This 15-minute chicken salad features onions, celery, feta cheese, and cilantro. The creamy dressing is wonderfully flavorful!
This salad is one of my favorite ways to use leftover baked chicken breast (Chinese chicken salad is also great). I make it often for lunch or when we go on a picnic. It's incredibly flavorful and keeps well in the fridge for several days. Chicken salad is one of those recipes where a low-carb version is easy to make since the main ingredients are low-carb.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Cooked chicken: I use diced cooked chicken breast (typically baked chicken breast, broiled chicken, or poached chicken). Rotisserie chicken works, too - just make sure to remove the skin.
- Diced red onion: White or yellow onions would be a bit too sharp, but green onions are a good alternative.
- Diced celery: Adds crunch and flavor.
- Chopped cilantro: If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can use parsley.
- Mayonnaise: I prefer avocado oil mayonnaise.
Variations
This is a basic recipe, and you should feel free to add to it as you like. Good options I tried and liked include ½ cubed avocado for flavor and creaminess, grated or diced hard-boiled eggs, and chopped bacon (I use this recipe for oven bacon).
Sometimes, I add a handful of cherry tomatoes, as shown in the photos on this page. They add a splash of color.
You can replace the mayonnaise with sour cream. Whole milk Greek yogurt is another option, but it's not as good as mayonnaise or sour cream. It's too lean and tangy. You can also use sriracha mayo for some heat. The spicy version shown in the photo below was made with sriracha mayo, and I also added diced green chiles and sliced black olives. It was delicious!
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Add the chicken, red onion, celery, cilantro, and feta to a medium bowl. Gently mix to combine.
To make the dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing on top of the salad and mix to coat. That's it!
Recipe Tip
While you can serve this salad as soon as it's ready, I like to let it rest for just a little while (15 minutes or so) at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld. I then stir it again before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Easy! Simply add 1-2 additional tablespoons of a creamy ingredient such as mayonnaise or sour cream. You can also add a tablespoon of olive oil.
Water is released into the salad when salt is added. It draws moisture from the other ingredients. In the ratios used here, there's very little risk of this happening. But if you store the salad overnight and it seems too watery even after you've mixed it again, add a tablespoon of mayonnaise or sour cream.
Yes, and the salad gets better after a rest. You can make it a few hours beforehand, cover it, and store it in the fridge. Remix it before serving.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Gently remix them before serving. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
Serving Suggestions
A classic lunch staple, I usually serve this salad on a bed of shredded lettuce or in lettuce cups, as shown in the photo below (the salad shown here was made with sriracha mayo and scallions).
It's also very good on (or in) any of the following:
Of course, you can simply serve it on a plate and eat it with a fork! And the perfect drink to go with this salad: A refreshing glass of cucumber water or iced tea.
Recipe Card
Simple Chicken Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast - diced; 10 ounces
- ¼ cup red onion - diced
- ¼ cup celery - diced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro - chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese - crumbled
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic - minced
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or a pinch of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the chicken breast cubes, red onion, celery, cilantro, and feta.
- In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing on the chicken salad and mix well to combine.
- Serve immediately, or chill for an hour to allow the flavors to meld. Mix again before serving.
Notes
- If you need to cook the chicken, use two 8-ounce raw chicken breasts. Spray them with oil, lightly sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and bake them in a 450°F oven until cooked through, for about 20 minutes.
- While you can serve this salad as soon as it's ready, I like to let it rest for just a little while (15 minutes or so) at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld. I then stir it again before serving.
- This is a basic recipe, and you should feel free to add to it as you like. Tasty additions include ½ cubed avocado, grated or diced hard-boiled eggs, and chopped cooked bacon. Sometimes, I add a handful of cherry tomatoes, as shown in the photos on this page.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Give them a gentle stir before serving them. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Mike says
Excellent
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Mike!