Two Ways To Prepare Your Chicken For This Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Recipe:
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How To Make This Juicy Yogurt Chicken
While marinating the chicken in yogurt is the first step to an epic meal, how you cook it is also just as important.
Here is how the recipe comes together:
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How Do You Make Chicken Salad With Grapes
This creamy chicken salad is a cinch to pull together. First, I make the dressing by stirring together the light mayo, nonfat Greek yogurt, seasonings, mustard, and honey. I give it a good, long stir to make sure its all combined. You could also put it into a blender if you like it really combined well.
Next, shred up a rotisserie chicken or cube up already cooked chicken, chop 2 stalks of celery, chop the pecans, and halve the grapes. Mix all of these ingredients together, then pour over the dressing and mix it all together and serve!
I like to serve mine on croissants as I mentioned, or you can use any bread you like really. Some other good options include sandwich rolls , bread, wraps, or bagels. Or, try making these in lettuce wraps or scoop a big serving in a bowl and eat it up if you are into the low- or no-carb thing.
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Reasons Youll Love This Recipe
- Low fat and low cholesterol. Swapping in Greek yogurt for mayo makes this a hearty, healthy chicken salad recipe.
- High protein. Depending on the brand, ½ cup of Greek yogurt adds 12-15 grams of protein!
- Not too heavy. Mayo-based salads tend to sit like a rock in your stomach. Using Greek yogurt keeps the salad light while still filling you up.
- Easy to make. After you cook the chicken, all other ingredients come together quickly in one bowl.
- Great way to use leftover chicken. This chicken salad recipe can use shredded chicken, chopped baked chicken breasts, or rotisserie chicken.
- Meal prep. I love making this 2-3 days ahead of time for a quick lunch or snack during the week.
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To Make This Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad You Will Need:
- plain nonfat greek yogurt
- honey forgot to sneak it in this shot
- pecans toasted
First things first, make the dressing. In a medium mixing bowl, measure and add 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1-1/2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon poppyseeds, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Stir well until all ingredients are incorporated.
Once combined, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a large bowl add 4 cups leftover chopped cooked chicken 1 cup halved grapes, 2 short celery stalks finely chopped , 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans and 1/4 cup finely diced red onion.
Lastly, pour in all of the dressing.
Toss well until combined and refrigerate until ready to serve.
I like mine either on a bed of spring greens or tucked into boston lettuce as a wrap.
Light and healthy and makes for the perfect summertime lunch!
Enjoy! And if you give this Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on or !
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How Long Does Chicken Salad Keep
When properly stored, the chicken salad will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Because Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F chicken salad should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
I hope you all enjoy this easy, healthy recipe as much as we do!
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How To Cook Chicken For Chicken Salad
I usually use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store when making my chicken salad because it makes it so much easier but I want to share a few other options for cooking your chicken to use in this chicken salad recipe.
Baked: Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees F or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Slow Cooker: Place chicken in slow cooker. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Instant Pot: Place chicken in Instant Pot. Pour 1 cup chicken broth or water over chicken. Cover with lid and set Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 1o minutes. Natural pressure release for 5 minutes and vent the pot before shredding.
Poaching: Bring chicken broth to a simmer over medium high heat. Place chicken in pot, cover, and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
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Healthy Chicken Salad With Grapes And Walnuts
This Healthy Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts is absolutely delicious! This recipe is lightened up with nonfat Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise. The pairing of celery with red grapes and walnuts provides the perfect sweet and savory combination!
Chicken salad sandwiches happen to be one of my favorite types of sandwiches. I think that it’s the combination of the creaminess, tied in with the savory ingredients and slightly sweet additions.
Slap a few giant spoonfuls of that creamy chicken salad in between a buttery croissant and it doesn’t really get much better than that!
However, a few too many of those yummy chicken salad sandwiches can backfire in the calorie department…fast.
I’ve remedied that issue by developing what I consider to be, the best Healthy Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts I’ve tasted. It has all of the great flavor profiles of a traditional chicken salad, just lightened up a little!
