Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

The Butter Half / Recipe Index / Salads / Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe

By Abbey Rodriguez • Published: • Modified: 4 Comments • This post may contain affiliate links.

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This easy and healthy chicken salad recipe takes under 10 minutes, making it a delicious and easy lunch or dinner the whole family will love.

Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (1)

Key ingredients to make this a healthy chicken salad recipe

  • Hummus. We are making the swap from traditional mayo to hummus, for a more nutrient-dense chicken salad. Hummus is a great source of plant-based protein, since it is made of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. It's also an excellent dairy or egg-free alternative to mayo, making it a great substitute for those with allergies. I recommend making my Easy Instant Pot Hummus with Canned Chickpeas.
  • Canned chicken. I specifically use the Costco Kirkland canned chicken for this recipe, because I think it is the best quality and taste.

Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (2)

How do you keep chicken salad from getting watery?

  • Make sure to fully drain all liquid from the can.
  • Do not add grapes until ready to serve. The liquid in the grapes can contribute to a watery salad.

Step-by-step instructions for making healthy chicken salad

Step 1

Mix together canned chicken and hummus in a mixing bowl. Add in celery, grapes, salt, and pepper.

Step 2

Spread chicken salad onto a gluten-free croissant, or multi-grain bread. Add lettuce and desired veggies, and enjoy!

Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (3)

Helpful tips to make this recipe

  • Pre-chop grapes and celery for a faster prep time.
  • If making this chicken salad ahead of time, do not add grapes until the day you serve it. The grapes will get mushy and make the salad watery.
  • Do you like some crunchiness in your salad? Try snap pea crisps, which aregluten-free and are a great source of fiber and plant protein.
  • I specifically use the Costco Kirkland canned chicken for this recipe, because I think it is the best quality.

Best gluten-free bread and croissants

I have tested over 10 different brands and I always come back to the Schar brand. I buy mine at Wegman's, but Schar is also available on Amazon. Here are my favorite gluten-free breads to pair with this chicken salad:

You might also like these recipes:

  • 4 Healthy Grab-and-Go Snack Jars
  • Fresh California Sushi Spring Rolls
  • 30-Minute Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta

If you make this healthy chicken salad recipe,or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below. I absolutely love hearing from you! You can alsoFOLLOW MEon Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, for more nourishing recipes like this, and behind the scenes cooking and holistic wellness tips!

Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (4)

Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe

By: Abbey Rodriguez

PRINTPIN RECIPE

This easy and healthy chicken salad recipe takes under 10 minutes, making it a delicious and easy lunch or dinner the whole family will love.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 314kcal

Cost: $5

Ingredients

  • 1 can canned chicken
  • ½ cup hummus
  • ½ cup celery chopped
  • ½ cup grapes halved
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

  • Mix together canned chicken and hummus in a mixing bowl. Add in celery, grapes, salt, and pepper.

  • Spread chicken salad onto a gluten-free croissant, or multi-grain bread. Add lettuce and desired veggies, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Pre-chop grapes and celery for a faster prep time
  • If making this chicken salad ahead of time, do not add grapes until the day you serve it. The grapes will get mushy and make the salad watery.
  • Do you like some crunchiness in your salad? Try snap pea crisps, which aregluten-free and are a great source of fiber and plant protein.
  • I specifically use the Costco Kirkland canned chicken for this recipe, because I think it is the best quality.

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    Can you please tell me what size can of chicken you are using?
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Abbey Rodriguez says

      I use the 12.5 oz Kirkland shredded chicken cans from Costco!

      Reply

  2. Dawn Conklin says

    Wow this sounds so delicious, what a creative way to throw together a can of chicken 🙂 I bet the rest of the house would like this too and it is healthy!

    Reply

    • The Butter Half says

      It's super yummy!

