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My healthy chicken salad is creamy, hearty, and packed with protein. Half the mayonnaise is swapped for Greek yogurt, and it is perfect scooped on bread, over a salad, or on its own.
My family is obsessed with my healthy tuna salad, and since we always have leftover chicken on hand, subbing the tuna for chicken was a no-brainer.
My recipe uses kitchen staples and the perfect ratio of healthy ingredients to make a better alternative to traditional chicken salad. I use equal parts mayo and Greek yogurt to cut down on the fat, but I promise you, it does not detract from the taste. It’s full of delicious textures, too- a little crunch and plenty of creaminess. I enjoy it in lettuce wraps, though you could easily pile it in a tortilla or serve it with crackers.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- High protein. Each serving packs 37 grams of protein.
- Fast. It takes me about 5 minutes to put everything together.
- Convenient. Use leftover rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or last night’s chicken dinner.
If you’re as obsessed with chicken salad as we are, try my rotisserie chicken salad, avocado chicken salad, chicken salad with grapes, or low-carb chicken salad next!
How to make healthy chicken salad
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2- Mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe variations
I love this salad as is, but it’s easy to customize. Try one or all the additions below.
- Add some fruit. Add diced apples, red grapes, or dried cranberries for sweetness and texture.
- Change up the seasonings. Season the chicken (or the chicken salad) with garlic powder, onion powder, or even a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Add some crunch. Fold in sliced almonds, walnuts, cashews, or pecans for healthy fats and crunch.
- Fresh herbs. Swap the parsley for fresh dill, basil, green onions, or tarragon.
Storage and make-ahead instructions
To store: The chicken salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you’re using leftover chicken, consider how long it has been refrigerated.
Make ahead: To make this in advance, prepare as instructed up to one day before serving.
More healthy lunch recipes
- Salad wraps
- Curry egg salad
- Steak salad
- Jennifer Aniston salad
- Or any of these healthy lunch ideas
If you’ve enjoyed this Healthy Chicken Salad recipe, please give it a star rating. It really helps others think of making this recipe.
Healthy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked chicken breast chopped * See notes
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1/4 medium red onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add the diced chicken, celery, onion, parsley, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard to a large mixing bowl.
- Add salt and pepper and mix until combined. Taste to make sure it is salty enough. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld together.
- Serve over bread, in a salad, in lettuce cups, or on their own.
Notes
- Chill the salad. While it does taste delicious freshly made, it tastes even better after its been chilled for at least 30 minutes.
- Stir right before serving. I’ve noticed there can be some separation after the chicken salad has time to chill, so give it a good stir right before serving.
- Dice everything to size. Personally, I like my chicken salad uniform so it can build the perfect sandwich.
- Leftovers. Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. If you’re using leftover chicken, take into account how long the chicken has been refrigerated.
