Keto Chicken Salad (Quick & Easy)

A deliciously healthy lunch or light dinner, this homemade Keto Chicken Salad recipe is quick, easy and can be made ahead of time! Serve as lettuce wraps, on top of a salad, or as a chicken salad chaffle!

How to make keto chicken salad

Keto lunches can be tricky and, at times, become monotonous. However, this keto chicken salad recipe is based on your classic chicken salad, which, is naturally lower in carbs! As you know, I am not a huge mayonnaise fan. However, chicken salad is the perfect keto lunch or light dinner option if you’re looking to get your protein and fat while keeping carbs low.

I am sure you’ve noticed that many keto meals lack crunch, so I love how chicken salad has a crunchy bite from both the pecans and celery. My favorite thing about this keto chicken salad is the fact that it is made from scratch AND can be assembled in less than 10 minutes (assuming your chicken is already shredded). You can store it in the fridge until you’re ready, making it ideal for last-minute meals.

Keto chicken salad ingredients:

• Shredded chicken– Adds healthy protein to the recipe. You can also use diced chicken.
• Mayo, Dijon, lemon– This makes a delicious dressing that is creamy and tangy.
• Celery, onion– Both add delicious flavor and crunch!
• Pecans– Nuts add healthy fats as well as more protein.
• Fresh herbs– Fresh herbs make a difference by adding bright flavors. Any herbs would work!

Step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken along with your chopped pecans, celery, and onion.

Step 2: Add the mayo, mustard, lemon zest, and spices.

Step 3: Toss to mix well. Finish with a pinch of the paprika sprinkled over top as well as freshly chopped parsley.

Step 5: Serve over a salad, as a chicken salad lettuce wrap, or make a keto chaffle sandwich.

Is chicken salad keto?

Many people wonder if you can eat chicken salad while on a keto diet. I am happy to say that MOST classic chicken salad recipes ARE indeed keto-friendly! I say “most” because some recipes will have ingredients such as grapes, craisins, apples, or even sugar in the mayo dressing. These versions you’ll want to stay away from!

“How should I serve keto chicken salad?”

Chicken salad is hearty and tasty enough to be eaten on its own. However, some of us need something else with it. Many enjoy chicken salad on a keto chaffle, pictured in the photos. Chaffles are completely keto-friendly and here, can easily act as your bread to make a delicious, low carb chicken salad sandwich. Either way, you can enjoy your chicken salad without all the carbs. Here is my chaffle recipe.

Another way to serve this keto chicken salad is by using Romain lettuce leaves, which act like small crunchy boats to serve the salad on top of. Another lettuce option is to use Bibb lettuce, which is softer and has larger leaves, making them ideal for chicken salad lettuce wraps. Another idea is to add your chicken salad to cucumber slices or cucumber boats. If you want something crunchy, make these homemade keto cheese crackers to enjoy with low carb chicken salad.

If you are following more of a ‘dirty keto’ diet, you can, of course, serve this chicken salad with low carb store-bought crackers or better yet, in a low carb tortilla, or low carb bread.

Other keto chicken salad variations

You can change up this recipe however you’d like by adding or substituting a few ingredients. Just keep the staples like the mayo, celery, seasoning, and obviously the chicken! Here are some other ingredients you can add to your chicken salad:

• fresh tarragon
• fresh thyme
• fresh chives
• slivered almonds
• chopped walnuts
• cherry tomatoes
• shredded cheese
• diced avocado

What is the best type of chicken to use?

I always have chicken cooked and pre-shredded stashed away in the freezer since a lot of keto dinners call for it. (You can check out some keto shredded chicken recipes here.) Making shredded chicken is so easy to make in bulk when I meal prep. Making it ahead of time helps turn a recipe that normally takes hours into one that can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

Check out how I make shredded chicken using my crock pot. If you are short on time and can stop at the grocery store, you can also use a pre-roasted rotisserie chicken and shred that using two forks. Or you can simply chop it up using a knife.

If you do not want to use shredded chicken or do not have any on hand, you can saute or grill some chicken breasts. First, make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Then, instead of shredding it, you can dice your cooked chicken into small cubes that are about 1/2″ and add it to your salad.

Tip* Grilling your chicken can add a TON of extra flavor and smokiness to your chicken salad.

More keto salad recipes:

Keto Broccoli Bacon Salad

Keto Taco Salad (with Creamy Dressing)

Marinated Keto Cole Slaw

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

Don’t miss out!

If you aren’t already following my easy keto/low carb recipe page on Facebook, where I post all my new recipes, I’d love for you to join us! Also, make sure to follow me on Pinterest.

If you are just getting started following a keto diet and would like more information, there are tons of fantastic resources. Amazon has several great books you may want to check out here.

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Keto Chicken Salad Recipe: