I love chicken salad, and always have. There is something about the flavor of combos, that always draws me. My OG version certainly wasn’t very healthy, so over the years I have changed it up a bit and will now share my Healthy Chicken Salad recipe which tastes really close to the original. This is the thing about my recipes, I really do want them to taste like the original, so have worked to create ones that will be pretty dang close!
Start with your chicken. You have several options here. I boiled mine, as I wanted the stock for another project. I wanted a good, rich stock, so I also used the bone in breast. Variations for this method could be, cooking it in the crockpot. Throw it in in the morning, set it on low for 8 hours, and walk away. When you get home from work it is ready to go. It can also be done in the pressure cooker. Add chicken and other ingredients to pot, turn on high pressure and set for 20 minutes. Allow it to release naturally and it is ready to go. Want an even simpler option? Grab a rotisserie on the way home!
Remember to start with plenty of liquid if you are boiling it in the pan. You want a reduction, but since the chicken needs to boil awhile, make sure it has plenty of liquid to do it in.
This is mine at the end of the boiling.See how much it has reduced?
Start chopping the rest of your veggies and fruits. This will be variables of course. If you aren’t in to any of these or want to add other, do it!
Celery, grapes and onions are always a must in my salad.
Debone and chop your chicken.
I leave mine in decent sized chunks. I like a little chew in mine, so want the bigger chunks. If you prefer smaller, do it!
Here is my power couple for creamy dressings. I don’t really like mayo, but always add a tablespoon or 2 just for added creaminess in dressings.
Nonfat Greek yogurt always take the majority of the base for a creamy dressing in my kitchen. It is healthy, low calorie and high in protein.
See how creamy and beautiful the dressing is!
I also always add some type of nuts to my salad. This time it happened to be sliced almonds, as they were what I had on hand.
Place all ingredients in bowl.
Mix well. Honestly though, no on will ever know this is a healthy chicken salad.
That is it. It is really simple and easy to throw together. I always make a big batch too and use it as meal prep. This is easily 4 meals for me.
Serve this on it’s own or even with breads, crackers etc.
If you are looking for another salad to serve this healthy chicken salad with, how about these options…..Harvest Salad or a Thai Salad?