Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad tastes lighter and more tangy than traditional chicken salad. It’s made with crisp apple pieces, buttery cashews, and fresh herbs. Serve on croissants, sourdough bread, or over a bed of greens!
Making Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Making chicken salad with Greek yogurt is as quick and easy as preparing the traditional mayo-laden kind! The Greek yogurt adds tanginess and makes for a less gloopy chicken salad without compromising on creaminess or flavor.
In addition to Greek yogurt, this chicken salad recipe features crisp green apple chunks, cashew halves, fresh herbs, and celery for plenty of crunch.
This is a flexible recipe that can be made using leftover roasted or grilled chicken from last night’s dinner. Alternately, you can poach or bake a few chicken breasts specifically for this recipe.
We love serving this yogurt chicken salad on croissants, but it can also be added to leafy green salads, wraps, and more. The recipe can be meal prepped and enjoyed all week long! The apples and celery remain crisp, and the cashews become buttery soft over time.
This creamy chicken salad would also be a great dish to bring to any potluck or barbecue you have coming up. The yogurt and apple make this a more unique recipe than the standard chicken salad, yet it’s still a crowd pleaser!
Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll need a few basic kitchen tools to make this easy recipe:
- Cutting Board and Knife — For preparing the cooked chicken and mix-ins.
- Citrus Juicer — Helps to get the most juice from your lemons.
- Measuring Spoons — For measuring the spices.
- Large Mixing Bowl — This recipe calls for a pound of chicken, so you’ll need a large enough bowl to hold all of the ingredients.
- Mixing Spoon — For combining the chicken salad.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Ingredients
Making chicken salad with Greek yogurt and apples is very simple and requires just a handful of ingredients.
- Green Apple
- Lemon Juice
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Cooked Chicken Breasts
- Celery
- Fresh Chives
- Fresh Dill
- Raw Unsalted Cashew Halves
- Celery Seed
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Greek yogurt — I like to use Greek yogurt because it adds extra protein, but you could also use mayo or sour cream OR a mixture of mayo and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Apple — Can be swapped with pineapple (fresh or canned pineapple packed in water) or seedless grapes.
- Cashes — Can substitute macadamia nuts.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut can also be added to the chicken salad.
How to Make Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt
- In a small bowl, coat the diced green apple with lemon juice.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the mayonnaise. Then, stir in the chicken, celery, chives, cashews, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
- Add the apples and lemon juice.
- Taste, and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use leftover chicken — Grilled, roasted, baked, or poached chicken all work well in this recipe. Any chicken that was coated in a Mexican- or Asian-inspired marinade might not work in this recipe, but most anything else should be fine.
- Use plain Greek yogurt, not flavored — Trust me, you don’t want to use your favorite strawberry yogurt in this recipe!
- Opt for full-fat or 2% fat yogurt — You need some fat to make a more flavorful chicken salad, but of course you may use whatever plain Greek yogurt is your favorite.
- Chicken salad tastes best after a few hours — You can eat this yogurt chicken salad immediately, but in my opinion it tastes best after it’s chilled in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. The chicken and veggies soak up some of the sauce, and all the flavors come together.
Chicken Salad FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What’s the best yogurt to use in this recipe?
You need to use a plain Greek yogurt. I use Fage Total Plain 2% Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt, simply because I buy that every week and always have it on hand.
What’s the best chicken to use in chicken salad?
You can use any of the following types of chicken to make this recipe:
- Roasted Chicken
- Crock Pot Shredded Chicken
- Poached Chicken
- Grilled Chicken
- Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken
Either use leftover chicken or prepare a batch of chicken specifically for this yogurt chicken salad.
Can this recipe be made using canned chicken?
Yes, I’ve used canned chicken to make this recipe and it still tastes good. However, canned chicken has a different texture than ‘fresh’ and isn’t my first choice.
If you do use canned chicken, make sure to drain it well for best results!
Can dried herbs be used instead of fresh?
