Easy Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe

What Is Chicken Salad

It’s not complicated: a Chicken salad is any salad with chicken as the main ingredient. This kind of salad uses a binding ingredient like mayo, mustard, or a salad dressing to hold all of the ingredients together.

Other common ingredients include hard-boiled eggs, celery, peppers, onions, pickles, nuts, and grapes. Chicken salad is typically creamy, chunky, and a combination of sweet and savory flavors.

It is usually served chilled and with bread.

The Best Chicken Salad With Grapes

Youre going to start with your pre-cooked chicken. Use your Instant Pot to easily meal prep chicken breasts, or you can also use canned chicken.

Dice your celery and onion and slice the grapes.

Next, mix up your dressing for this chicken salad. Remember, this is a healthy chicken salad recipe with no mayo, so we are going to use 0% Greek Yogurt.

When the chicken is shredded or chopped, the vegetables and grapes are diced and the dressing is made, simply toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavors to meld together!

How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?

As with most things, this healthy chicken salad with grapes can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days for maximum freshness.

Use an air-tight container for storage, and you can be sure it will taste great!

If this chicken salad is left out of refrigeration for over two hours, it would be best to toss it .

Other Greek Yogurt Recipes

Plain 0% Greek Yogurt can be a very versatile protein source, and I use it often in my kitchen.

Here are a few other ways you can use Greek Yogurt in recipes:

Why This Chicken Salad Healthy Works

• Authentic taste: By still using a touch of mayo, you retain classic chicken salad taste.
• Fresh ingredients: Herbs such as parsley or dill add loads of flavor you would be missing if you used dried.
• Easy: By using leftover chicken, this salad recipe can be on the table in 15 minutes.
• Healthy: No guilt here as this salad only contains 145c and 11g of fat compared vs. 310c and 25g of fat in the original!
• Budget friendly: I omitted grapes as they tend to be a costly fruit and you can use whatever nuts you have on hand in your pantry!

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How To Shred Chicken

Oh, good ol shredded chicken! In these recipes, we used shredded chicken as our base because its super easy to make. Weve got two simple tutorials on Fit Foodie Finds where we show you how to shred chicken in no time.

The first one is done in the Instant Pot and the second one is done in the slow cooker. You can totally make shredded chicken in the oven and on the stove-top as well, we just find these two methods as the easiest!

• Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Easy Side Salad Recipes

These quick and easy side salads will complement just about any meal. And bonus, most of them only require 10 minutes to make cant beat that!

• Easy Cucumber Salad: This light, cooling salad is as easy as slicing up some cucumbers and red onions, and tossing them with fresh dill, and a lightly sweetened vinaigrette.
• Massaged Kale Salad: Wonder how to get your kale super soft in a salad? Just massage it with olive oil! Then pair it with some lemon juice, salt, and fresh parmesan for the perfect winter side salad.
• Israeli Salad: Inspired by my travels to Israel, this vibrant, fresh salad is always my go-to for a summer side. Its a mound of fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and loads of fresh herbs. Just how I like it.
• Lentil Salad with Cucumber: This throw-together salad is a combo of fresh veggies and lentils, with hints of sweet dates. A sweet and savory combo!

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Substitutions For Buffalo Chicken Salad

This chicken salad is SO versatile. You can easily customize it with whatever you like/dont like or have on hand. Here are some ideas for you:

Chicken You can sub chicken for tuna if youd like. We also have a Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad recipe. I have not tried canned chicken in this recipe but I think it would work. If you need an easy recipe for cooking chicken, try either our crockpot shredded chicken or instant pot shredded chicken.

Yogurt I like to use plain, unflavored, non-fat greek yogurt in this recipe. You can use 1%, 2%, or full-fat yogurt if you like. We dont recommend using flavored/sweetened yogurt in this recipe. I have not made this recipe without yogurt. Mayo might work but I cant be sure without trying it.

Parsley- If you dont have fresh parsley, you can sub with 1/4 the amount of dried parsley. If you dont have or like parsley you can substitute with some fresh dill, thyme, or even basil!

Dairy Free I have not tried this with dairy free yogurt, but I think it would work. Make sure that your yogurt is unsweetened, plain yogurt.

Grilled Chicken This salad is great with leftover grilled chicken.

Celery If you dont like or dont have celery, you can omit it.

Lower Salt: Buffalo Sauce is a high sodium food and makes this recipe high in sodium. If you eat a low sodium diet, look for a low sodium buffalo sauce.

Tips For Making Healthy Chicken Salad

As I mentioned above, I prefer cooking my chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. But of course you could poach, bake, or use rotisserie chicken as well.

If you dont have tarragon on hand, or arent a fan, use a flat-leaf parsley, dill, or thyme instead.

