This healthy Chicken Salad without Mayo comes together quickly and is a lighter take on traditional chicken salad! Make it with rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken to make it even easier!
As a dietitian, I love incorporating nutrient-rich ingredients to add flavor to meals. Replacing the mayo typically found in classic chicken salad with a combination of Greek yogurt, fresh lemon juice, and Dijon mustard is a great way to add flavor, protein, calcium, probiotics for gut health, and vitamin C for immunity.
Make this no mayo chicken salad as an easy meal prep option for a quick lunch in a chicken salad wrap or sandwich, or a high protein dinner during the week. As a dietitian, I even eat this as a snack with veggies or crackers.
If you're looking for more chicken salads that don't use mayo, try my Herby Green Goddess Chicken Salad, 10 minute Tuscan Chicken Salad, or Buffalo Chicken Salad. This healthy chicken salad recipe pairs great with a Cucumber and Pepper Salad, Corn Cucumber Salad, or Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Sourdough Croutons.
Jump to:
- Video of How to Make Chicken Salad without Mayo
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to Make Chicken Salad Without Mayo
- Variations of Chicken Salad without Mayo
- How to Serve Healthy Chicken Salad
- Meal Prep and Storage for Creamy Chicken Salad
- Expert Tips
- Dietitian tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Perfect for Pairing
- Want to Learn More About Nutrition?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Video of How to Make Chicken Salad without Mayo
Here's a video of how to make this Rotisserie Chicken Salad Recipe that I hope is helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Easy Chicken Salad without Mayo Recipe is made with a handful of ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for measurements.
- Chicken - I use store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe. Feel free to use cooked chicken breasts or leftover chicken from the night before. Lean chicken adds protein and vitamin B12 to this healthy meal.
- Celery - Celery adds crunch and fiber for a healthy gut. Feel free to leave it out or substitute it with different crunchy veggies like English or Persian cucumber, bell pepper, or snap peas.
- Red Onion - to add a hint of delicate peppery taste. If you prefer a more mild onion flavor, replace the red onion with shallot or green onions.
- Grapes - to add a bit of sweetness and balance out the savory dressing. Other options here would be diced apples, dried cranberries, or chopped medjool dates.
- Parsley - Fresh parsley adds so much flavor to chicken salad and it also adds antioxidants. Win-win! If you don't like parsley, feel free to substitute it with different fresh herbs or leave it out. Dill, oregano, or fresh cilantro would work well here.
- Nuts - I like to use walnuts which add an earthy flavor and texture complexity. They also add heart-healthy fats. According to the California Walnut Board, walnuts are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids and have the most ALA of any other tree nut. This makes walnuts a great option to support brain health. Feel free to use a different nut or seed or leave it out if you prefer. Pecans, sliced almonds, pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds work well here.
- Plain Greek Yogurt - I use nonfat Greek yogurt, but you can use any fat content you prefer like low fat or whole milk Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt replaces mayo or sour cream typically found in chicken salad. It's lower in saturated fats and also provides a similar flavor and gives this chicken salad a creamy consistency! Nutritionally, Greek yogurt adds protein, calcium, and Vitamin D. If you don't like the flavor of plain Greek yogurt, feel free to substitute it with blended cottage cheese..
- Dijon Mustard - a little bit of Dijon elevates the flavor and adds some tang and spice to this light dinner!
- Lemon Juice - lemon juice adds citric acid which helps brighten the flavor. It also adds vitamin C for your immune system. If you prefer, substitute with lime juice instead.
- Garlic Powder - I prefer using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic here because it's a bit more concentrated and a little goes a long way.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper - a pinch of salt and pepper ties all the flavors together.
How to Make Chicken Salad Without Mayo
Below are the instructions for how to make this Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad without Mayo with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1: Shred or chop the chicken, celery, red onion, grapes, walnuts, and parsley.
Step 2: Whisk together the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl.
Step 3: Add the chicken and other ingredients and toss everything together. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
Hint: to make shredding the chicken even easier, pulse it a few times in a food processor!
Variations of Chicken Salad without Mayo
The great thing about Chicken Salad is you can customize to your taste! Below are some ideas but feel free to get creative.
- Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad - add creaminess, extra fiber, and potassium by mixing in half of a mashed avocado. Ripe avocados make a great addition to add extra flavor too.
- Fancy - Brighten up this recipe even more by adding a tablespoon or two of zippy apple cider vinegar and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Top it with green onion or fresh dill.
- Dairy Free - make this recipe dairy-free by replacing greek yogurt with your favorite plant-based yogurt. Coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt would all work here.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or sriracha to the mix if you like your chicken salad on the spicy side.
- Salty/Briny - for a touch of a salty, briny taste, add chopped dill pickles or olives. I love using green manzanilla olives, but you could also use kalamata olives or black olives.
How to Serve Healthy Chicken Salad
- Chicken Salad Sandwich - Add a couple of scoops to your favorite bread with romaine lettuce + sliced tomatoes or your own favorite sandwich fillings.
- Chicken Salad Wrap - make a chicken salad wrap with a whole-wheat tortilla! Add arugula or spinach for some greens, a few scoops of chicken salad and wrap everything tightly, tucking in the ends of the tortilla..
- With Your Favorite Crackers or Chips - enjoy this mayo-free chicken salad with seed crackers from Mary's Gone Crackers or Wasa Crispbread.
- Lettuce Wrap or on a Bed of Greens - The perfect way to serve this creamy salad if you are following a low carb eating pattern.
Meal Prep and Storage for Creamy Chicken Salad
- Meal Prep - chop the chicken and veggies ahead of time and make the dressing. That way everything is ready to throw together at lunchtime!
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use chicken that you like the flavor of! Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken with great flavor to save time.
- Give it a taste and add salt if needed. If you prefer a creamier chicken salad, add more Greek yogurt and Dijon to taste.
- Serve with crackers or on your favorite bread as a sandwich. I love having it with Mary's Gone Crackers or Wasa Crispbread.
Dietitian tip
It seems basic, but it's so easy to forget that when it comes to sticking with healthy eating, having easy lunches like protein salads meal prepped and ready to go is so helpful. Especially on busy days. And healthy recipes that taste great are key to making mealtime truly enjoyable! Replacing ingredients that are high in saturated fat like mayo with nutrient-rich ingredients like Greek yogurt doesn't just add nutrition, it adds fresh flavor and creaminess too. Use rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even easier!
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this Chicken Salad is a nourishing option. It contains lean proteins from the chicken, calcium from the Greek yogurt, and other nutrients including antioxidants, vitamins C and B6, and magnesium from the additional ingredients. Walnuts add ALAs and Omega-3s that support brain health and grapes and celery add dietary fiber for a healthy gut.
Nope! You can use any chicken you prefer. If you want get fresh chicken breasts and cook them using your preferred cooking method, that would be great too. Here's a recipe for Baked Chicken and one for Boiled Chicken Breast.
Yes, this is a gluten-free recipe.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Rotisserie Chicken Salad without Mayo:
Want to Learn More About Nutrition?
Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy:
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (No Mayo, Easy to Make)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken (280g), I use store-bought rotisserie chicken
- 2 stalks celery, chopped (60g), about ½ cup chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped (30g), or ¼ red onion
- ½ cup grapes, quartered
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (5g), about 2 tablespoon chopped
- 2 tablespoon walnuts, chopped (15g), or nut of choice
For Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (~120g), I use nonfat but use any you prefer
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard (30g)
- 1 large lemon, juiced (30ml), about 3.5 Tbsp
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Shred or chop the chicken, celery, red onion, grapes, walnuts, and parsley.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Add the chicken and other ingredients and toss everything together. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
- Hint: to make shredding the chicken even easier, pulse it a few times in a food processor!
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use chicken that you like the flavor of! I use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken with great flavor to save time.
- Give it a taste and add salt if needed. If you prefer a creamier chicken salad, add more Greek yogurt and Dijon to taste.
- Meal Prep - chop the chicken and veggies ahead of time and make the dressing. That way everything is ready to throw together at lunchtime!
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Sharon Brown
Now my favorite chicken salad
Mallory
Yay!! I'm so happy you loved it! 😊 It's the best with our favorite Sprouts chicken so I'll have to bring you some next time I come visit you and dad.