Creamy and packed with fresh flavors, this wholesome chicken salad no-mayo recipe cuts back on calories and fat, but not on flavor.
Chicken salad is a great anytime meal. It’s made with convenient ingredients, is satisfying and versatile, and is, of course, flavorful. But creamy chicken salads can also be laden with unnecessary fat and calories thanks to one particular ingredient—mayo.
Mayonnaise is a key ingredient in most chicken salads, and for good reason—it’s delicious! But with a few swaps, you can easily replicate mayo’s function in a chicken salad without adding the unwanted extra calories. The secret ingredient? Plain yogurt, plus a few supporting characters to re-create mayo’s flavor. Now, let’s whip up a wholesome chicken salad no-mayo recipe that tastes just as delicious as the original.
Ingredients for Chicken Salad Without Mayo
Yogurt dressing: This is the secret sauce for making our chicken salad recipe with no mayo. Use your favorite brand of plain yogurt, then squeeze in fresh lemon juice, a bit of olive oil, some zippy Dijon mustard, a scratch of lemon zest, and some salt, pepper and cayenne for flavor.
Chicken: To cut down on prep time for this recipe, use leftover cooked chicken or pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Celery: Fresh and crunchy, celery is a must in a no-mayo chicken salad. Without celery, the salad risks having a one-note mushy texture and an all-beige hue.
Green onions: Green onions add a much-needed pungency to a chicken salad without mayo. You can use chives in place if that’s what you prefer. Just keep in mind that chives aren’t as strong as green onions, so the allium pungency will be subdued.
Fresh parsley: Clean and dry the parsley thoroughly before mincing it. Parsley can be very sandy and gritty when left unwashed.
Raisins: Raisins add a touch of sweetness to a chicken salad. Feel free to use dark raisins or golden raisins.
Almonds: I absolutely adore almonds in a chicken salad. Their nutty flavor and crunchy texture make the salad irresistible. You can never have too many crunchy components in a no-mayo chicken salad!
Directions
Step 1: Whisk the dressing
In a large bowl, whisk together the plain yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper until thoroughly combined. This is the no-mayo part of this chicken salad!
Step 2: Add the mix-ins
Add the shredded cooked chicken, celery, green onion, parsley, raisins and almonds to the bowl.
Step 3: Chill and serve
Cover the bowl with storage wrap and refrigerate the chicken salad recipe with no mayo until you’re ready to serve it.
Editor’s Tip: You can certainly skip the chilling step and get right to enjoying if preferred.
Recipe Variations
Pack in the protein: To add more protein, use Greek yogurt instead of regular plain yogurt and add canned chickpeas.
Make it crunchier: If you love an extra-crunchy chicken salad, swap in diced apples or grapes for the raisins. You could also add more almonds.
Bump up the flavor: Just 1 teaspoon curry powder is incredible in this chicken salad recipe with no mayo. It is both warming and has a slight kick. You could also try our curried chicken and peach salad recipe.
How to Store Chicken Salad Without Mayo
Leftover no-mayo chicken salad should be stored in an airtight container. It can be kept in the fridge for up to five days. This is an excellent meal prep idea for easy lunches throughout the week.
Can you freeze chicken salad without mayo?
We do not recommend freezing no-mayo chicken salad. Yogurt does not thaw very well after being frozen, and the crunchy components will turn to mush.
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