Creamy Keto Chicken Salad
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My keto chicken salad recipe is the perfect fuss-free, low-carb lunch or light dinner. It’s crunchy, creamy, sweet, and only 1 gram of net carbs per serving!
Salads often get a bad rap for being boring, but my easy keto chicken salad recipe is anything but that. There’s no lettuce or fillers, just hearty, flavorful ingredients that even non-keto readers will love.
It’s easy to assume that chicken salad is naturally low carb, but in reality, many salads are high in sugar from dressings and mayonnaise. When testing this recipe, I initially added a little keto maple syrup, but found it overpowering. Instead, I add fun mix-ins, like grapes, which also add pops of sweetness throughout.
My salad features diced chicken with celery, nuts, and a simple mayo dressing. I typically use leftover chicken, but you can prep any of my simple chicken recipes if you like.
Why I love this low carb chicken salad recipe
- Uses leftover chicken. I make this whenever I have leftover roasted or poached chicken. It takes 5 minutes and saves me the trouble of thinking about lunch.
- Interesting textures and flavors. Juicy chicken, sweet grapes, crunchy almonds, and creamy mayo- every bite has something different going on.
- Ready in minutes. Simply mix all the ingredients, then chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- Just like classic chicken salad. There are zero quirky ingredients or substitutions in this recipe. What you see is what you get.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“My husband and I follow Keto (to the best of our ability), and this recipe is outstanding. So easy to make and delicious! We love all of your recipes!” – Mary
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Chicken breast. Keep it simple: boil or bake chicken breasts, then chop them into bite-sized pieces. If you only have chicken thighs, that’ll work just as well.
- Grapes. I prefer using red grapes because they’re sweet and help balance out the other ingredients. And yes, while grapes are a higher-carb fruit, we’re only adding a small amount, so it won’t significantly increase the carb content. Barbara, in the comments, used plums instead of grapes and said they worked beautifully- firm and sweet.
- Celery. Finely chopped for texture without being chunky.
- Mayonnaise. Skip the store-bought varieties, which often contain added sugar, and make your own with avocado oil, eggs, Dijon, and lemon juice.
- Green onions. Adds a subtle peppery flavor that balances the creaminess of the mayonnaise.
- Flaked almonds. Gives the salad some crunchy texture and a subtle nuttiness that works so well in a creamy salad.
How to make keto chicken salad
Step 1- Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until well combined.
Step 2- Serve or chill. Serve immediately or cover and chill for two hours.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make it in advance. You can prepare this salad up to five hours in advance. In fact, the extra time gives the flavors a chance to mesh and taste even better. Just remember to give it a good mix right before serving.
- Save time. Use a rotisserie chicken or canned chicken in water instead. Fun hack: I like Costco rotisserie chicken because it’s not only the cheapest but also has the least seasoning.
- Make sure your chicken is cold. Make sure it’s completely cold before making the chicken salad. Otherwise, it’ll melt the mayo and ruin the consistency of the other ingredients.
Recipe variations
- Add bacon. Fold in ½ cup of cooked, cooled, chopped bacon, and sprinkle extra on top before serving. My partner’s non-negotiable addition.
- Add cheese. Like feta, cheddar, or gorgonzola.
- Add avocado. Fold in avocado chunks for extra richness and healthy fats.
- Make it creamier. Replace half the mayonnaise with softened and whipped cream cheese. I do this when I want this to be more indulgent.
- Or make it tangier. Swap ¼ cup of mayonnaise for yellow or Dijon mustard.
- Add some crunch. Swap out the sliced almonds for roughly chopped walnuts.
- Lower the fat. Instead of using all mayonnaise, sub half of it with Greek or plain yogurt, and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt (it’ll still be keto-friendly).
- Fold in some spices. I add curry powder when I want a completely different flavor profile.
Storage and make-ahead tips
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
To make ahead: Prepare the salad up to five hours in advance. This gives the flavors time to develop. It genuinely tastes better after a few hours.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. I’ve had success making the dressing with a mix of sour cream and Greek yogurt (with added salt) and also with one of my keto salad dressings.
This recipe may be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge the day before serving. Saying that, don’t be concerned if you notice the mayo separate when it thaws- just give everything a good mix and add an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise to bring it back together.
I love this salad stuffed into toasted keto rolls, served as a lettuce wrap or in keto tortillas, or as a dip with keto crackers or keto tortilla chips.
Keto Chicken Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken breast cooked and cubed
- 1/4 cup red grapes halved
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dill optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add your chicken, grapes, and celery and mix until combined. Add the mayonnaise and mix well. Add the green onion, sliced almonds, salt, pepper, and dill, and mix until fully combined.
- Serve immediately or cover and chill for two hours.
Notes
Nutrition
More low carb salad recipes
- Keto broccoli salad– I make this whenever I want something high fiber and fresh.
- Avocado chicken salad– If you want something creamy yet mayo-free, this is the salad for you.
- Steak salad– Juicy steak atop a bright, fresh salad with blue cheese crumbles.
- Kani salad– I gave a low carb makeover to a typically high-carb salad.
- Cauliflower potato salad– I tested this recipe so many times to mask any cauliflower flavor.
This was really delicious thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome, Charann- I’m so glad you enjoyed this twist on a chicken salad 🙂
I did half mayo and half cream cheese and we really liked it. No grapes although I may try to add boiled eggs and chopped up pineapple and pecans next time.
Oh wow, N. Please let me know how it goes with the boiled eggs and pineapples/pecans- those would add such a fabulous sweet/savory flavor.
This looks fantastic, but the sodium level is very high. What can I change or omit to reduce it. Thanks!
Hi Pam! You can completely omit the salt, especially if your chicken is heavily pre-seasoned 🙂
Very tasty! Can you tell me how much is considered a serving for this, please?
My favorite chicken salad ever. I have some just about everyday on my low carb, low sugar lifestyle.
My husband and I follow Keto (to the best of our ability) and this recipe is outstanding. So easy to make and delicious! We love all of your recipes!
I really appreciate that, Mary. So glad you enjoy the recipes 🙂
Yummo
Unbelievably fantastic. The plums were firm sweet, just had to cut into small pieces. Enjoyable! Thank you for the beginning of a great meal…lol
Just reading the recipe, I will be making this salad tonight for dinner.The only thing that will be missing is grapes. I bought two other fruits. But may try plums in it instead. Thank you for your blog. I will be enjoying your site.
Oh wow- how did it turn out with plums? I’m so intrigued!