Healthier Chicken Salad
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Aug. 10, 2026
This healthy Chicken Salad recipe is both light and satisfying. It’s studded with outstanding flavors and texture. Perfect for summer picnics, potlucks, and lunch boxes.
In This Article
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Amy’s Notes
This one is not your typical chicken salad recipe; it’s made with a base of diced or shredded chicken and tossed with a creamy yogurt-based dressing. Typically, it is served as a dip with crackers or sliced veggies or stuffed in between slices of bread for an easy sandwich. For our version, we took the traditional recipe and bulked it up for a healthy make-ahead meal perfect for picnics, potlucks, and lunch boxes. Here’s what you’ll love:
- Less than 30 minutes: It takes almost no time to make this, from start to finish.
- Keeps well for meal prep: Leftovers keep well for quick lunches all week long.
- Healthier version than most: It’s loaded with veggies that pack in vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. We incorporate whole yogurt for creaminess.
- Make it your own: You can easily customize it with add-ins like chopped nuts, diced apples, or whatever you and your family would like.
What Makes This Chicken Salad Healthier?
Although delicious chicken salad isn’t always the healthiest recipe you can make, this chicken salad recipe cuts down on the mayo and adds vegetables to boost nutrition. Here’s why you can feel good about eating this dish
- Part of the mayonnaise is replaced with yogurt for even more protein and less saturated fat.
- Cooked chicken breast provides an excellent source of high-quality protein with very little fat.
- Not found in most recipes, a variety of veggies boost the nutrient profile while also adding a lovely crunch.
- You won’t find any dried fruit, meaning our recipe contains less sugar than standard versions.
- Fresh herbs add tons of flavor and extra antioxidants.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – use boneless, skinless chicken for the leanest option. Rotisserie chicken can also work.
- Celery – adds great crunch to the chicken salad.
- Red bell pepper – adds vibrant color and crunch to this heathly chicken salad.
- Red onion – Adds aromatic flavor and crunch.
- Fresh herbs– Fresh herbs like parsley and dill add subtle and aromatic flavors.
- Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed for best flavor. It adds a mild tang and acidity.
- Lemon zest – Fresh lemon zest adds refreshing citrus flavor.
- Mayonnaise – Use real mayo, as it adds flavor and creaminess.
- Whole Greek yogurt – We replaced half of the mayo for healthier yogurt.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken thighs can work wonderfully as a time-saver. You can also swap in cooked shredded turkey breast or chickpeas/blended hard-boiled eggs for a vegetarian twist.
- Add-ins: For more nutrition, try adding chickpeas, beans, chopped apples, or sliced hard-boiled eggs.
- Dairy Free Swap the yogurt with whole dairy-free yogurt for
- Herbs & Aromatics: For a different flavor profile, try fresh tarragon, basil, or finely sliced green onions/chives.
- Veggies: Swap red bell pepper or celery with diced jicama, cucumbers, shredded carrots, chopped apples, or chopped radishes to keep that satisfying crisp crunch.
How to Prep Ahead
- Cook the Chicken: Poach or roast chicken breasts or shred rotisserie chicken up to 2–3 days in advance. Keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Chop the Veggies & Herbs: Dice the celery, red bell pepper, and red onion, and chop the parsley and dill ahead of time. Store them together in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Whisk the Dressing: Mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small jar or airtight container up to 3 days ahead.
- Make Entirely Ahead: This chicken salad recipe is perfect for meal prep. Make the entire recipe, cover, and chill for up to 3 days.
Healthier Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3 whole chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, freshly chopped
- 2 teaspoons dill, fresh or dried
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- zest of 2 lemons
- ⅓ cup whole mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
- ⅓ cup Whole Greek yogurt, plain
- ½ teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook chicken in well-salted boiling water just until cooked through and center is no longer pink, 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Let cool and dice cooked chicken.
- In a bowl, stir together the celery, red bell pepper, red onion, parsley, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest, mayo, yogurt, salt, and pepper.
- Add in the diced/cooked chicken and stir gently until well combined.
Notes
- Prep Ahead: You can cook/dice the chicken and pre-chop the vegetables up to 2 days ahead. Whisk the dressing ingredients together up to 2–3 days in advance. Store the prepped components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. Give it a gentle stir before serving. We do not recommend freezing this salad, as the yogurt and mayonnaise dressing will separate and become watery upon thawing.
- For delicious variations and substitutions, see original article for this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
We don’t recommend freezing chicken salad. Because the dressing uses mayonnaise and plain yogurt, it risks becoming watery once thawed, losing its creamy texture and fresh crunch from the celery.
es! Chicken salad actually tastes better after chilling in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, as it gives the fresh herbs, lemon juice, and seasonings time to meld together.
Boiling/poaching boneless, skinless chicken breasts in salted simmering water for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F) keeps the meat tender and moist for dicing. Alternatively, store-bought rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut.
Yes, chicken thighs are a great alternative to chicken breasts, as they have great flavor and tend to be very forgiving when over cooked.
We love to serve this recipe with crackers, stuffed in a sandwich, layered on a lettuce wrap, or spooned over leafy greens for a salad.
You can, but you will lose some of the rich taste and supremely creamy texture.
We don’t recommend using canned chicken, but if you’re in a pinch, you can use the same amount of canned chicken as you would freshly cooked chicken, with a 1:1 ratio. Canned chicken tends to be high in sodium and tends to fall apart easily, so you’ll want to omit table salt and fold it in very gently.
More to Cook and Eat
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad – we adore this simple chicken dish for a healthy meal that’s ready in minutes and doesn’t skimp on flavor.
- Chinese Chicken Salad – this restaurant-inspired salad has all the tastes you love and is ready in minutes from the comfort of your own kitchen.
- 15-Minute Healthy Guacamole Chicken Salad – quick and healthy, this meal requires just 3 ingredients; a winning appetizer or lunch.
- 20-Minute Mexican Style Chicken Salad – bursting with warm spices, make-ahead recipes just don’t get better than this.
- Curried Chicken or Turkey Salad – the easiest way to jazz up leftovers, this is one recipe you’ll look forward to eating.