Keto Chicken Salad
on Apr 22, 2019, Updated Mar 25, 2025
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Keto chicken salad is a low-carb recipe that can be enjoyed by itself or with any number of healthy food choices.
A good way to use leftover chicken, you can make this in just 10 minutes!
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Table of Contents
About This Low Carb Chicken Salad
This low-carb lunch is a mainstay in our kitchen. It’s almost like a member of the family. It’s one of our favorite ways to use leftover chicken. Depending on how you make it, chicken salad can easily be kept as a gluten-free and grain-free recipe as well.
We’re proud to add this simple chicken salad to our list or other low-carb meal ideas like this roasted cauliflower soup with garlic, our low-carb enchiladas made with cabbage leaves, and our decadent low carb cinnamon rolls.
What’s in this Chicken Salad?
One of the beautiful things about this quick and easy chicken salad is the ordinary ingredients it uses. Chances are great that you have everything you need to put it together right now!
🐔 Chicken (3 cups, shredded)
What it does: The protein-rich base of your salad—shredded chicken absorbs flavor and gives this dish its hearty bite.
Substitution tips: Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, or leftover grilled/baked chicken breast. Canned chicken works in a pinch, just drain it well.
🥄 Mayonnaise (1/4 cup)
What it does: Adds creamy texture and richness without the carbs—perfect for keto.
Substitution tips: Try avocado mayo or olive oil mayo for a cleaner ingredient list. For a lighter option, mix half mayo with sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt (note: Greek yogurt has slightly more carbs).
🥄 Mustard (2 tbsp)
What it does: Adds tang and zing, balancing out the richness of the mayo and chicken.
Substitution tips: Dijon mustard offers a sharp, bold flavor, while yellow mustard is milder. Spicy brown or whole grain mustard can add a unique twist.
🌿 Fresh Dill (2 tbsp, chopped)
What it does: Brightens the salad with a fresh, grassy note that pairs perfectly with chicken and mayo.
Substitution tips: If fresh dill isn’t available, use 1 tsp dried dill. You can also substitute with a small amount of tarragon or fresh basil for a different but tasty spin.
🌿 Italian Parsley (2 tbsp, chopped)
What it does: Adds a fresh, clean taste and a pop of color. Helps balance the heavier ingredients.
Substitution tips: Curly parsley works too. No parsley? Try chopped celery leaves or even a small handful of baby spinach, finely chopped.
🧅 Green Onion (1/4 cup, chopped)
What it does: Adds gentle onion flavor and a touch of crunch without overwhelming the salad.
Substitution tips: Use chives for a milder flavor or finely diced red onion for more bite. If you’re sensitive to raw onion, soak the chopped pieces in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow them out.
🧂 Salt and Pepper (to taste)
What it does: Essential for seasoning—enhances all the other flavors in the salad.
Substitution tips: Add a pinch of garlic powder or celery salt for extra depth. Cracked black pepper adds a more pronounced flavor than pre-ground.
You can even use a rotisserie chicken with this, which we also use in our easy chicken noodle soup recipe.
Other delicious flavors for this easy lunch can include chopped-up fresh basil, oregano, or even thyme for a more savory flavor.
Once you mix the shortlist of ingredients, just add a couple of cups of shredded chicken to the bowl, and mix. It’s that simple.
How to make Keto Chicken Salad
- Start with some chicken. You can roast your own, use a rotisserie chicken, or even use some from a can (which Scott loves but I can’t bring myself to try.)
- Shred it up in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the other ingredients.
- Combine the shredded chicken with the mayonnaise mixture and stir it together.
Once everything is mixed together for this healthy salad idea, seal it up and let it chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. This will give all the ingredients a little time to become friends and make your salad tasted even better
Pro Cooking Tip
Be sure the chicken is completely cool before mixing this all together. For food safety reasons, never leave chicken sit out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
If you are making your chicken, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
Substitutions and variations
One of the beautiful thing about chicken salad is all of the things you can add to it, and in many cases, still keep it as a keto recipe.
Some keto-friendly additives include:
- Bacon
- Walnuts (toast them first for maximum flavor!)
- Grapes
- Avocados
- Hard boiled eggs
- Sunflower seeds
If you don’t want to use mayonnaise, Greek yogurt is an excellent substitution for this.
Store it for Later
You can keep this in the fridge for up to a week, but it’s very unlikely it will last that long. It’s usually gone by the next day at our house.
How to Eat Chicken Salad
Remember how I mentioned to you that this keto recipe is extremely versatile? I wasn’t kidding.
Eat it out of the bowl (I won’t judge), use it as a stuffing for avocadoes, or tomatoes, or turn it into a beautiful and delicious low-carb wrap.
Not everyone in my house is on a low-carb diet. But that’s alright.
Our kids are huge sandwich eaters, and this recipe makes the best chicken salad sandwiches you can imagine.
I love using some whole grain bread when packing these in their lunch bags; they don’t even know it’s a healthy lunch!
Keto Chicken Salad Meal Prep Ideas
Chicken salad is super versatile, stores well, and will go with so many different things. This makes it ideal to use as part of any meal prep plan. Here are ways we like to use chicken salad when prepping meals for work or school.
- Lettuce Wraps
- Scoop the chicken salad into butter lettuce, romaine, or iceberg leaves. Store the filling separately and assemble just before eating to keep the lettuce crisp.
- Stuffed Avocados
- Halve a ripe avocado and fill the center with chicken salad for a satisfying, no-cook lunch. Pack the salad and avocado separately if prepping ahead, and slice the avocado right before serving to keep it from turning brown.
- Egg Cups or Bell Pepper Boats
- Use the chicken salad to fill hard-boiled egg halves (like deviled eggs, but heartier) or halved, deseeded bell peppers, for a protein-packed and delicious lunch. They’re colorful, portable, and super filling.
- Low-Carb Bento Box
- Create a simple lunchbox with compartments:
- Chicken salad
- A few cherry tomatoes or cucumber slices
- A wedge of cheese or a hard-boiled egg
- Some olives or pickles
- It’s fresh, flavorful, and keeps your macros in check.
- Cucumber Slices or Celery Sticks
- Use crunchy veggie dippers for an easy, no fuss snack or light lunch. Store the chicken salad in small containers with pre-cut celery or cucumber rounds for easy grab-and-go options.
- Keto Chicken Salad Bowl
- You can serve this over a bed of baby spinach, arugula, or mixed greens. Sliced almonds, chopped boiled egg, and shredded cheese are all great options to bulk it up. You’ll want to store the dressing (if using) separately until ready to eat.
- Keto Tortilla Wraps
- Wrap in low-carb tortillas or cheese wraps for a more filling option. Keep them rolled and ready to grab from the fridge—perfect for work lunches or road trips.
I hope you give this healthy food idea a try. You’ll be amazed at its ease and taste. One more thing: Don’t forget dessert! Check out our amazing Keto Cheesecake!
Thanks for reading Platter Talk, it means the world to us.
Common questions
If you don’t want to make your own, you can pick some of this up from your grocery deli. I suggest you jazz it up with some chopped bacon, cashews, raisins, or a little curry powder.
The FDA recommends that you not eat this beyond 3 to 5 days. Be sure to store it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator at 40° F. or less.
Sangria made with vodka is a great, low-carb beverage to wash this down with!
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Keto Chicken Salad
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Ingredients
- 3 cups Chicken, Shredded
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Mustard
- 2 tbsp Dill, fresh, chopped
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley, fresh, chipped
- 1/4 cup Green onion, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine mayonnaise, mustard, dill, and parsley in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Add the chicken and stir in the green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
- Cover and chill for two hours before serving, for optimal flavor.
Video
Notes
- Calories: 284
- Carbs: 0%
- Proteitn 23%
- Fat 73%
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This KETO CHICKEN SALAD really looks delicious! I am currently on a keto diet and I am looking for the best food for me! Thanks for sharing this!
What a simple and delicious sounding chicken salad! Perfect to bring to picnics in these upcoming months! Thanks so much for sharing :).
This salad sounds so good with all the healthy ingredients, perfect for warmer days or al fresco dining.
Your keto chicken salad looks super delicious! I love chicken salad sandwiches and so does everyone in my family! Will have to try your recipe real soon!