What To Eat Chicken Salad With
Like I mentioned previously, my all time favorite way to eat chicken salad is inside a buttery croissant. However, if you are trying to keep it calorie conscious, here are some other delicious foods to enjoy this chicken salad with:
- Good Thins – 130 calories per serving
Or, you can totally just grab a spoon and eat it right out of the bowl. I have done this quite a few times, no shame in the game.
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Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad 4 Ways
This Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad recipe is a healthy, make-ahead meal that I like to serve throughout the week. Whether you want a salad, sandwich, lettuce wrap or something a little bit in between, this healthy chicken salad recipe with Greek yogurt is made with seasonal fresh ingredients and leftover chicken for a quick and easy meal.
Today, I come to you with a Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Recipe that celebrates the deliciousness of plain yogurt and uses it in place of mayonnaise. The beauty of this recipe is that it comes together in about 30 minutes and is just as delicious as the mayo-laden classic chicken salad that you eat in every potluck. With just a few creative ingredient swaps, all of which are probably already in your fridge/pantry, you can make the best chicken salad without using a drop of mayo.
Plus, below you will find my four favorite ways of serving it so that it will never get boring and will deserve a permanent place in your weekly meal prep all year round. Packed with fresh produce and tossed in a healthy Greek yogurt dressing scented with garlic, lemon juice, and fresh dill, every bite is bursting with flavor. And this high protein, low calorie, and low carb salad is so versatile, youll find yourself making it over and over again.
Ingredients For Chicken Salad With Grapes And Pecans
This Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans recipe requires just a few affordable, refrigerator and pantry staples. To prepare this picnic-winning recipe, round up:
Mayonnaise and Sour CreamLight or regular we call for a one-to-one ratio of these creamy ingredients to act as the delicious “glue” to bind together all of the components of this chicken salad recipe. If desired, substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour creamit’s equally tangy, higher in protein and probiotics, and slightly lower in calories.
Fresh Lemon Juice For the best tangy flavor punch, stick with fresh-squeezed rather than store-bought citrus juice from a bottle. Any lightly-colored vinegar should also work in a pinch.
Salt and PepperStart with a little less than 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, take a taste test, and add more as desired to reach the seasoning level you prefer.
Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts, Cooked and Chopped Grill, slow cook, pressure cook, bake or saute any cooking method will do. Alternatively, you could save time by using leftover chicken from earlier in the week, or pick up a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket to slice and dice. If you prefer your meat in strands rather than cubes, shred the chicken.
Red and White Seedless Grapes, Halved Any variety of seedless grape that looks fresh at the market will do. Can’t find any fresh grapes that look great? Swap in a handful of dried cranberries or cherries for a pop of sweetness instead.
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What Makes This Chicken Salad Healthy
This healthy chicken salad swaps the mayo out for a simple, lightened-up dressing made from Greek yogurt, which has less saturated fat and sodium, and more protein than mayonnaise. Chicken breast gives a healthy, high-quality protein boost, while added veggies and fruit like celery and onion add flavor, crunch, and fiber!
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Can I Lose Weight Eating Chicken Salad
Yes, but only if you make your own healthier chicken salad. Here are some tips to making healthy chicken salad:
- Use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise as your base.
- Instead of heavy breads or croissants, enjoy your healthy chicken salad on rice cakes, low-carb wraps or in lettuce wraps.
- Measure your serving of chicken salad. A serving is 1 cup.
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How To Make Creamy Chicken Salad:
Recipe Ideas For Healthy Chicken Salad
There are so many different options for adding flavor to this chicken salad with veggies, spices, herbs, and more. Here are some of my favorite options:
- Add extra crunch with carrots, red onions, cucumbers, or even chopped cabbage.
- Add fiber by folding in some drained chickpeas. This turns this salad into a super filling option and is delicious over some salad greens.
- Make your salad spicy by adding some fresh or pickled jalapenos. You can also try pepperoncini peppers for a milder option. And for a simple option, just add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
- If you love fresh herbs, toss in some chopped dill, tarragon, chives, or cilantro.
- For some sweetness, try adding chopped apples, red grapes, dried cranberries, or raisins.
