Sonoma. Waldorf. Chicken salad can have many names and variations. But the one constant is that it’s always delicious. And that it’s incredibly easy to meal prep. Not to mention, this healthy chicken salad recipe tastes better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to mingle and melt into each other.
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Why Is This The Best Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe?
But my absolute favorite part about this salad – as with all my favorite recipes, is that it’s totally customizable depending on what you have in the kitchen on any given day.
I consider cooking to be less about a recipe and more about creating a meal. Recipes are stressful. Exact ingredients. Perfect measurements. Creating a meal is about combining flavors and textures, improvising. Adding a little of this, a little of that, until you’ve created something all your own.
This chicken salad is just like that. Totally customizable.
How Do You Make This Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe From Scratch?
The basic elements of this easy, healthy chicken salad recipe are shredded chicken (but you could easily use tuna!), something crunchy (celery, cabbage or carrot are all great options), something sweet (a chopped or dried fruit) and something nutty.
Add in your mayo of choice, or if you prefer, a little dijon mustard and olive oil. And voila!
Serve over greens, on whole wheat bread or stuffed gently into a pita.
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (or 1 can tuna)
- 3-4 celery stalks (or other crunchy vegetable like cabbage, carrots)
- Handful of chopped pecans (or chopped nut of choice)
- 1 apple (or other fruit like dried cranberries, grapes)
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise (or olive oil and dijon mustard)
- Salt & pepper to taste
How To Make My Chicken Salad Recipe
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Bake chicken breasts for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- While chicken cooks, chop the celery and apple.
- When the chicken is done, carefully shred using two forks to pull apart the meat.
- Add shredded chicken, celery, apple and pecans to a medium bowl. Gently mix.
- Add mayonnaise (or olive oil and dijon mustard) and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and make sure dressing evenly coats all ingredients.
- Let cool and serve, but it tastes better the next day!
This salad will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Easy Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy, healthy chicken salad is naturally gluten-free and made with a few simple ingredients. But the best part is that this chicken salad recipe is totally customizable to your taste preferences! It’s the perfect chicken salad for quick weekday lunches served over greens, as a sandwich or gently stuffed into a pita.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (or 1 can tuna)
- 3–4 celery stalks (or other crunchy vegetable like cabbage, carrots)
- Handful of chopped pecans (or chopped nut of choice)
- 1 apple (or other fruit like dried cranberries, grapes)
- 2–3 tablespoons mayonnaise (or olive oil and dijon mustard)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bake chicken breasts for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
3. While chicken cooks, chop the celery and apple.
4. When the chicken is done, carefully shred using two forks to pull apart the meat.
5. Add shredded chicken, celery, apple and pecans to a medium bowl. Gently mix.
6. Add mayonnaise (or olive oil and dijon mustard) and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and make sure dressing evenly coats all ingredients.
7. Let cool and serve, but it tastes better the next day!
This salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Lunch
Keywords: chicken salad recipe, healthy lunches, easy weekday lunches
Did you make this easy chicken salad recipe? Did you use any variations? Let me know in the comments!
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