Nourishing Chicken Salad Recipe

This Nutritious Chicken Salad is creamy, refreshing, and loaded with protein! Crafted with tender chicken, Greek yogurt instead of mayo, crunchy celery, grapes, and sliced almonds. A tasty, simple lunch or meal prep choice you’ll find yourself making repeatedly!

Everyone ought to have a solid chicken salad recipe handy, and this protein-rich Nourishing Chicken Salad is incredibly delicious! It features a classic mix of tender chicken, sweet grapes, crunchy celery, green onions, and sliced almonds. We’ve replaced the mayo with Greek yogurt, adding dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, and various spices! Ideal for quick lunches, hassle-free meal prep, potlucks, or a straightforward dinner when you’re not in the mood to cook.

Reasons You’ll Enjoy This

• Lighter option – we’re using Greek yogurt in place of mayo, making it creamy while reducing heaviness. With over 41 grams of protein per serving, it’s the perfect lunch!
• Fast and simple – this is the ultimate healthy chicken salad that can be prepared in just minutes with wholesome, straightforward ingredients.
• Ideal for meal prep – this Greek yogurt chicken salad remains fresh and tasty for days, making it perfect for meal prep for your weekly lunches.
• Flexible – this easy chicken salad recipe can be easily customized with your favorite add-ins and flavors.

Ingredients for Chicken Salad

• chicken – any type of cooked chicken breast works for this recipe. I particularly enjoy using rotisserie chicken (shredded or diced) for its flavor and convenience. You can also quickly cook boneless skinless chicken breasts using my air fryer chicken recipe.
• celery – adds a satisfying crunch to the chicken salad.
• red grapes – fresh grapes deliver delightful bursts of sweetness in every bite! Alternatively, you can swap the grapes for dried cranberries, dried cherries, raisins, or diced apples.
• green onions – provides flavor and a splash of color without overwhelming the dish. You may also opt for red onion or white onion if you prefer a stronger onion flavor.
• greek yogurt – a fantastic protein-rich alternative to mayonnaise that tastes amazing when blended with these other ingredients. I used plain Greek yogurt.
• dijon mustard – adds a nice kick to the chicken salad.
• lemon juice – brightens the salad and enhances its fresh flavor. You might also want to include a touch of lemon zest.
• celery seed – an essential ingredient in this recipe that intensifies the salad’s flavor.
• sliced almonds – similar to celery, these almonds give texture and a pleasant crunch. You can replace them with pecans, walnuts, or cashews.
• fresh parsley – I love incorporating fresh herbs into salads like this, and parsley is always a great choice. You can also consider fresh dill, tarragon, basil, or cilantro for a different flavor profile.
• salt + black pepper – necessary for seasoning the chicken salad and enhancing its flavor.

Steps to Make Healthy Chicken Salad

• Prepare the chicken. Shred or cut your cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can shred the chicken using two forks, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a simple chicken shredder tool.
• Create the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
• Combine the salad. Mix the chicken with the creamy dressing, along with the celery, grapes, almonds, green onions, and parsley. Stir well until everything is thoroughly coated.
• Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy. Serve this flavorful chicken salad on slices of bread, atop a salad, or check out my serving suggestions below!

Ways to Serve Chicken Salad

• In a sandwich – spread this on whole grain bread, sourdough, or croissants with some lettuce and tomato slices for delicious chicken salad sandwiches.
• Stuffed in a wrap or pita – wrap it in a tortilla or stuff it in pita bread for a convenient and portable lunch.
• Lettuce wraps – for a low-carb option, ditch the bread and serve with lettuce leaves for a light and refreshing lunch.
• On top of salad greens – for an extra boost of protein, serve it over a bed of lettuce leaves like romaine, spinach, or arugula for the ultimate salad.
• With crackers or pita chips – enjoy it as a dip with crackers or pita chips for a tasty snack.
• With sliced veggies – pair with cucumber slices, bell peppers, celery, carrots, or other crunchy veggies for a healthy snack.
• Just on its own – savor it directly from the bowl with a spoon for a delightful high-protein snack or lunch!

Substitutions and Variations

• Protein – we are using shredded chicken in this salad (rotisserie chicken is excellent), but you can easily swap it for canned tuna for a healthy tuna salad.
• Veggies – feel free to incorporate extra veggies like sliced cucumber, grated carrots, or even more fresh herbs.
• Pasta – transform this into a fun pasta salad for a crowd by mixing in elbow macaroni and a bit of extra dressing!
• Mayo – we opted for Greek yogurt to enhance creaminess and reduce calories and fat, but you’re welcome to replace yogurt with mayonnaise or sour cream.
• Cheese – there’s no cheese in this particular recipe, but you could add in some crumbled feta or goat cheese for a new flavor.

How to Store Chicken Salad

Leftover chicken salad can be kept in a sealed, airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3-5 days, making it excellent for meal prep! It tastes best chilled, so ensure to cool the chicken salad for about 2 hours after preparation before serving.

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I hope you all love this fantastic Chicken Salad recipe! If you enjoy it as much as we do, please share a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your yummy recreations!