Healthy and Tasty Chicken Salad Recipe

This Nutritious Chicken Salad is rich, refreshing, and loaded with protein! Crafted with tender chicken, Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, crunchy celery, grapes, and sliced almonds. An easy and delicious choice for lunch or meal prepping that you’ll find yourself making over and over!

Every kitchen should have a solid chicken salad recipe, and this protein-rich Nutritious Chicken Salad is absolutely scrumptious! A timeless blend of tender chicken, sweet grapes, crisp celery, green onions, and sliced almonds. We’ve replaced mayo with Greek yogurt combined with dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, and various seasonings! Ideal for quick lunches, effortless meal prep, potluck gatherings, or an easy dinner when cooking feels like too much hassle.

Reasons to Love This

• Lighter recipe – by opting for protein-rich Greek yogurt instead of mayo, it remains creamy while being less heavy. Each serving contains over 41 grams of protein, making it the perfect lunch!
• Quick and effortless – this is the ultimate healthy chicken salad that assembles in just minutes using simple, wholesome ingredients.
• Perfect for meal prep – this Greek yogurt chicken salad holds its freshness and flavor for days, making it ideal for meal prepping your lunches throughout the week.
• Flexible – easily modify this basic chicken salad recipe with your favorite ingredients and flavors.

Ingredients for Chicken Salad

• chicken – any kind of cooked chicken breast works for this recipe. I particularly enjoy using rotisserie chicken (shredded or cubed) for its flavor and convenience. You can also refer to my air fryer chicken recipe for quickly preparing boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• celery – this adds a delightful crunch to the chicken salad.
• red grapes – fresh grapes contribute bursts of sweetness in every bite! You can also replace the grapes with dried cranberries, dried cherries, raisins, or diced apples.
• green onions – enhances flavor and adds a splash of color without being too strong. If you prefer a bolder onion flavor, red or white onion can work too.
• greek yogurt – a wonderful protein-packed alternative to mayonnaise that tastes fantastic when blended with all the other ingredients. I used plain Greek yogurt.
• dijon mustard – adds some zest to this chicken salad.
• lemon juice – brightens up the salad and provides a nice fresh taste. You’re welcome to add some lemon zest as well.
• celery seed – essential in this recipe, really elevates the taste of the salad.
• sliced almonds – similar to the celery, these almonds provide texture and delightful crunch. Other nuts you might consider are pecans, walnuts, or cashews.
• fresh parsley – I enjoy adding fresh herbs to salads like this, and parsley is never a bad choice. You can also incorporate fresh dill, tarragon, basil, or cilantro for a different flavor profile.
• salt + black pepper – important for seasoning the chicken salad and enhancing flavor.

Steps to Create Healthy Chicken Salad

• Prepare the chicken. Shred or chop your cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can either use two forks to shred the chicken, employ the paddle attachment of your stand mixer to shred, or utilize a simple chicken shredder tool.
• Create the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
• Combine the salad. Mix the prepared chicken into the creamy dressing, adding the celery, grapes, almonds, green onions, and parsley. Stir well until everything is thoroughly coated.
• Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to enjoy. This flavorful chicken salad can be served on bread or atop a bed of greens. See all my serving suggestions below!

Serving Suggestions for Chicken Salad

• As a sandwich – layer this onto whole grain bread, sourdough, or croissants with lettuce and tomato slices for yummy chicken salad sandwiches.
• Wrapped in a tortilla or pita – roll this up in a tortilla or stuff it in pita bread for an easy, portable lunch.
• Lettuce wraps – for a low-carb choice, swap the bread for lettuce leaves for a fresh, light lunch.
• On salad greens – for an added protein kick, serve it on a bed of lettuce like romaine, spinach, or arugula for the ultimate salad experience.
• With crackers or pita chips – enjoy it as a dip with crackers or pita chips for a tasty snack.
• With fresh veggies – pair with cucumber slices, bell peppers, celery, carrots, or other crunchy vegetables for a healthy munch.
• By itself – dig in with a spoon right from the bowl for a satisfying, high-protein snack or lunch!

Substitutions and Variations

• Protein – we’re including shredded chicken in this salad (rotisserie chicken is fantastic), but you can easily substitute the chicken with canned tuna for a healthy tuna salad instead.
• Veggies – feel free to incorporate additional vegetables like sliced cucumbers, shredded 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 more of the dressing!
• Mayo – we’ve opted for Greek yogurt for creaminess and to reduce calories and fat, but you can certainly replace the yogurt with mayonnaise or sour cream if desired.
• Cheese – although cheese isn’t included here, sprinkling in some crumbled feta or goat cheese can add a lovely twist.

Storing Chicken Salad

You can keep leftover chicken salad in a sealed, airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3-5 days, making it perfect for meal prepping! It tastes best served cold, so ensure you chill the chicken salad for about 2 hours before enjoying it right after preparing.

Additional Chicken Salad Recipes

More Tasty Salads

Hope you enjoy this wonderful Chicken Salad recipe! If you adore it as much as we do, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below. Remember to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!