This Healthy Chicken Salad is made with tender chicken, crisp celery, juicy grapes, crunchy almonds, and fresh herbs, all tossed in a creamy, mayo-free dressing—it’s simply the best!

Try my other healthy chicken salad recipes — this Avocado Chicken Salad, Chicken Spinach Salad, and Curry Chicken Salad.

Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe layered into some bread for a delicious sandwich.

Table of Contents

Healthy Chicken Salad

This original Chicken Salad is one of my favorite recipes on this site (yes, out of over 1,500!). I make it often at home and love serving it on mini croissants for baby or bridal showers.

As I’ve been trying to add more protein to my diet, I swapped the mayo and sour cream for Greek yogurt to create this recipe. And the result did not disappoint!

This is the best healthy chicken salad I’ve ever had; with a good Greek yogurt, you’d barely notice it’s not made with loads of mayo!

Quick Tip

Is Chicken Salad Healthy? Chicken salad can be nutritious if made with lean chicken, Greek yogurt, and fresh veggies. It’s high in protein and lower in fat, especially when served on whole-grain bread or in lettuce wraps.

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for easy assembly.

Ingredients

Here’s what we’ve got going on in this Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe:

  • Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is quick, easy, and already seasoned. Many stores even offer it pre-shredded.
  • Celery: Thin slices add a nice crunch to the salad.
  • Green Onions: Use both the whites and greens for extra flavor. Prefer a sharper taste? Try red onions. Not a fan of onion? Skip it!
  • Grapes: Seedless and diced to mix in well. I like to halve small grapes or quarter larger ones.
  • Toasted Almonds: Many stores sell pre-toasted almonds, but they’re easy to toast at home if needed.
  • Parsley: Adds a fresh flavor, but you can leave it out or swap with basil. A smaller amount of rosemary or thyme would also work well.

Dressing

What makes a chicken salad healthy? A protein-packed dressing! Greek yogurt is rich in protein and makes up most of the dressing:

  • Greek Yogurt: Choose a good, full-fat plain yogurt you enjoy. Greek God’s Traditional Plain is my favorite. Use the leftovers and make some Tzatziki sauce!
  • Lemon: I like to use a grater to get the lemon zest and a juicer to get the juice.
  • Honey: Balances the tang of the yogurt nicely. Adjust to taste.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds great flavor and thickens the dressing.
The dressing for this Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe being whisked together in a bowl.

How To Make Healthy Chicken Salad

  1. Shred Chicken: Use rotisserie chicken for ease.
  2. Prepare Veggies: Thinly slice celery and green onions, dice grapes, and chop parsley if using.
  3. Toast Almonds: If not pre-toasted, toast them in a dry pan until lightly browned.
  4. Make Dressing: Whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon zest, juice, honey, and Dijon mustard until smooth.
  5. Combine: Add chicken, veggies, grapes, almonds, and parsley to the dressing. Mix well.
  6. Season: Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Quick Tip

If you have leftover rotisserie chicken, pop it in these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos or Rotisserie Chicken Stir-Fry!

All the ingredients being added to a bowl to be tossed together.

Healthy Chicken Salad Serving Suggestions

Here’s how to I like to serve up this chicken salad:

  1. On Toasted Bread: Make a sandwich with your favorite whole-grain bread.
  2. In Lettuce Wraps: Spoon into large lettuce leaves for a low-carb option.
  3. With Croissants: Serve on mini croissants for a party!
  4. Over Greens: Place on top of a bed of mixed greens for a salad.
  5. In a Wrap: Roll it in a whole-wheat or spinach tortilla.
  6. Stuffed in Pita: Use whole-wheat pita pockets.
  7. As a Dip: Serve with crackers or sliced veggies.
Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe in a bowl ready to be enjoyed.

Storage

Leftovers?

  • Keep in Fridge: Put any leftover chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge.
  • Eat Soon: Enjoy within 3-4 days.
  • Don’t Freeze: Freezing can change the texture, so avoid it.

More Healthy Salad Recipes:

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5 from 16 votes

Healthy Chicken Salad

By Chelsea Lords
This Chicken Salad is a fresh and flavorful mix of tender chicken, crunchy celery, juicy grapes, and toasted almonds, all brought together with a creamy dressing—a healthier twist that’s sure to be your new favorite!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 sandwiches

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken see note 1
  • 3/4 cup thinly sliced celery 2-3 stalks
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions 5 green onions
  • 1 cup red seedless grapes halved
  • 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds see note 2
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley optional
  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt see note 3
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Serving suggestions see note 4

Instructions 

  • Zest lemon with zester to get 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice using a citrus juicer to get 1 tablespoon juice.
  • Shred and chop chicken to get 3 cups. Slice the celery, green onions, and grapes. Finely chop parsley, if using. If desired, toast the almonds (see note 2).
  • In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, lemon zest and juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper.
  • Add chicken, celery, green onions, grapes, almonds, and parsley (if using) to the dressing. Gently stir until well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  • See note 4 for serving suggestions.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I like rotisserie chicken best, but any plain cooked chicken works.
Note 2: Toasted almonds have more flavor and won’t get soggy as quickly. You can buy them pre-toasted or toast them yourself by adding them to a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat promptly and let cool.
Note 3: Use a high-quality plain Greek yogurt you enjoy. I like Greek God’s plain yogurt.
Note 4: Enjoy the salad straight from the bowl, on toasted bread with lettuce, on croissants, as lettuce wraps, or with crackers, veggies, etc.
Storage: Keep leftover chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge and eat within 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.2g | Protein: 11.2g | Fat: 21.1g | Cholesterol: 37.1mg | Sodium: 156.6mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 4.7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

 

Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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114 Comments

  1. Lonnie says:

    Can you use something other than honey if you’re allergic to it?

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      I’ve actually tried this without the honey and it’s still delicious! I would just leave it out!

      Reply
  2. Jazmyne says:

    5 stars
    Soo good! I love the toasted almond addition! and the tangy honey dressing is soo good also!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      Yay! So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jazmyne!

      Reply