Sweet, savory, and packed full of good-for-you ingredients, Healthy Chicken Salad is an easy and tasty meal-prep option!
We had a major heat wave in SoCal this past week, so I was on the hunt for easy, no-cook meal ideas. This Healthy Chicken salad was the clear winner!
It’s been so long since I’ve made chicken salad, and I’m not sure why. This is seriously so simple and tasty. I love all of the healthy ingredients, and the sweet-savory combo is heavenly.
The best part? The only time that goes into this recipe is chopping your ingredients. In under 15 minutes, you’ll have a delicious lunch option for the week.
tips for making healthy chicken salad
You could cook your own chicken ahead of time, but I find it easier to by pre-cooked chicken breast.
Rotisserie chicken will do just fine, but you might not get two full cups of the breast meat. I know Costco sells packages of just shredded breast meat–I love the quality.
My favorite brand, though, is the Just Chicken from Trader Joe’s. It’s never slimy or tough, like some pre-cooked chicken can be.
I don’t bother heating it up, and it still comes out perfect, especially in this recipe.
Make sure you chop the chicken and fruit/vegetables up pretty finely, so that you get an even mixture of the ingredients in every bite. I tend to keep the grapes a little larger because I like the way it looks in the salad. So pretty!
As for the seasoning, I think the dill is absolutely essential. It really elevates the flavors of the salad and give it that extra something.
Start with 1/2 tsp salt and taste for seasoning before adding more. I kept the salt-level low because some pre-cooked chicken is already seasoned. Adjust the salt level to your liking.
how to serve and store The recipe
This makes for a delicious sandwich filler, and since the calories/points are so low, you can splurge on the bread.
Croissants are a classic choice, but I love this sweet/savory combo with some nutty multigrain bread. It would also be great on some brioche rolls.
If you want to ditch the bread, eat these as a lettuce wrap! Butter lettuce cups would be delicious.
You could also serve this as an appetizer with some crackers and sliced baguette. It definitely feels fancy enough to serve for guests!
As for leftovers, the salad really does get better as it sits. Since it makes 5 servings, I love making this for weekday lunches. For me, it lasts in the refrigerator all week!
I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! Leaving a starred review and comment below helps my blog grow. I’m always grateful when you can take the time to do that!
It also makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there!
Healthy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
- 1/2 cup finely chopped apple (about 1/2 medium apple)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
- 1 cup red grapes, sliced in half or in quarters
- 2 medium green onions, chopped
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/3 cup light mayo
- 2 tbsp nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
- Add remaining ingredients to bowl and gently mix together until dressing evenly coats all ingredients.
- For best results, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
This is truly the best healthy chicken salad I’ve ever made. It had so much flavor and zip to it. I really loved it. I used Miracle Whip Light instead of mayo because I prefer a sweeter dressing in my chicken salad. It was delicious!
Thank you, Veronica! So happy you liked it.
Made for meal prep & this will definitely be on repeat. So good.
Thank you, Debbie, for taking the time to comment and let me know you enjoyed it – I appreciate it.
This is fantastic! I have also added toasted Pecans and that was a good addition too!
Thank you, Charla! Toasted pecans sound like a wonderful addition!
Husband and kid approved! Love the addition the apple. I used chives instead of green onions because that’s what I had on hand, but otherwise followed the recipe and my 10 year old asked me to make it again sometime this week already. I will definitely be keeping this on rotation this summer!
I’m sure the chives were just as delicious as the green onions! So happy to hear that it’s become a family favorite!
This was delicious! I had grapes that were going to go bad soon and some Greek yogurt about to expire. What better way to use those up then with a chicken salad?? This was a delicious recipe and the dressing is fantastic. I added a bit of onion powder and some pecans because I like those things but this is a great recipe and I’ll make it again.
LOVE THIS! made it last weekend for my fiance and I – this will definitely be on repeat year round. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thanks so much, Lorraine! Can’t wait to hear what you think of my other recipes!
This chicken salad is beyond delicious. I made it with green grapes, and added a little Stevia because I like sweet. Problem is, stopping at 3/4 cup….
Lol so true, Cathy! Thank you so much for the review.