Herbed Chicken Salad
I’m always looking to find recipe inspiration for lunches and snacks that are interesting, easy to make, and nutritious. This herbed chicken salad recipe achieves all three of these wishlist items — packing a flavorful punch with bright herbs and creamy Greek yogurt.
Is chicken salad healthy? Yes, chicken salad can definitely be made a healthy option for lunch or dinner:
The biggest way I see the impact of making chicken salad healthy is by substituting half of the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt. Mayo is very high in calories and, although it tastes great, doesn’t have a very high nutritional value. On the other hand, Greek yogurt has great health benefits including about 10 grams of protein per ½ cup. Focusing on including more protein in your diet helps you stay full longer and satisfied from your meal.
Adding herbs to chicken salad not only adds great flavor to your meal but the herbs also provide antioxidants and nutrients, along with anti-inflammatory properties.
How long does it take to make herbed chicken salad? It takes only minutes to make chicken salad if you buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. This eliminates the hour and a half or so it typically takes to roast a chicken and let it cool before you can prepare the herbed chicken salad. This makes this option a great quick lunch or dinner option!
Can I use a rotisserie chicken for chicken salad? Absolutely, you can use rotisserie chicken for chicken salad, in fact I often prefer it for a recipe like this where you won’t notice a huge difference in quality if you use a store-bought option instead of roasting the chicken at home.
How long does herbed chicken salad last in the fridge? Chicken salad typically lasts for 3-5 days in the fridge if stored in an air-tight container. For best results, eat within 1-2 days of preparing.
Which type of relish is best in chicken salad? The answer for which relish goes better with chicken salad is that it depends! I prefer dill relish for almost all chicken salad recipes, including this recipe for herbed chicken salad because it provides a wonderful punch of brightness as well as salt to develop the flavor of the chicken salad. With that being said, if you typically prefer the flavor of sweet relish in other recipes, you might enjoy it here as well! There’s no right or wrong answer for which type of relish to use in chicken salad.
Can you substitute any other herbs in this chicken salad recipe? My recommendation would be to use parsley and dill in chicken salad, as recommended in this recipe. I find other herbs are typically too strong to use in a similar way, such as basil or cilantro, so I wouldn’t recommend making that substitution. Certainly, you want to avoid any “hard herbs” in a chicken salad such as thyme or rosemary, as they will be toothsome when you add them to the salad and won’t combine in the way a soft herb would.
What to eat with herbed chicken salad? My favorite way to eat chicken salad is with a vessel to scoop and eat with it. Consider the following options to eat with herbed chicken salad:
Crackers
Crusty bread
Sweet mini peppers
Cucumber or radish slices
How to make herbed chicken salad:
Herbed Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 whole rotisserie or roasted chicken
- 3 celery stalks (about 1 1/2 cup diced)
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp dill relish
Instructions
- Deconstruct the roasted or rotisserie chicken and chop the meat into bite-sized portions. Add the chicken to a large bowl and set aside.
- Dice the celery and add to the bowl with the chicken.
- In a separate, small bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until the dressing is combined.
- Add the dressing to the chicken and celery and stir until the ingredients are all coated evenly.
- Serve right away and enjoy!
