Greek Yogurt Jalapeo Ranch Ingredients
One of the best parts of this salad is the jalapeño ranch! This healthier ranch dressing is creamy, flavorful and so easy to make.
- Greek yogurt
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If you need a dairy-free alternative to use as a dressing for you taco salad, this dairy-free jalapeño ranch dressing is a great option.
Here Are A Few More Healthy Chicken Salad Recipes
It wasnt until my trip with Stonyfield Yogurt to organic farms in Northern Vermont when my eyes really opened. On my trip, I was introduced to the organic process of dairy farming. I was so inspired by the farmers and quality of ingredients, I had to come up with a super healthy recipe where Organic Greek Yogurt was the star. Thats where this healthy chicken salad with Greek yogurt came in.
Below are a few other healthy chicken salads that you might also like:
How Do You Keep Chicken Salad From Getting Watery
Ok, no one wants a gross watery chicken salad making your bread soggy and your life suck. No one needs that. The best way to keep your chicken salad from getting watery is to serve it right away.
Its those dang delicious veggies that cause the problems here. When they are all chopped up, they leak water into your chicken salad. So the longer it sits around waiting for you to either eat it up or push it to the way back of the fridge to be forgotten for months, the more watery it will get.
BUT, if you do want to save it and keep it in the fridge for a later date, you have a couple of options.
Lets make this healthy chicken salad recipe with Greek yogurt and yummy spices!
Tag us on Instagram and give us a rating and review right here in the comments! And dont forget to pin and save it for next time!
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The Ak Take On Traditional Chicken Salad
If you grew up on the mayo-and-grape-filled chicken salad, you know what I mean when I say chicken salad could use a little upgrade. We lightened up this healthy chicken salad recipe by using protein-packed greek yogurt instead of mayo, which adds the perfect creaminess and tang.
Delicious, Moroccan-inspired spices like cinnamon, turmeric and cumin take the flavor of this greek yogurt chicken salad to the next level. Its super fresh while have that cozy, comforting flavor. AMAZING.
Why We Love This Healthy Chicken Salad:
- No mayo Like I said before.. mayo is just not for me. Plus, its relatively high in fat and offers little to no nutrition value. Greek yogurt is higher in protein, low fat and low calorie
- Low fat/high protein Greek yogurt helps to make this chicken salad low in fat and high in protein. In 3/4 cup there are 24g of protein and only 9g of fat which comes from the pecans. You can omit them if youre looking for less fat!
- Great texture This chicken has a mix of crunchy pecans, apples and celery, with the creamy yogurt and chunks of moist chicken breast. Lots of good texture!
- Light and fresh! This chicken salad is super filling while tasting really light and fresh!
This greek yogurt chicken salad is also really versatile in terms of how you serve it. Sandwich, salad, lettuce wrap.. you can choose! Let me show you how simple it is to make!
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Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad With Avocado
This Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Avocado is one of my favorite quick healthy lunches to make throughout the week. Its so rich and creamy that you wont believe youre eating a chicken salad without mayo!
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Classic chicken salad is always a favorite of mine. Its great as a high protein snack with crackers and veggies or rolled up into a wrap for a quick lunch.
The problem with a traditional chicken salad recipe is its loaded with mayonnaise. One1 tablespoon of mayonnaise is 100 calories and countless grams of fat. Some chicken salad recipes call for at least ½ cup or moreyikes! As you can imagine, this can be an issue for those of us trying to be healthy.
Thankfully, I discovered a solution.
Plain Greek yogurt and a ripe avocado mashed together and mixed with chopped or shredded chicken breast. Who knew a no mayo chicken salad could be so good?!
How To Make The Best Chicken Salad
Ingredients youll need to make this delicious salad:
Chicken. Youll need four cups of cooked chicken that you shred or chop, depending on the texture that you prefer. You can easily shred the chicken in your stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer if you want. Shredding with two forks also works great.
For the chicken, you can use baked chicken that you cook ahead or make Instant Pot chicken. You can even use rotisserie chicken if you wish.
Celery. Chopped celery adds the perfect amount of crunch and freshness.
Grapes. Halved seedless grapes add a touch of sweetness. I love to use red seedless grapes as they add another bit of color to the salad.
Dried Cranberries. Sweet and yet a little tart, the dried cranberries are a delicious addition as well.
Roasted Pecans. Chopped roasted pecans are a great addition. Omit them if allergic to nuts or if you are serving at an event and do not know if there are nut allergies.
Mayonnaise or Greek Yogurt. You can use all mayo or all Greek Yogurt in your salad or even a little bit of each. Greek Yogurt will help to lighten up the recipe, but it is definitely a matter of preference.