Yes, but fresh herbs are preferred since they really brighten up the chicken salad. If you use dried herbs, add ⅓ the amount that’s called for in the recipe.
Can dairy-free or vegan yogurt be used?
I imagine so! Just be sure to use a plain yogurt.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this yogurt and green apple chicken salad so many ways. Here are a few serving suggestions:
- On toasted sourdough — Toast sliced sourdough and serve chicken salad on top for an open-face chicken salad sandwich, My favorite sourdough bread is the Izzio Everything Bagel Sourdough Sliced Bread.
- On plain croissants — Slice the croissants in half and put chicken salad in between the top and bottom slices. You can also add lettuce, tomato, etc. to the sandwich.
- On a bed of greens — Add a hearty scoop of chicken salad to a bed of spinach, massaged kale, or lettuce for a protein-packed green salad.
- In lettuce wraps — Scoop the chicken salad onto butter lettuce leaves to create lettuce wraps.
Storage Instructions
Yogurt chicken salad should be stored in an airtight container. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Once assembled, I do not recommend freezing the chicken salad. The sauce will split and the veggies will lose their crunch.
Side Dishes for Yogurt Chicken Salad
Serve the chicken salad with your favorite grilled or roasted vegetables, veggie-based salads, and more. Here are some side dish ideas:
- Tropical Fruit Salad
- Traeger Grilled Asparagus
- Raw Zucchini Salad
- Crispy Roasted Broccoli
- Copycat Olive Garden Salad
- Watermelon, Feta, & Mint Salad
- Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Try This Yogurt Chicken Salad Recipe at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a lighter chicken salad recipe, give this Greek yogurt version a try!
Did you think it was better than classic chicken salad? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of it!
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this green apple and yogurt chicken salad!
More Easy Chicken Salad Recipes:
Southwest Chicken Salad is made by combining shredded chicken with black beans, corn, red peppers, cilantro, green onions, and a spicy creamy sauce, then stuffing it in a tortilla wrap with greens and avocado slices.
This Creamy Tarragon Chicken Salad is the perfect chicken salad for a spring brunch or a light summer meal, plus 6 ways to serve this chicken salad recipe!
This easy recipe for Curried Chicken Salad is a welcome change from the traditional chicken salad recipe. It features plenty of crunch from the celery and sunflower seeds, some sweetness from golden raisins and fresh apple, and plenty of savory thanks to the curry dressing that coats the chicken.
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Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Apple
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad tastes lighter and more tangy than traditional chicken salad. It’s made with crisp apple pieces, buttery cashews, and fresh herbs. Serve on croissants, sourdough bread, or over a bed of greens!
Ingredients
For the chicken salad:
- ½ cup Green Apple, diced in small cubes
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1 - 5 ounce container Plain Greek Yogurt*
- 3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 lb. chopped Chicken Breast**
- 2 large Celery Rib, finely diced
- 1 - ½ ounce package fresh Chives, sliced
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 3 ounces Raw Unsalted Cashews
- ⅛ teaspoon Celery Seed
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh Black Pepper, to taste
For serving:
- Izzio Everything Bagel Sourdough Sliced Bread
- Baby Arugula or Lettuce
Instructions
Making the Chicken Salad
- Combine the diced green apple and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir so that the apples are coated in lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt with the mayonnaise.
- Then, stir in the chicken, celery, chives, cashews, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
- Add the apples and lemon juice. Stir until mixed. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
To Serve
- Toast the bread. Then place a small amount of baby arugula on top of the bread.
- Top the arugula with chicken salad. Serve opened face style.
Notes
*Yogurt: I use Fage Total Plain 2% Milkfat Low Fat Greek Yogurt. I like to use the Greek yogurt for extra protein, but you could also use mayo or sour cream.
**Chicken: You can use Roasted Chicken, Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, Poached Chicken, Grilled Chicken, or Store-Bought Rotisserie Chicken.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 385Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 482mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 32g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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