This Easy Chicken Salad Recipe is a healthier version of the traditional chicken salad we all love. Made with shredded chicken breasts, greek yogurt and grapes, it has the perfect balance of creamy + crunchy. This recipe is Keto friendly too, making it an easy Keto lunch idea!
Homemade Chicken Salad Recipe with Grapes
The past couple of weeks my husband and I have been talking about having food for him to eat at work that he can grab during the day. He is one busy man and sometimes lunch just doesn’t happen. He’ll work right through it or grab a spoonful of peanut butter to hold him over. I’m not okay with it! He’s 6’5″ and NEEDS to have food in his belly! Enter this easy chicken salad recipe. It’s the perfect make-ahead lunch! Packed with lean protein from the chicken breasts and greek yogurt, it’s ideal for salads, sandwiches, wraps – you name it.
What Are the Main Ingredients in Chicken Salad?
This healthy, Keto-friendly chicken salad recipe only needs a handful of simple ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts
- Pecans
- Grapes
- Green Onion
- Mayo
- Greek Yogurt
- Mustard
- Herbs & Spices
I like to add some tang to my salad and cut the calories by adding greek yogurt and mustard instead of JUST mayo. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice can add so much to any dish and really make it pop! This recipe has the perfect amount of sauce versus chicken and grapes.
My Simple Trick for Making Shredded Chicken Breasts
Shredded chicken breast is the foundation of this salad but I’m 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 Make Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad can be a really easy recipe to make and a great option for a healthy lunch to have on hand during the week! Serve it between two slices of bread or a lettuce cup for a low carb option!
- Cook and Shred Your Chicken: Cook your chicken – either roast, boil, grill or pan sear. Once your chicken is cooked, then shred it using forks or my stand mixer method mentioned above.
- Make the Sauce: Most chicken salad sauces have a mayonnaise base. However, for this chicken salad I use greek yogurt, mustard, a small amount of mayonnaise, lemon juice, smoked paprika (for a smoky flavor), sage and garlic powder. This sauce is savory and tart but balances so well with the chicken and sweet grapes.
- Add Extras: Most people add fruit, hardboiled eggs, celery, nuts or onions for a little added flavor.
- Mix: Add your chicken, sauce and extra ingredients to one bowl. Use a large wooden spoon and stir everything together.
Mix In Ideas
One of the best things about chicken salad is how easy it is to customize. This recipe has pecans and grapes, but you can sub these ingredients or add in more according to your preferences. Here are some variation ideas:
- Pickles
- Hard boiled eggs
- Veggies – Green onions, olives, diced bell pepper, and of course the classic celery!
- Fresh or dried fruit – Diced apples, dry cranberries or even dry cherries are all tasty options.
- Nuts – Cashews and walnuts would be delicious alternative to pecans.
- Avocado – Add mashed avocado to your salad just before serving.
Really the options are endless. Go with your fav and dig in.
Serving Suggestions
This is one of the most versatile, protein-packed recipes you can make! I love to serve it on top of salads or wrapped in lettuce leaves for a low carb alternative to sandwiches. But of course this recipe also makes an amazing chicken salad sandwich. You can also use tortillas to make chicken salad wraps, or croissants to make things a bit fancy!
How to Store Leftovers
Chicken salad will last for 5-7 days when stored in an air tight container and refrigerated. Give it a good stir when you take it out and maybe refresh the flavor with a pinch of black pepper, then serve!
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 you’re 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!
Side Dishes and Dips That Compliment This Recipe:
- Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon
- 10 Minute Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Crispy Baked Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli
- The Best Summer Fruit Salad
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Asian Cucumber Salad
Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups of chicken salad 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This Easy Chicken Salad Recipe is a healthier version of traditional chicken salad. Made with shredded chicken breasts, greek yogurt, grapes and a few herbs for the perfect balance of creamy + crunchy.
Ingredients
- 2lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 1/2 cups halved red grapes
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup diced green onions
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1–2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- To a large bowl add shredded chicken, red grapes, pecans, and green onions.
- In a small bowl add yogurt, mayo, mustard, sage, smoked paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk together.
- Add the liquid mixture to the chicken dish.
- Stir everything together until it is completely combined.
