Chicken salad became America's lunch staple in 1863 when Rhode Island's Town Meats accidentally mixed mayo with leftover roast chicken.
Healthy & High Protein Chicken Salad
Kick off your new year with this mouthwatering chicken salad that’s not only tasty but also a fantastic meal prep choice! Packed with succulent grilled chicken, crunchy celery, and a zesty yogurt dressing, this high-protein dish will keep you feeling satisfied and energized. Dive into a bowl of freshness that makes healthy eating a breeze!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 3 celery sticks chopped
- 2 cups red grapes halved (480 ml)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)
- ⅔ cup red onion diced (161 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2 large chicken breasts shredded
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- ⅔ cup plain greek yogurt (161 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 2 tbsp dill (30 ml)
- salt + black pepper
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- ⅓ cup light mayonnaise (79.2 ml)
📦Other(1)
- ⅔ cup pecans chopped (161 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by prepping all your ingredients. Shred your cooked chicken, halve the grapes, dice the celery, finely chop the red onion, and chop the pecans.
- 2
In a large bowl, mix together the light mayo, plain Greek yogurt, fresh dill and lemon juice. This dressing is creamy and tangy, but lighter than using all mayo. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3
Add the shredded chicken, grapes, celery, red onion, and pecans to the bowl with the dressing. Gently stir everything together until the chicken and veggies are well coated in the dressing.
- 4
Give the salad a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. You want to make sure all the flavors are balanced and delicious.
- 5
For the best flavor, let the chicken salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully. Serve it on a bed of lettuce, in between slices of bread for chicken salad sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or with some whole-grain crackers.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Shred chicken while still warm (140-160°F internal temp) because the muscle fibers separate more easily and create better texture than cold, set proteins.technique140-160°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of Greek yogurt to mayo to maintain creaminess while reducing calories by 40% and adding 15g protein per cup of dressing.ingredient2:1 ratio, 40% calorie reduction
- ✓Salt your diced celery 10 minutes before mixing to draw out excess moisture via osmosis, preventing a watery salad after chilling.timing10 minutes
- ✓Toast pecans at 325°F for 8-10 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that intensify nutty flavor and create better textural contrast.technique325°F, 8-10 minutes
- ✓Add lemon juice gradually while whisking the yogurt-mayo base to prevent curdling from acid shock and achieve proper emulsification.technique
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