Seasonings. Salt and pepper are the perfect seasonings for it.
Celery leaves. Chopped celery leaves add so much flavor, but if you dont have them just omit.
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Is Chicken Salad Healthy
I lightened up this recipe by using greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Plain Greek yogurt adds a creamy texture to replace the mayonnaise, but most importantly it adds in a lot of protein!
I also added a generous amount of celery in this recipe because Im a sucker for a good crunch!
Celery offers a good amount of antioxidants and fiber. Celery is mainly water, which means it is low calorie.
If youre on a weight-loss journey, this is great news!
Chicken Salad Sandwiches With Mango Chutney
This delicious and easy chicken salad is a far cry from the standard mayonnaise-based concoction. Here, the few ingredients, including spicy mango chutney, are bound together with Greek yogurt, which lightens it all up and gives it a tang brought out even more by a little lemon juice. It is a grown-up chicken salad that would be welcome in a child’s lunch box.
Provided by Melissa Clark
- 1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat picked and shredded
- 1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt
- 1/3 cup mango chutney, big pieces chopped
- 3 inner celery stalks, with leaves, finely chopped
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 slices whole-grain bread
Steps:
- In a bowl, stir together the chicken, yogurt, chutney, celery, scallions, a squeeze lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- Divide salad among four slices of bread top with remaining slices.
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Tips For Making Healthy Chicken Salad
As I mentioned above, I prefer cooking my chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. But of course you could poach, bake, or use rotisserie chicken as well.
If you dont have tarragon on hand, or arent a fan, use a flat-leaf parsley, dill, or thyme instead.
I used nonfat Greek yogurt because I like the tang it adds to the healthy chicken salad, but youre welcome to use low-fat or full fat as well. Just be sure to use plain Greek yogurt!
About This Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
This chicken salad has it all.
- The Creamy: Hello, Greek yogurt.
- The Crunchy: Almonds and celery.
- The Sweet: Grapes, plus a touch of honey.
- The Fresh: Dill and green onion.
- The Juicy: Plump chunks of tender chicken.
This chicken salad recipe is also incredibly easy. Once the ingredients are prepped, all you need to do is stir them together and ta-da! A whole bowl of filling, healthy chicken salad goodness. Fruit, veggies, protein, and dairy: the food group gang is all here.
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Healthy Southwest Chicken Taco Salad
This healthy southwest chicken taco salad is filled flavorful chicken breast, your favorite veggies and toppings, and a creamy Greek yogurt jalapeño ranch to tie it all together. This salad is so easy to make and completely customizable. Its perfect for a quick lunch or filling dinner that everyone will love!
As A Part Of Your Meal Prep
Portion the chicken salad into 4-5 reusable meal prep containers for a super fast grab-and-go meal. When I make the meal prep version, I really enjoy transforming it into a complete salad.
To do this, add the cubed avocado, sliced cucumbers, and radishes, and a sprinkling of fresh chives, put the lid on, and store in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week.
BONUS: If your chives are in season, dont forget the fresh chives flowers. They pack tons of fresh onion flavor and add a pop of color to your chicken salad.
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Chicken Salad With Grapes Recipe
Dinner 5 mins
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This Chicken Salad with Grapes Recipe makes a quick, delicious meal! It also has roasted nuts for the best chicken salad recipe and makes a great chicken salad sandwich too!
Chicken salad has to be one of the most perfect dishes for an easy meal at home or to take to a picnic or potluck. This recipe is absolutely full of amazing flavor, is simple to make and is positively the best chicken salad Ive ever eaten!
I think this chicken salad recipe is such a delicious one because the generous amount of chicken is combined with fruit and toasted pecans for a savory crunch and flavor thats a hit every time! Its a recipe that I turn to time and time again for family meals, picnics, and parties. And you just have to try this for the best chicken salad sandwich ever!
Making Chicken Salad Recipe In Advance
Refrigerate salad for up to 5 days. I like to place it in a glass container or bowl with tight plastic lid.
I have not tried freezing chicken salad but I dont think chicken salad freezes well. It has a lot of fresh veggies to go limp once thawed. But maybe because they are coated in mayo and yogurt Let me know if you try. We never have any leftovers to freeze.
