Healthy Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad (Printable)

Tangy Greek yogurt coats shredded chicken with crisp veggies and herbs for a light, protein-packed salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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, bell pepper, red onion, 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 in the dressing, taking care not to break up the chicken too much.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
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 mayo for Greek yogurt cuts the fat dramatically while doubling the protein, and you will not miss the original one bit once you taste the bright lemon and mustard coming through.
  • It comes together in the time it takes to scroll through your phone, which means no excuses for skipping a real lunch.
  • The crunch from celery, bell pepper, and optional grapes makes every bite interesting, so you never get that单调 spoonful fatigue.
02 -
  • Do not skip the chilling step, because the dressing needs time to loosen and mingle with the chicken, and warm chicken salad tastes flat no matter how well you seasoned it.
  • If you are using rotisserie chicken, scrape off most of the skin and seasoning first, since those flavors will fight with the lemon and herbs instead of blending with them.
03 -
  • A pinch of smoked paprika stirred into the dressing adds a subtle depth that most people cannot identify but everyone notices, and it makes the salad taste like it has a secret.
  • If you want the creamiest possible texture, let the yogurt sit at room temperature for ten minutes before mixing, because cold yogurt clings to itself instead of flowing smoothly over the chicken.

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