This Green Goddess Chicken Salad recipe is a unique spin on classic chicken salad and a great way to use up leftover herbs! Creamy homemade green goddess dressing is combined with rotisserie chicken for a flavorful and nutritious meal ready in just 10 minutes. It's SO easy to make - perfect meal prep for weekday lunches. I hope you love it as much as I do! 😊
As a dietitian, this is my favorite way to use up fresh herbs and leftover chicken! Green Goddess is an herby dressing that has been around in different iterations for over 100 years if you can believe it! Mixing it with chicken makes for a creamy chicken salad that is full of bright flavors. My version of the creamy dressing contains plenty of nutrient-rich ingredients like fresh herbs, lemon juice and garlic. We add Greek yogurt which also provides extra protein, and avocado which contains dietary fiber.
All you need to make this recipe is a few ingredients and a food processor or blender! Once you have a batch made, serve it with tortilla chips and raw veggies, between a couple slices of bread, in a wrap, or on a bed of greens.
This was inspired by my other Rotisserie Chicken Salad without Mayo and my Buffalo Chicken Salad and Tuscan Chicken Salad. It pairs great with a Cucumber and Pepper Salad.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This Green Goddess Chicken Salad uses simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements.
Salad Ingredients
- Rotisserie Chicken - To make this recipe quick and easy, I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I go with the natural chicken where I shop at Sprouts, but you can get a seasoned chicken if you prefer. If you want, you can also cook and shred your own chicken breast.
- Optional Add-Ins - keep it simple by combining the chicken and dressing. If you want a little more, you can absolutely use add-ins. Red onion, green onion, chopped cucumber, celery, or mashed white beans would all work great in this chicken salad.
Green Goddess Dressing Ingredients
Below are the ingredients for the homemade Green Goddess Dressing used in this recipe.
- Avocado - using a fresh avocado is an easy way to give the dressing a creamy texture. Avocados contain nearly 20 nutrients including dietary fiber, heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E.
- Greek Yogurt - we are using Greek yogurt in place of mayo found in some green goddess recipes to cut back on saturated fats. I use nonfat Greek yogurt for this recipe, but you can use any fat content you prefer. You can substitute it with cottage cheese or plant-based yogurt if you prefer.
- Lemon Juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the other flavors.
- Parsley - fresh parsley adds a clean and earthy flavor and antioxidants. Win-win!
- Dill - for a citrusy grassy flavor that pairs nicely with the other fresh herbs and lemon juice. Dill contains vitamins C and A and manganese.
- Mint - fresh mint adds a cooling effect and it tastes so refreshing. Mint can also soothe digestive issues and help support a healthy gut.
- Spinach - baby spinach adds sweetness and nutrients like antioxidants, iron, and vitamins C and K. You can substitute with kale or other greens if you want.
- Garlic - raw garlic adds a ton of flavor to this green dressing. The fresh garlic clove also adds allicin, a powerful antioxidant.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil adds a robust flavor and heart-healthy fats that are also important for brain health and hormone health. You can substitute with avocado oil if you like a more mild flavor.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper - just a little salt and pepper to tie all the flavors together.
How to Make Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Below are the instructions for how to make Green Goddess Chicken Salad 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 your rotisserie chicken. I do this in a food processor, but you can use 2 forks instead depending on how finely you prefer your chicken in a chicken salad.
- Step 2 - In a food processor or high-speed blender, add your dressing ingredients and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water as needed to thin it out.
- Step 3 - Add the chicken to a large bowl and pour the dressing on top. Give it a good mix to combine the dressing, making sure the chicken is coated.
- Step 4 - Optional: if you want, add in green onions, red onion, cucumber, or mashed white beans.
Hint: if you prefer a thinner dressing, add 1-2 tablespoon of water to the dressing as it blends.
Video of How to Make Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Variations
One of the great things about making your own chicken recipes is you can customize them to your liking. Below are some suggestions for variations of this Green Goddess Chicken Salad, but feel free to get creative and put your spin on it.
- Spicy - add crushed red pepper flakes, serrano or jalapeno pepper, or hot sauce to spice it up.
