Lighter Chicken Salad

There are endless variations of chicken salad recipes but most of them have a few things in common.

Tons of mayo, hidden fat, and empty calories. Say goodbye to globs of mayo and hello to lighter chicken salad.

The chicken salad is fast, easy, the whole family will enjoy it, and there’s so much flavor they’ll never notice it’s lighter.

I replaced the mayo with plain fat-free Greek yogurt. It’s creamy, coats the chicken perfectly, and adds wonderful moisture to the already plump and juicy chicken. To bump up the tang factor and to thin out the yogurt, there’s lemon juice.

Green onions and garlic boost the savory flavor while celery and slivered almonds add crunchiness and texture.

I like a hint of sweetness with my chicken salad and added green apple which increases the amount of crunchiness which I love, but it’s optional. Red or green grapes are also a fun twist.

I used Thomas’ 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thins. With only 110 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and almost no fat they’re a great choice to keep the sandwich lighter.

The chicken salad is perfect for healthy work or school lunches, potlucks, or easy-breezy dinners. It’s a great make-ahead recipe and the flavors marry and it tastes even better the second day.

Lighter Chicken Salad

The chicken salad is fast, easy, the whole family will enjoy it, and there's so much flavor they'll never notice it's lighter. Mayo is replaced with plain fat-free Greek yogurt. It's creamy, coats the chicken perfectly, and adds wonderful moisture. To bump up the tang factor and to thin out the yogurt, there's lemon juice. Green onions and garlic boost the savory flavor while celery and slivered almonds add crunchiness and texture. I like a hint of sweetness with my chicken salad and added green apple which increases the crunchiness, but it's optional or try red or green grapes. The chicken salad is perfect for healthy work or school lunches, potlucks, or easy-breezy dinners. It's a great make-ahead recipe and the flavors marry and it tastes even better the second day.

Yield: serves 4

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Total Time:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use 0% fat Greek yogurt, regular yogurt cannot be substituted it's too thin)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced small (about 1 large stalk)
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced thin (about 2 green onions using both green and white)
• 1/2 cup green apple, peeled and diced small, optional (about 1 small apple, or substitute with sliced red or green grapes)
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves, chopped finely
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry ground yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 4 Thomas' 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thins, lightly toasted

Directions:

1. To a large skillet, add olive oil, chicken, evenly sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces. Allow to rest in pan while you dice and prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. To a large bowl, add the yogurt, celery, green onions, optional apple, almonds, parsley, lemon juice, garlic powder, dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir well to combine.
3. Add the chicken (optionally add the small amount of cooking juices in the pan, noting it adds flavor but thins out the yogurt mixture) and stir to combine. Taste, season with salt and pepper if desired, and stir.
4. Dish can be served warm immediately, but I prefer it as cold chicken salad. Cover, chill for at least 3 hours, or until sufficiently chilled. The yogurt coating mixture firms up as the salad chills and the chicken absorbs it. When ready to serve, divide chicken salad evenly onto toasted bagels, and serve. Chicken salad will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days and I find it tastes better the day after making it because the flavors marry.

Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

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Post is brought to you by Thomas’. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own.

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