlic clove, juice of 1 Lime and 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes. Add to a hot pan and fry for 2 minutes.
    • Make 100 ml Lemon vinaigrette and dress 240 g Mixed lettuce leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl.
    • Top the lettuce with 0.25 Cucumber, 1 Avocado, 1 Red onion and the cooked prawns.

    Recipe tips

    • To store unused halves of avocado, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place in fridge - it will be good until the next day. Don't worry if it goes a little brown, as you can just scrape that bit off and you will be left with bright green avocado.
    • If you are using raw prawns, then cooking times will vary. Make sure prawns are fulling defrosted if you are using frozen prawns.
    • Sprinkle some chopped spring onions (scallions) on top for some extra crunch.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 564mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1598IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 2mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

    You'll love these too...

    • A red bowl full of green bean salad.
      Green Bean Salad
    • A large bowl of aubergine salad next to a yellow towel.
      Aubergine Salad
    • A bowl of watercress salad with a wooden fork and spoon in it.
      Watercress Salad
    • Asparagus salad on a large round plate.
      Asparagus Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Everything Mummy

      August 18, 2016 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      This sounds so up my street! Love prawns love avocado great recipe xx

      Reply
    2. Candice Nikeia

      August 17, 2016 at 11:50 pm

      Officially making this tonight! Yummy!

      xoxo, Candice

      Reply
    3. This Mama Life

      August 17, 2016 at 10:13 pm

      5 stars
      I'm not a big prawn fan but I love the sound of the flavours in this and it looks super yummy. How good do those tomatoes look?!x

      Reply
    4. amanda

      August 17, 2016 at 10:01 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this looks delicious. I love all of these flavours! xx

      Reply
    5. Steph Oakes

      August 17, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      This looks delicious and some of my favourite flavours. Thanks for sharing x

      Reply
    6. Melanie Edjourian

      August 17, 2016 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      What a great salad, it looks like it would be very filling with a good range of flavours ;-)

      Reply
    7. Hannah

      August 17, 2016 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      This looks so tasty, love how much colour is in the bowl!

      Reply
    8. Tara

      August 16, 2016 at 5:11 pm

      5 stars
      Another fabulous looking recipe, thanks so much!

      Reply
    9. Baby Isabella

      August 16, 2016 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds good but we'd probably leave the chilli flakes out as we're not a big fan of heat xx

      Reply
    10. Fashion and Style Police

      August 16, 2016 at 11:30 am

      5 stars
      I love anything with tomatoes in it. This recipe will be tried here for sure.

      Reply
    11. Anosa

      August 16, 2016 at 11:09 am

      Looks and sounds delicous, love tomatoes in everything over the summer! This is the kind of dish I would make for my lunch when at work, will be trying it this next week. Thanks for sharing... and congratulations!

      Reply
    12. anna nuttall

      August 16, 2016 at 9:53 am

      Yum this look amazing! i might make this sometime soon. xx

      Reply
    13. Rachel

      August 16, 2016 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      I always grow tomatoes, there is something about the scent of them that I adore, and I love the idea of having them with an avocado and some prawns x

      Reply
    14. Vikki Beno

      August 16, 2016 at 7:33 am

      I never knew that cucumbers grew like that! I would love some more helpful gardening posts, as we are moving at the end of the year and I want to plant some things next summer, but nothing too complicated.

      Reply
    15. Cara

      August 16, 2016 at 7:31 am

      I have made this for my lunch tomorrow. It's too hot for anything other than a salad and I have loads of avocado that needs using up. I have put a whole avocado on this.

      Reply
    16. Tandy | Lavender and Lime

      August 16, 2016 at 4:53 am

      5 stars
      My tomatoes failed dismally but I'm going to move the pot and try again. On weekends when I'm doing a lot of cooking for the blog I manage more than 10 000 steps with ease. Not so during the week when I'm working. Lovely salad Dannii

      Reply
    17. mira

      August 16, 2016 at 1:21 am

      5 stars
      Healthy and delicious! This salad looks beautiful!

      Reply
    18. WhatLauraLoves

      August 15, 2016 at 11:57 pm

      Oh this looks absolutely gorgeous, the perfect lunch! I prefer my avocado all smashed up so I reckon I'd do that then blob it on! xxx

      Reply
    19. Liz Mays

      August 15, 2016 at 11:32 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yum! I know I'd like this. It would be a nice way to incorporate shrimp in a healthy way. My family loves shrimp.

      Reply
    20. Rhian Westbury

      August 15, 2016 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      Chilli flavoured prawns are my favourites, this looks like such a nice salad x

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Made this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Prawn avocado salad with a text title overlay.
    Dannii in hat and glasses stood on a beach.

    Welcome!
    My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.
    Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

    About HHH»

    Salad Recipes

    • A red bowl full of green bean salad.
      Green Bean Salad
    • A large bowl of aubergine salad next to a yellow towel.
      Aubergine Salad
    • A bowl of watercress salad with a wooden fork and spoon in it.
      Watercress Salad
    • Asparagus salad on a large round plate.
      Asparagus Salad
    • Halloumi salad on a round blue plate.
      Halloumi Salad
    • Rocket salad in a large serving bowl.
      Rocket Salad

    Featured in

    Collage of media outlet logos.

    Popular Recipes

    • A pile of air fryer chips.
      The Best Air Fryer Chips
    • 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry on a blue and white plate.
      10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry
    • Easy tomato pasta sauce coating tagliatelle on a white plate.
      Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce
    • Slow cooker beef brisket sliced up on a serving board.
      Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

    Footer

    Prawn avocado salad with a text title overlay.

    Help & Information

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Advertising
    • Blog

    About us

    • About us
    • Newsletter Sign Up!
    • Press enquiries
    • Web Stories
    • FAQ

    Follow us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

    ^ back to top

    Featured in

    A selection of publications that Hungry Healthy Happy has been featured in

    As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2011-2023 Hungry Healthy Happy • All Rights Reserved • Site Design by D Martin

    • 383
    498 shares