Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad (Printable Version)
Shredded chicken tossed in tangy Greek yogurt with celery, bell pepper, herbs and optional nuts or grapes; ready in 30 minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (about 2 large breasts)
→ Dressing
02 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (non-fat or low-fat)
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Vegetables & Mix-ins
09 - ½ cup celery, finely chopped
10 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
11 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
12 - ¼ cup fresh parsley or dill, chopped
13 - ¼ cup sliced almonds or walnuts (optional)
14 - ½ cup seedless red grapes, halved (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add the cooked chicken, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, fresh parsley or dill, and optional nuts and grapes to the bowl with the dressing.
03 - Gently toss all ingredients together until everything is evenly coated with the dressing, taking care not to break up the chicken too much.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed to suit your preference.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Serve cold on its own, over a bed of fresh greens, in lettuce cups for a low-carb option, or as a sandwich filling on whole grain bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Swapping mayonnaise for Greek yogurt cuts the heaviness while adding a tangy creaminess that actually tastes better than the original.
- It comes together in under thirty minutes with nothing more than a bowl, a whisk, and a knife.
02 -
- Do not skip the chilling step, because the dressing needs time to loosen and soak into every crevice of the chicken.
- If the salad seems dry after sitting in the fridge, stir in an extra spoonful of yogurt rather than reaching for oil.
03 -
- Dice every vegetable to roughly the same size as the chicken pieces so every forkful delivers a balanced bite.
- Toasting the nuts is the one extra step people always skip, and it is the one that makes the biggest difference.