      Reply

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Easy and Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is chicken salad healthy to lose weight? ›

Chicken salad can assist with weight loss, but there are some factors to consider. Firstly, you should control your portions. Eating too much, even hearty and healthy foods, is a barrier to losing weight. Chicken is one of the lower-fat foods, and its proteins promote satiety.

What are the ingredients for chicken salad? ›

Image of What are the ingredients for chicken salad?
Chicken is the most common type of poultry in the world. Owing to the relative ease and low cost of raising chickens—in comparison to mammals such as cattle or hogs—chicken meat and chicken eggs have become prevalent in numerous cuisines.
Wikipedia

How many calories are in 1 cup of homemade chicken salad? ›

Chicken Salad (1 cup) contains 2.3g total carbs, 1.6g net carbs, 31.9g fat, 29.4g protein, and 417 calories.

How good is homemade chicken salad good for? ›

It's tempting to stir up a big batch so that we can enjoy leftovers for a few days. But how long is it safe to keep chicken salad on hand? The short answer is to store chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler for no more than four days.

What to avoid in salad for weight loss? ›

Crunchy Noodles, Wontons, and Tortilla Strips

“Crunchy noodles are like eating chips,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat It. All they add to your salad are calories (around 120 per half cup) and fat (half of those calories, at around 60 grams).

Can I lose weight if I eat 3 salads a day? ›

Can you lose weight by eating a salad every day? "Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

What is in the Mcdonald's chicken salad? ›

Freshly prepared salad with chicken breast in a crispy coating, lettuce, cucumber, sliced tomato and red onion.

Can I eat chicken salad everyday? ›

Absolutely — chicken salad can be healthy. Just how healthy comes down to the ingredients used, the portion eaten, and the other foods it's paired with to make a meal.

How healthy is chicken salad? ›

Absolutely! Chicken salad can be a nutritious and wholesome choice for a healthy diet. Packed with lean protein from chicken, an array of colorful vegetables, and often featuring nutrient-rich greens, it offers a balanced mix of essential vitamins and minerals.

Is chicken salad good for high cholesterol? ›

If you use breast meat (as opposed to dark meat or chicken cooked with the skin on) the salad will have less cholesterol and saturated fat. Celery, onion and any other produce incorporated in the salad will add vitamins, minerals and fiber.

What not to do when preparing chicken salad? ›

To ensure that your chicken salad tastes the way that it should, you should avoid using overcooked or dry chicken in your recipe. Unfortunately, as we cook chicken, the moisture of the bird slowly evaporates.

What makes chicken salad go bad? ›

Bad bacteria can grow rapidly in the "Danger Zone," a temperature range between 40°F and 140°F, so always transport and store chicken salad in the refrigerator or a well-chilled cooler or lunchbox.

How long will homemade chicken salad last in the refrigerator? ›

It's tempting to stir up a big batch so that we can enjoy leftovers for a few days. But how long is it safe to keep chicken salad on hand? The short answer is to store chicken salad in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler for no more than four days.

How much weight can I lose eating chicken and salad? ›

However, if you replace one regular meal per day of about 600 calories with a tall glass of water and a salad that features vegetables, chicken and a light dressing, you can cut 300 calories daily and post monthly weight loss of about 2.5 pounds.

Can I lose weight eating chicken breast and salad? ›

Anyone wanting to shed a few pounds can shift to salads. Adding chicken to it can further boost the process. This is because it has lower calories than your traditional diet, while the lean meat and protein ensure short-term weight loss. Protein is known to reduce appetite by inducing a feeling of fullness.

Which salad is good for weight loss? ›

Salads that contain fresh green leafy vegetables such as palak or spinach, cabbage and so on are especially great for burning down the fat that is stored around the belly area.

Is salad good for losing belly fat? ›

Yes salad does help you lose belly fat if you don't add any oil to it. The main thing is to consume lots of low calorie and high fiber foods to make sure you don't overeat and keep yourself feeling full. Salads and fruits are great for losing belly fat.

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