15-Minute Healthy Chicken Salad

Say hello to my fave healthy chicken salad--a foolproof, no-cook lunch that's super flavorful and filling. Made with Greek yogurt, lemon, and a splash of olive oil (no mayo needed!) plus crunchy veggies, grapes, and toasted walnuts, it's anything but boring. Scoop it up with crackers or pile on toasted sourdough with lettuce. With a whopping 35g protein, it's fab for meal prep since it stays moist and crunchy for days.

I can't lie...chicken salad didn't win me over until my thirties. Maybe it's a renewed appreciation for quick, better-for-you meals in this busy season of life?

It was nothing to write home about until my lightened up honey mustard chicken salad entered the chat. Give me flavor. Give me brightness! Give me texture! And now? This classic Greek yogurt version is the one I make on repeat.

In true Hummusapien fashion, we're giving retro chicken salad a serious glow-up with vibrant pops of color, crave-worthy crunch, and bold, fresh flavors.

Notes from recipe testing

• A worthy mayo stand-in: Most recipes swap mayo for Greek yogurt and stop there; but I find that a glug of olive oil offers richness and depth of flavor that yogurt lacks. (The dietitian in my loves the heart health benefits, too.) The key is combining the two. I tested this with nonfat greek yogurt and 2% and I found 2% yummier and more satisfying. Fat will do that!
• Herbs: You definitely want some dried (I always have) or fresh (if you have) to add that flavor punch. Without the dill I felt it was missing something. When I made it with fresh parsley I loved that, too.
• Lemon juice: A lot of healthy chicken salad recipes call for a LOT of lemon juice and with the tang of the yogurt, it leans too acidic for me. It took a bit of trial and error but 1 ½ tbsp is the perfect brightness while it still tasting classic.
• Fruit and veg heavy: Go big or go home! That's the energy we're bringing to this chicken salad. I like a ton of texture and crunch so I developed this recipe doing plenty of celery and grapes.

Let's make it!

Storing leftovers

Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It ages like a fine wine and doesn't get watery.

Be a dear and let me know with a comment and star rating if you lunch on this one!

15-Minute Healthy Chicken Salad (with Greek yogurt!)

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• Author: Alexis Joseph, MS, RD
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 5 cups (4 servings) 1x
• Category: Burgers and Sandwiches
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten-Free

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Description

Say hello to my fave healthy chicken salad--a foolproof, no-cook lunch that's super flavorful and filling. Made with Greek yogurt, lemon, and a splash of olive oil (no mayo needed!) plus crunchy veggies, grapes, and toasted walnuts, it's anything but boring. Scoop it up with crackers or pile on toasted sourdough with lettuce. With a whopping 35g protein, it's fab for meal prep since it stays moist and crunchy for days.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt (I recommend 2% or higher)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard*
• 1 tbsp dried dill (or 3 tbsp fresh, can sub parsley)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp black pepper, more to taste
• ½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped and toasted
• 2 ½ cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken breast*
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• ⅓ cup chopped red onion

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Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add yogurt, oil, lemon juice, Dijon, dill or parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. 
2. Toast nuts in oven or air fryer at 350F for about 8 minutes (less in air fryer) or until lightly browned and fragrant. You can also do this on a skillet over medium heat.
3. Add shredded chicken, celery, grapes, red onion, and toasted nuts to the same bowl. Mix until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve straight up, with crackers, or with lettuce as a sandwich! (I actually like the flavor best the next day.)

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Notes

*I use rotisserie chicken here or I make homemade shredded chicken in the Instant Pot. Pour 1 cup water in pot. Add trivet and place 2 small chicken breasts on Trivet. Season liberally with kosher salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes then let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure, set chicken aside to cool, then shred.