- Serve on a slice of bread or in a cup of bibb lettuce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 168
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 157 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
DON’T MISS A RECIPE ->
63 comments on “Easy Chicken Salad Recipe”
First time I made this and it was delicious!!
Woohoo! So glad you liked it!
I wish I hadn’t added the Dijon mustard, I ended up throwing the whole bowl away. I’m not to fond of Dijon mustard but thought I wouldn’t be able to taste it but it over powers everything else.
Ohh sorry about that. Yeah, if you don’t like mustard then I’d recommend keeping it out. 🙂
My family and I really liked the recipe and even substituted silk soy yogurt instead of greek yogurt. You couldn’t tell the difference! There were no leftovers and a perfect use of some leftover chicken breasts I had in the fridge. 10/10 would make again!
So glad you gave this recipe a try! Such a great way to use up leftover chicken!
I am allergy the Mayo and Sour Cream. What can I get subscriber it ?
you could use greek yogurt and mustard
Made this for lunch for some guests and it was a big hit! Definitely will be making it again soon for easy lunches during the week.
I’m curious if anyone else has entered this recipe in to MyFitnessPal? This recipe states that 1/2 cup serving is only 191cal, but when I enter it to MFP it comes out at 301?! That’s a huge discrepancy. I even used LIGHT mayo on nonfat Greek yogurt.
Dondi- I imported to MFP and chose specific brands, etc. and get 147 calories. Are you entering it as 12 servings? It says it yields 6 cups, and a serving is listed as 1/2 a cup, so it would be 12 servings. That may be where your discrepancy comes from? It’s a little confusing since the number of servings isn’t stated outright.
First time visitor here. But I already fell in love with what you have here!
Thank you for sharing this easy recipe. It is so delicious.
LOVE this recipe. I make this at least once a week and is my go to for a healthy lunch! I throw it atop somce greens or some times on a sprouted grain roll! Occasionally I’ll add diced dried apricots too! Great recipe!
I thought this was going to be weird.. to me it seemed like a lot of mustard but this was actually very very good! My family loved it and my co-workers sampled some of my lunch and asked me for the recipe.
Quick and Easy, perfect for a week night meal. I made some baked fries for a side along with some grapes.
Delicious lunch. My husband liked it, too.
My husband and I really enjoyed this! I didn’t have sage, but it turned out great. I also tried adding a little bit of honey and apples (I just love apples in my chicken salad!), and I liked it being a little bit sweeter. Thanks so much!
Tried this out tonight, and my husband LOVED it!! I used to make chicken salad with eggs, and he didn’t care for it. I’m so glad to find an easy make-ahead choice for his lunch! Thanks for sharing!
Ohh hurray! Yeah for new found recipes, so glad he likes this one!
I have never ever made chicken salad (65 years old!!!) until now. Just made this and WOW! It’s so fresh and lively. Not at all heavy. Thanks for sharing!!!
OH Donna, you’ve been missing out! So glad you found this and made it now! Game changer! 🙂
Can I still make this without the Sage? We don’t have any at the house. Thanks and looking forward to making this!! Awesome blog by the way – love everything!!
Yes, you could sub it with thyme or rosemary or even basil if you’d like. And thank you!
This recipe is incredible!! I used all Greek yogurt (not a fan of mayo) and it is awesome. Best chicken salad recipe EVER! Thanks 🙂
great sub, the flavor is still there! Sooo good!
This is an absolute hit at our house! Thanks so much for such a fantastic healthy version of chicken salad!
Oh thank you so much Debbie. Glad your family enjoys it!
Very good write-up. I certainly love this website. Thanks!
I had to come on here and leave a comment . When I’m looking for a new recipe I scroll down to the comments first before I dive in to make it . I want to know if it’s really good , if it’s worth my time to make , so I’m looking for people who hve actually made it . I found good reviews on this. We needed a chicken salad recipe to make for a party we were having . I have made other chicken salads in the past but they were never really that great. This on the other hand was not good , it was AMAZING !! I knew the moment I tried the mixture, before adding it to the chicken , that this would be THE recipe. I made a big batch and sent half of it over to my familie’s house to get their approval . They loved it ! My brother couldn’t stay out of the bowl. Now I didn’t add the pecans or the grapes since we’re not really fond of them in salads , but everything else I did. It’s perfect . I will now be making chicken salad often for meal planning . I never did because I couldn’t find a recipe I really liked until now ! This is a must try . Don’t let the thought of yogurt in chicken salad turn you away . I hate yogurt . I can’t stand the taste or the texture of it. So it almost turned me away but gave it a try and love it !! You really can’t taste the yogurt in it.