- Switch things up by adding some seasoning. Try steak seasoning, Everything Bagel seasoning, lemon pepper, Cajun seasoning, or curry powder.
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Easy Chicken Salad Recipe With Grapes And Pecans
Posted on Last updated:
This delicious chicken salad with grapes and pecans is quick, delicious, and satisfying A simple 6-ingredient recipe that makes the BEST chicken salad sandwich!
This is a sponsored conversation on behalf of The Coca-Cola Company all opinions and text are my own. Thanks for supporting me and the brands I love!
How To Make This Sweet And Savory Homemade Chicken Salad
Prepare the Chicken
Every basic chicken salad recipe requires either shredded chicken or chopped chicken. The shred versus the chop is based largely on getting the right texture down for you and your eaters.
Ive been known to pulse in my food processor, too, so dont discount shortcuts made possible with trusty appliances. Shortcuts are welcome, and I am all about shortcuts
To a large mixing bowl, add your cooked chicken. You are looking for about 2 cups, again chopped or shredded.
In the south, the addition of chopped hard-boiled eggs is customary. If you are/were a fan of Chick-Fil-A when they still featured their own chicken salad, youd have been consuming chopped hard-boiled egg in that chicken salad.
Add in Supporting Ingredients
Finely dice enough white onion to equal 1/4 cup and finely dice a stalk of celery and its leaves if you are fortunate enough to have a stalk bearing leaves. Add all to the chicken.
From here, add a few grinds of your pepper mill, finely minced fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage leaves, and about a half cup mayonnaise. Stir using the tines of a fork to get everything very well incorporated and taste it.
Build the Chicken Salad
The reason I suggest tasting the salad now is, so you are able to discern what seasoning are lacking. At this point, the only seasonings I add are by way of additional diced onion or celery because thats where I want to derive my flavor.
Its part of my Southern Luncheonette Recipe
Chill the Salad Before serving
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Is Chicken Salad High In Protein
Chicken salad is high in protein because chicken is the main ingredient. A typical chicken salad will have about 15-20 grams of protein per serving. To increase the protein content, you can add in extra chicken or use shredded chicken instead of diced chicken. You can also add beans or tofu for additional protein.
What Kind Of Apple Is Best For This Chicken Salad
Any kind of sweet apple will be perfect for this dish. We prefer to use Granny Smith apples because they are so crisp and tangy, they do not get all soggy. Some other types of apples you can use are Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Red Delicious. You can also try Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Red Rome, Empire, or Liberty.
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Other Flavor Ideas For Thm Chicken Salad
- add in some finely diced jicama for a little crunch
- substitute the grapes for diced apples
- use smoked chicken for a different flavor
- use leftover turkey in place of the chicken
- try adding curry powder or curry paste to the dressing for an easy curried chicken salad recipe!
- add green onion or other fresh veggies
- add garlic powder for more flavor
- add lemon juice for a bright flavor
- add dijon mustard for a little zing
- substitute greek yogurt with dairy-free yogurt
- add fresh parsley, fresh dill, or other fresh herbs for another pop of color
Is It Safe To Freeze Chicken Salad
The answer to this question is chicken salad is typically safe to freeze, provided chicken has been cooked and properly refrigerated within two hours of preparation.
You might be surprised to learn that chicken salad can actually be frozen. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if youre going to freeze your chicken salad:
First of all, mayonnaise and hard-boiled eggs dont freeze well, so its best to avoid freezing them if your chicken salad contains those ingredients.
Second, if your chicken salad has been sitting at room temperature for a few hours, its probably not a good idea to freeze it.
Third, chicken salad can last in the freezer for up to two months before it begins to spoil. When the chicken salad is thawed, it should be eaten within two days. The chicken salad that has been frozen and then thawed may not have the same flavor or texture as fresh chicken salad, so it is best to consume it soon after thawing.
Four, if the chicken salad has been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours, it should not be refrozen. Do not try to thaw it at room temperature, as this can cause bacteria to grow.
Finally, after youve frozen and defrosted your chicken salad, make sure to give it a sniff before you start eating it. This is the best way to make sure that its still safe to consume. If it smells off, its probably best to just throw it away.
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