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This healthy chicken salad recipe is creamy without the heaviness using both Greek yogurt and mayo. It’s ready in 25 minutes and full of fresh dill, celery, and pickles!
There’s something about chicken salad that is satisfying to me every time, and it’s a meal I never get tired of. With my expertise in the Mediterranean diet, I recently decided to create a healthy chicken salad recipe: a little less mayo, but still big flavor!
To me, a healthy chicken salad has a little Greek yogurt for creaminess, balanced with less mayo than the standard version of this recipe. It’s also got fresh herbs to carry the flavor, and makes a fun healthy dinner idea served over greens in a bowl with fresh veggies!
Why This Healthy Chicken Salad Works
I’ve made a lot of versions of chicken salad over the years: this tarragon chicken salad is one of my favorites. But here’s why I love this one:
- It’s super creamy but lighter. The yogurt lightens the dressing so you can use less mayo than the standard.
- It’s high protein. This recipe packs in the lean protein.
- It takes 25 minutes, and it’s even quicker with pre-cooked and shredded chicken.
How To Poach Chicken For Chicken Salad
Poaching chicken is cooking it in water, and that’s what I like to do to make shredded chicken quickly on the stovetop. I’ve got a few more time saving tips below, but here’s how to cook chicken and shred it:
- Butterfly the breasts first by slicing them in half horizontally.
- Heat a pan of 6 cups water and 2 teaspoon salt. This helps to season while cooking.
- Cook the chicken for 7 to 10 minutes, until it has an internal temperature of 165°F. Rest the breasts for 5 minutes before shredding with your fingers or two forks.
- Time saving tips: Use 3 cups of already made shredded chicken or make my Instant Pot shredded chicken.
Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need for this healthy chicken salad, besides the chicken:
- Fresh dill: This is what brings in the herbaceous flavor; use it if at all possible.
- Dill pickles: You’ll use chopped dill pickles, and you can add a splash of pickle brine if you like to add more dill flavor.
- Celery: This is important for the best crunch in your chicken salad.
- Red onion: Red onion adds a nice savory note and additional crunch.
- Oregano: This adds another bit of herby intrigue.
- Optional adder: 15-ounce can chickpeas, dried, rinsed, and smashed with a fork in the bowl before adding the other ingredients. This helps to stretch the chicken salad to more servings add fiber. It’s my favorite way to customize a healthy chicken salad! You’ll likely need to add at least ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to make the flavors pop.
Ways To Serve Healthy Chicken Salad
Outside of my favorite fiber and protein adder (chickpeas!), here are some ways to serve this chicken salad:
- As a bowl over greens: Add a scoop over romaine or butter lettuce, then add some crunchy veggies on the side like tomatoes, cucumbers, or shredded carrots
- In lettuce cups: You can make this into easy lettuce wraps.
- On good bread: Use it in a focaccia sandwich on quick focaccia, or toasted sourdough bread.
- With crackers: For lunch, add some homemade crackers or whole wheat crackers.
- In a wrap: Similar to my chicken Caesar wrap.
- Stuffed into an avocado half, for a gluten-free version.
Storage And Meal Prep
This healthy chicken salad lasts for 3 to 4 days refrigerated with freshly cooked chicken. For make-ahead, you can poach and shred the chicken first and store it until you’re read to make the salad; the shredded chicken lasts 3 to 4 days, but remember to factor that into the shelf life of the salad.
Dietary Notes
This healthy chicken salad is gluten-free and high protein. For dairy-free, you can substitute vegan mayo for the Greek yogurt and mayo.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes
Healthy Chicken Salad
This healthy chicken salad is creamy without the heaviness using both Greek yogurt and mayo. It’s ready in 25 minutes and full of fresh dill, celery, and pickles!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound shredded chicken, cooked and cooled (2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 3 cups shredded chicken)
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried dill)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped dill pickles
- Optional adder: 15-ounce can chickpeas (see Notes)
Instructions
- Make the shredded chicken (skip for pre-cooked chicken): If the chicken breasts are not already butterflied, place your hand flat over the top of each breast and use a sharp knife to carefully slice it horizontally. Unfold the breast like a book, then cut along the fold to separate the two halves. Add 6 cups water to a pot and stir in 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken. Boil until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the center is no longer pink, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Once it is cool enough to touch, use your fingers to tear the chicken into shreds.
- Stir together the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, dill, oregano, kosher salt, and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper.
- Make the salad: Add the shredded chicken, celery, red onion, and pickles to the bowl with the dressing. Stir until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more kosher salt and black pepper as desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat. Leftovers last for 3 to 4 days refrigerated.
Notes
15-ounce can chickpeas, dried, rinsed, and smashed with a fork in the bowl before adding the other ingredients. You’ll likely need to add at least ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to make the flavors pop. This helps to stretch the chicken salad to more servings add fiber. It’s my favorite way to customize a healthy chicken salad!
