Healthy California Chicken Salad Recipe

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I love chicken salad with sweet red grapes and a little crunch from pecans and celery, but sometimes a classic chicken salad is too heavy and loaded with mayo. My spin on the poppy seed dressing is a little lighter. It is made with half mayonnaise and half Greek yogurt. I use yogurt because it has more protein and less fat than mayonnaise, while still adding that creaminess to the dressing.

This creamy chicken salad recipe is perfect for lunch or a light meal. I make a batch for leftover for an easy lunch during the week. I think it is even better the next day after the flavors have time to develop.

chicken- boneless skinless chicken breasts are preferred for this chicken salad recipe. You can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even easier. If you are cooking the chicken for this recipe make sure you allow it to cool to room temperature before adding it to the creamy dressing.

grapes- seedless grapes add the perfect sweetness to the recipe.

poppyseeds- add a slightly nutty flavor and a crunchy texture to the dressing. These can be found with the spices in your local grocery store.

celery- crunchy celery is always a great addition to chicken salad.

In a large bowl mix Greek yogurt, mayo, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper. Set aside the dressing ingredients while preparing the salad.

Chop the grapes, celery, pecans and green onion. I half my grapes, but you can chop them into quarters if you prefer.

Add the chicken, chopped fruit, vegetables and nuts to the bowl with the salad dressing. Stir well to coat the chicken mixture. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley if you like. This can be served immediately or chill for an hour before serving.

You can make a sandwich with a couple slices of bread or eat the chicken salad on crackers or pita chips. If you are looking for a lower carb option add the chicken salad to a bed of greens with cherry tomatoes or eat in lettuce wraps.

Store leftover chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days for the best results.

Because of the mayonnaise based dressing in the salad I do not recommend freezing chicken salad.

green onions- You can substitute green onions for chopped red onion. I prefer the milder flavor of the green onion but either will work.

red wine vinegar- Use apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar in place of red wine vinegar.

chicken- I prefer chicken breast to make my chicken salad but you can also use dark meat if you are using a whole chicken.

Chicken salad is best served cold.

Because of the water content in celery and grapes chicken salad is best when served the day its made or day after. It is safe to eat after that but may loose it's crunch.

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