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Roast Chicken And Mango Salad With Yogurt
This salad is a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. Serve it with warm flatbread, such as naan. Make a simply beautiful dessert by tossing together chopped honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
Provided by Jill Dupleix
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons mango chutney, large pieces finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
- 1 5-ounce package arugula
- 1 3 1/2-pound purchased roast chicken, boned, meat coarsely shredded into bite-size pieces
- 1 large mango, peeled, pitted, sliced or 2 large peaches, halved, pitted, sliced
- Plain nonfat yogurt
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds or cumin seeds
- or cumin seeds
Steps:
- Whisk first 4 ingredients and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in small bowl to blend. Add more water by teaspoonfuls if dressing is too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place arugula in large bowl. Add half of dressing and toss to coat.
- Divide arugula among plates. Scatter chicken and mango over each serving. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Top each serving with dollop of yogurt sprinkle with nigella seeds.
An Easy Marinade For Flavorful Chicken Breast
At the heart of this taco salad is juicy, flavorful chicken. The chicken breast is marinaded in a combination of lime juice, olive oil, and spices like paprika and cumin before cooking. The marinade really helps to ensure that the chicken stays juicy and has plenty of flavor.
Chicken breast can be hard to cook for many people because they often come out overcooked and dry or undercooked and needing a bit more time back in the pan.
To get perfectly cooked chicken breast every single time, I recommend butterflying or splitting the chicken breast in half before adding it to the marinade. Doing this will cut down on the thickness of the chicken breast which makes it easier to cook correctly.
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Ideas For How To Serve Chicken Salad
There are plenty of ways to serve your just-made, delicious, and healthy chicken salad. Here are just a few:
- Serve as a sandwich on slices of thick, whole-wheat bread or serve open faced with a slice of melted cheese.
- Pass as an appetizer in phyllo cups, hollowed out slices of cucumber, or serve in endive lettuces leaves.
- Stuf in a pita with greens, made into a wrap of lavash bread, or in between an everything bagel.
- Place a scoop on a bed of fresh greens, spinach, or grilled greens or scooped into avocado halves.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
This healthy chicken salad is simply delicious! It’s a family favorite, filled with tender chicken breast, crunchy celery, a hint of sweetness from grapes, and toasted pecans. It’s perfect to prep for lunches, to make for showers or brunches, or to use up any leftover chicken you have! It’s easy to make, and good for you!
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How Do I Store This Grilled Chicken Salad
If youre meal prepping this recipe, Id recommend making your dressing and chicken ahead of time, as well as grating your carrots and beets. Then store all of the components separately. Build your salad when youre ready to enjoy it!
Store the dressing in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator. Use it up within 5 days! Then place the chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator as well. The chicken will remain safe to eat for 3 to 4 days.
Youll want to use up most of your produce within 2 to 3 days for freshness.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Recipe
For years my dear friend Ashley has had the best chicken salad recipe! I LOVE chicken salad and have made it in about 100 different ways but hers is always a treat. It is the perfect balance of flavorful dressing with tender chicken and loaded with grapes, celery and all the good stuff!
When I had some Greek Yogurt in the fridge and wanted to try to find the best recipe for Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad, I knew that this tried and true recipe would be the one, and boy did it not disappoint!
I had my doubts about whether I could eat this with a straight greek yogurt substitution, or whether I would need to do part greek yogurt and part mayo to keep the richness. The verdict was that it is still pretty crazy delicious even with all greek yogurt!
You do lose a tad of the richness that you enjoy with mayo, but the flavor that makes this chicken salad so, so good is still 100% there and helps you to not even miss the mayo. If you do want to compromise a bit more, you can also ways do half and half with mayo and greek yogurt, although I am pretty picky and didnt think it was necessary at all!
Make sure to see all of my Healthy Chicken Recipes here if you are looking for new lunch, dinner or meal prep ideas!
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How To Make Chicken Salad Without Mayo
This avocado and Greek yogurt chicken salad comes together in about 10 minutes. Simply mix the Greek nonfat yogurt with the avocado mash and add lemon juice to taste.
Then, stir together the shredded chicken, chopped celery, grapes, pecans, red onion, and tarragon. Spoon the yogurt mixture over the chicken and toss until well combined.
Keep scrolling to read my suggestions on how to enjoy this healthy chicken salad recipe. Spoiler: no mayo chicken salad is good for more than just sandwiches!
Customize Your Healthy Chicken Salad
As I mentioned, this greek yogurt chicken salad is absolutely delicious as-is, but feel free to customize with what you have on hand:
- Make it vegetarian: if you want to keep the recipe vegetarian you can swap the chicken for chickpeas or even cubed tofu.
- Make it dairy free: simply use your favorite plain, dairy free greek yogurt.
- Use mayo: if you are a big mayo lover , no shame! Feel free to use it in place of the greek yogurt, or do half and half.
- Choose your mix-ins: feel free to also use toasted, sliced almonds, dried cranberries or raisins.
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