Summer is upon us, woohoo! With that being the case, I don’t like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen over a hot stove. My solution to this is to have some healthy chicken salad on hand every week for easy sandwiches, wraps or over a bed of lettuce.
Once or twice a week I like to bake a whole chicken because it’s a two for one meal! There’s usually enough leftovers to make a batch of this delicious chicken salad recipe I’m going to share with you today.
When I was a kid, chicken salad on croissants were one of my favorite party foods. Anytime we were at a wedding, baby shower, or pampered chef party these delicious little sandwiches were there! Now, I’m sure most of the hostess’ at these parties didn’t make this healthy chicken salad version but maybe if they knew how easy this recipe is they would have.
Speaking of baby showers, currently, I’m 34 weeks pregnant with our fourth! I can’t believe there’s only 6 more weeks until we meet this sweet baby.
We will find out the gender at the birth! This is our second time doing this and makes it extra exciting for D-day (aka delivery day). Did you find out the gender before or after baby was born? Let me know in the comments. I would love to chat with you about it!
Is mayo required for this healthy chicken salad?
I don’t think mayo is unhealthy if that’s what you mean. I love mayo and buy a brand that uses only avocado oil in place of overly processed refined plant oils. Sometimes I make my own mayo if I have farm fresh eggs from our neighbor. Depending on your fitness goals you may want to replace mayo with plain non-fat yogurt. The choice is yours!
I don’t have grapes can I still make this recipe?
Yes! I almost always have dried cranberries or dried cherries on hand. I’ll use these instead of grapes if I don’t have any when I make this. They can also be omitted completely and it will still be delicious.
Do you have to use meat from a whole chicken?
No, you don’t! You can use either diced or shredded chicken breasts. Also, in a pinch canned would work too!
15 healthy pregnancy snacks
Ingredients for healthy chicken salad:
4 cups chicken, shredded or diced
2-3 ribs celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4-1/2 cup grapes or dried cranberries
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp onion powder
Method:
Shred chicken in stand mixer using paddle attachment (if you’ve never done this your life is about to be forever changed).
Add chopped onion, grapes (or dried cranberries), mayo, and spices.
Either stir by hand or use stand mixer to combine all ingredients.
Enjoy immediately (if your chicken was cold) or let chill in fridge for at least 1 hour.
Store in airtight container in fridge for 4-7 days.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy this between two pieces of your favorite sandwich bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.
Make for a party and serve on croissants!
Serve on a bed of lettuce with a homemade dressing like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, italian spices. Throw in sliced cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and walnuts.
Eat with your favorite crackers for on the go lunch.
Add to a wrap with a drizzle of honey mustard, thinly sliced peppers, and spinach leaves.
Macro breakdown per serving:
Protein: 10 g
Carbs: 4 g
Fat: 15 g
Tracking Macros: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
I hope you enjoy this super delicious + healthy chicken salad recipe while staying cool this summer!
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