I used nonfat Greek yogurt because I like the tang it adds to the healthy chicken salad, but youre welcome to use low-fat or full fat as well. Just be sure to use plain Greek yogurt!

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Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe Ingredients:

• Shredded chicken
• Greek Yogurt *
• Celery salt*
• Pepper

My secret ingredients in my recipe for chicken salad sandwiches are marked above Greek Yogurt and Celery Salt. Both make this the best chicken salad recipe you have ever tasted!

Now that you have the ingredient list for my homemade chicken salad recipe, we can get on to the chicken salad how to make section.

Make the best chicken salad recipe sandwich, and save fat and calories with my healthy ingredient swap.

How To Serve Chicken Salad

• Sandwich layer this on slices of bread with some lettuce and tomato slices
• Wrap roll this up in a tortilla or even a lettuce wrap for the perfect lunch
• Leafy green salad top it on a bed of leafy greens for the ultimate salad
• Dip serve it up with some crackers or chips for a delicious summer dip

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Healthy Salad Recipes Are On A Rise

As I was putting this fun delicious roundup together for you, I was looking at all the salad recipes from my site. I realized I had an overwhelming amount of chicken salad recipes, dont get me wrong Ive got a good amount of steak salads too! But chicken is the winner by far and large! Sooo here they are. All of my favorite light & easy chicken salad recipes in one spot and for your pinning, printing and making pleasure. Even if you go through each and every one of these recipes I guarantee you still wont be board of salads. In fact, youll be begging for more!

Bon Appetit friends!

An easy light Blackberry Kiwi Balsamic Chicken Salad thats naturally gluten free. This baby is filled with fresh fruit, feta cheese, tender chicken then covered in Balsamic Dressing!

Watch out Taco Tuesday! This 30 Minute Chicken Fajita Salad is gonna be a new favorite! Filled with chipotle chicken, sautéd peppers and onions, creamy avocado and drizzled with a zesty Chimichurri Dressing.

Any Buffalo Wings lovers out there? Well now you can have your wings and not feel guilty about it! This Grilled Buffalo Chicken Salad is smothered in buffalo sauce and filled with grilled vegetables for one delicious bite!

A meal done in 15 minutes? Yes please! This LIGHT & EASY CRANBERRY CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE is high in protein and gluten free! Made with yogurt, dijon mustard, herbs, and fresh lemon then tossed with pecans and cranberries.

DONT MISS A RECIPE ->

Ranch Chicken Salad Cups

This Ranch-inspired chicken salad makes the most of bright, tangy flavors like sour cream, buttermilk, scallion and dill to create a chicken salad that compliments the vibrant summer produce at your local farmers market . Mixed with tomatoes, avocado, bacon and lots of shredded chicken, this homemade Ranch dressing will highlight the sweet tomatoes, creamy avocado and salty bacon. If you want to add more veggies to your meal, serve the salad in lettuce cups and top with additional tomatoes.

Get the Recipe: Ranch Chicken Salad Cups

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Healthy Chicken Salad Recipes

The addition of curry powder gives this chicken salad a surprising kick. Only a small amount of mayonnaise is used . The creamy factor comes from nonfat yogurt, which also adds refreshing tartness. Tossing in red grapes at the end adds just the right amount of sweetness.

You wont find even a hint of mayo in this tasty chicken salad. The star ingredient is ginger. The chicken is poached in chicken broth with ginger, coriander, scallions and carrot before being tossed in zesty ginger dressing. Serving it up in lettuce cups makes for an elegant app or main dish.

Can I Freeze Chicken Salad

I would not recommend freezing chicken salad. It tends to get watery after thawing out. However, if you choose to freeze it. Place it in a freezer safe storage bag, remove all the air from the bag and store up to two months. When ready to serve, thaw out in the refrigerator for 24 hours. I would highly recommend adding more mayo to thicken it up or it will be runny.

If youre in a need of a healthy and easy lunch idea, this recipe is it! It feeds an army and is freakin delicious!

Bon Appetit friends!

• Yield:6 cups of chicken salad 1x
• Category:Lunch

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About This Chicken Salad

I have to say that Im extremely happy with how this chicken salad turned out! The walnuts give a subtle crunch and offer a fantastic nutty flavor. The celery provides a more pronounced crunch and freshness.

The yogurt dressing with with apple cider vinegar and celery seeds is the perfect dressing to tie this all together I promise you wont even miss mayonnaise. Making this recipe with Greek yogurt not only decreases fat and keeps it low in calories but it also adds protein to help keep you satisfied for hours.

With 22 grams of protein and 265 calories per serving, this chicken salad is going to keep you full all afternoon. You get the bonus omega-3s from the walnuts and antioxidants from the dried cranberries. Its one of my absolute favorite lunches right now.

Yum, if only I had homemade sweet potato chips or my favorite sweet potato wedges with Chinese five spice, my day would be complete

Healthy Chicken Salad Without Mayo

This post is in partnership with Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt who has compensated me to create a recipe using their product. All opinions are my own.

Continuing with tradition is so good in so many ways. But continuing to evolve is even better.

I mean, why use the answering machine when you have voice mail at your fingertips instead? And why tool your baby around in an old-fashioned pram instead of an easy-to-transport collapsible baby stroller? And just think of what wed all sound like if language didnt change over time If your great umbrage would care to meet my high dudgeon at 12 paces, I would be happy to entertain you at dawn.

Huh?

So while this avocado chicken salad has a whole lot of the classic flavors it has also taken a turn for the healthy by subbing in mashed avocado mixed with Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt in place of the typical mayonnaise binder.

This change is good, and good for you, friends.

Using Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt as a substitute for mayonnaise is just one of the many reasons for adding it to your diet, including these healthful yogurt facts:

And those are just a few reasons that putting a new spin on a classic can be a really good thing.

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My Simple Trick For Making Shredded Chicken Breasts

Shredded chicken breast is the foundation of this salad but Im not a big fan of standing at the counter trying to shred chicken breasts with forks. It takes too long! So instead I cook my chicken breasts and then use the paddle attachment in my KitchenAid stand mixer to shred the cooked chicken. Any cooking method works for this so just go with your favorite. You can boil, roast, grill or pan sear your chicken breasts then toss them in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Set your mixer to high speed and let it do all the hard work for you in about 45 seconds.

How To Grill Chicken For The Salad

Make sure to grill chicken breasts or pan-sear on medium-low heat, so chicken doesnt burn and ends up undercooked in the inside. As already said above, pounding or slicing the chicken breasts horizontally will make them thinner and easier to cook. Internal temperature of the cooked chicken should reach 165ºF .

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Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Faq:

Can I use greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise?

Greek yogurt can be used instead of mayonnaise pretty much interchangeably. Its great in baked goods, savory recipes and especially chicken salad.

Is Greek yogurt better than mayo?

Greek yogurt is better for you than mayo. Its higher in protein, lower in calories, and lower in fat!

How do you make Greek yogurt taste like Mayo?

The easiest way to make greek yogurt taste like mayo is to add a little bit of fat to it, or buy a higher fat greek yogurt. Adding a little olive oil to your greek yogurt will help thin it out and give it a similar mouth feel to mayo.

How bad is chicken salad for you?

Chicken salad really isnt bad for you, but it could easily be made healthier with a few swaps. Using greek yogurt in place of mayo considerably cuts down on the fat content. Using chicken breasts/lean meat instead of dark meat can also help make chicken salad better for you!

How To Make This Buffalo Chicken Salad

• Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
• While the chicken is cooking, place the romaine lettuce in a bowl and toss it with dressing. Arrange the celery, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, and blue cheese on top of the lettuce.
• Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and toss with buffalo sauce to coat. Add more buffalo sauce if you prefer a spicier chicken.
• Place the chicken on top of the salad and serve.

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Add The Fruits And Nuts

• The hallmark of a great chicken salad is the mix-ins. In my opinion, chicken salad needs some crunchiness and chewiness to become more interesting.
• I like to add green apples and nuts for crunch. If you don’t like the tartness of the apple you could add more sweetness by using red seedless grapes instead.
• For dried fruits, I add both golden and traditional raisins for a wonderful sweet chewiness. But you could also add cranberries or dried apricots too.

Comforting Chicken Breast Recipes

• Baked Caprese Chicken – This delicious baked Caprese chicken recipe combines juicy chicken breasts, mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and pesto for a flavorful meal!
• Quick & Easy Chicken Tikka Masala – This creamy, delicious chicken tikka masala is ready in about 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal. Serve it with naan or rice for a delightful meal.
• Healthy Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe – An easy chicken fajita casserole recipe that is made in one pan with only a few ingredients. A healthy, quick and delicious dinner.
• Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk– This creamy chicken curry with coconut milk is a lush dinner recipe. Served with rice or naan it’s total comfort food.
• Lemon Herb Chicken with Rice Pilaf – Lemon Herb Chicken Breasts with Rice Pilaf is one dinner the whole family will love.
• Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets – Crispy baked chicken nuggets made with Panko breadcrumbs, served with a 2-ingredient homemade honey mustard for dipping. The best healthy chicken nuggets and back to school snack!
• Lemon Butter Chicken – Make this tender and juicy lemon butter chicken for a quick weeknight dinner. It comes together in under 30 minutes using pantry staples.
• Coconut Lime Chicken – This Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken Breasts is a one pan, Whole 30 approved dish made with only a handful of ingredients.

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