How did you come up with the nutritional value
I use myfitnesspal.com to calculate all of my nutritional information, it’s super easy to use and you are able to select specific brands which is great.
How did you use MFP because when I imported it it says 360 Cal’s per half cup. Someone is wrong here
honestly you have to keep an eye on the counts… sometimes MFP will save that 2 teaspoons of garlic powder is 111 calories… it imports wrong so I always double check what MFP says. i think that is happening to a lot of people!
This is a great recipe for chicken salad! I just made it, it tastes great, and I’m excited to have it ready for lunch this week. The mixture with Greek yogurt, mustard and all the spices is spot-on (I put more Greek yogurt than mayonnaise to make even lighter) but the spice mixture makes it really flavorful. Thanks!
Hurray! Glad you enjoyed it Lauren. Seeing your comment reminded me… I need to make this recipe again! I haven’t made it in a while and it would be good to have on hand right now for lunch!
Loved this recipe! The flavors are amazing. Both my boyfriend and I have been eating it for days. I made my own Mayo (Whole30 Recipe), subbed rosemary for sage and added some diced celerey. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Made it last week and it was delicious!
awesome, so glad to hear that! Thanks Tiffany!
Decent recipe but the real question is would he still be your husband if he was 5’5 instead of 6’5?
haha… yes. Definitely!
Loved this! I didn’t have green onion and used thinly sliced celery pieces instead. It had a nice crunch and was still delicious! I love the lack of mayo flavor and the tang you adde with the seasonings and Dijon. This has become my go-to chicken salad recipe; thank you!
oh love the crunch you gave it with the celery. So glad to see this will be a repeat at your house.
Omg wow. It is amazing. Never tried Greek yogurt in foods. Perfect sweetness with the mustard. Made it for football party. They love them.
woohoo… so glad you liked it. Yes the greek yogurt is a game changer!
Best Chicken Salad recipe . Everyone has asked me for the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
woohoo! That’s awesome Denise!
I have a question. Will This freeze well?
It might, usually with anything mayo based you don’t want to. But this one is greek yogurt so I think it will do okay at freezing.
I want to make this recipe but I need help how should I cook the chicken should I boil it or should I season it and cook it a different way
I usually just boil it. But you could also grill it to add a little more flavor!
This was wonderful. I made it for a get-together, and got a lot of compliments. The dijon mustard really added a nice extra kick, and that was the number one thing people commented on. I have made several different chicken salad recipes, and I think the mustard gave it the flavor that other recipes lack. Chicken salad can be really bland, imo. This recipe is a keeper, will make it again. Thank you!
Agreed! Dijon is my go to instead of adding mayo. I do the same with my tuna salad too. It’s perfect and way less on calories. 🙂 So glad you like it Katie!
Chicken salad is one of my favorite lunches! I love that you use greek yogurt in this recipe!
I know I could eat this for lunch every day for the rest of my life and be very, very happy!
haha… I completely agree!
This salad is a perfect lunch idea! I have everything on hand so it’s definitely happening!
woohoo! bon appetit anna!
Now, this is my kind of lunch!! Looks terrific!!
Hi Krista,
First time visitor here. But I already fell in love with what you have here!
Thank you for sharing this easy recipe. How creative!. It is so delicious. I love chicken and salad . I’m going to try it now. Thanks for sharing it with us 🙂
Jennifer
Awesome Jennifer! Well, welcome! I am so glad that you love it and that you love my blog! That means the world!
Chicken salad (with grapes!) is one of my favorite things! I love that this is lightened up! Mmmm!
Greek yogurt is my FAVORITE substitite! This is exactly how I make chicken salad sandwiches and they are so yummy!
woohoo! Twins!!!
This looks so good, perfect for a lunch!