- Deluxe - feel free to add green onion, red onion, or a shallot, and cucumber for an extra crunchy texture! Top it with lemon zest to add even more flavor.
- Potato Salad - add cooked red potatoes and goat cheese to turn it into a twist on normal potato salad.
Equipment
All you need to make this Green Goddess Chicken Salad is either a food processor or a high-speed blender. I have a Ninja Blender and love it, but I usually use my handy beloved KitchenAid food processor for this recipe.
Storage for Green Goddess Chicken Salad
- Refrigerator - store Green Goddess Chicken Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Expert Advice
- Be sure to use a chicken you like the flavor of since it will have an impact on the flavor of this chicken salad!
- One of the easiest ways to shred chicken for chicken salads is to shred it in a food processor. All you have to do is pulse it for a few seconds. You can also use a hand mixer.
- For the best flavor, I suggest using fresh lemon juice in the dressing instead of bottled lemon juice if possible.
- Choose a ripe avocado for the dressing. To tell if it's ripe, use these simple tips from Hass Avocado Board (HAB): give it a gentle squeeze and if it is slightly soft, it is ready to use! You don't want it to be mushy and not hard, either. Ripe avocados will have a darker color but HAB recommends to go more by the feel AND color than the color alone.
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 chicken salad meal prepped and ready to go is so helpful. Especially on busy days. And healthy recipes that taste great like this Green Goddess Chicken Salad are key to making mealtime truly enjoyable! 😊
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this green goddess chicken salad is a nutrient-rich option. The dressing contains several herbs that provide antioxidants and vitamins C, A, and K. It also contains heart-healthy fats that also support brain health and hormone health. This recipe uses chicken which is a high-quality lean protein. This recipe is gluten-free and does not contain added sugars.
Green goddess dressing is herbaceous, tangy, and creamy. It is very flavorful and the fresh herbs and lemon shine through. It has a refreshing taste and is surprisingly smooth!
Great question! Make it a meal by serving chicken salad in a sandwich or a wrap. You could serve it on a bed of lettuce or in a green salad. Eat it as a snack with crackers, pita chips, raw vegetables, or even sweet potatoes. I enjoy Mary's Gone Crackers Seed Crackers or Pretzel Crisps with this green goddess chicken salad.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Green Goddess Chicken Salad:
Want to Learn More About Nutrition?
Here are some nutrition education articles from a dietitian:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Healthy Green Goddess Chicken Salad (High-Protein)
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (480g, 16oz)
- optional: green onion, red onion, or chopped cucumber.
For Green Goddess Dressing
- 1 medium avocado (150g)
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt (non-fat) (228g), or yogurt of choice
- 1 cup fresh parsley (60g)
- ½ cup fresh dill (4g)
- ½ cup fresh mint (12g)
- 1 cup baby spinach
- ⅓ cup lemon juice (80ml) about 1½ large lemons
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (30ml)
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g), more to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoon water optional to thin it out
Instructions
- Shred your rotisserie chicken. I do this by pulsing it a few times in the food processor, but you can use 2 forks instead depending on how finely you prefer your chicken in a chicken salad.
- In a food processor or high-speed blender, add your dressing ingredients and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add a bit of water as needed to thin it out.
- Add the chicken to a large bowl and pour the dressing on top. Give it a good mix to combine the dressing, making sure the chicken is coated.
- Optional: if you want, add in green onions, red onion, cucumber, or mashed white beans.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use a chicken you like the flavor of since it will have an impact on the flavor of this chicken salad!
- One of the easiest ways to shred chicken for chicken salads is to shred it in a food processor. All you have to do is pulse it for a few seconds. You can also use a hand mixer.
- For the best flavor, I suggest using fresh lemon juice in the dressing instead of bottled lemon juice if possible.
- Choose a ripe avocado for the dressing. To tell if it's ripe, use these simple tips from Hass Avocado Board (HAB): give it a gentle squeeze and if it is slightly soft, it is ready to use! You don't want it to be mushy and not hard, either. Ripe avocados will have a darker color but HAB recommends to go more by the feel AND color than the color alone.
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