I love chicken salad. It’s a dish I avoided when I was younger and much pickier, and I am so sad for my younger self who missed out on this delight. The disadvantage with this meal is that it’s not always the healthiest option. It’s normally made with mayonnaise, which means it can be loaded with calories and saturated fat. Fortunately, I found a great alternative made with Greek yogurt – is there anything Greek yogurt can’t do? Okay, of course the answer is “yes”, but go with me here. I’m about to share the recipe for the best chicken salad ever with you!
Who Do We Thank for This Delight?
I got this recipe from a website called Food Republic. Besides being tasty and a bit healthier than traditional chicken salad, it’s also really easy and there are a ton of ways you could modify it based on your personal tastes. I’ll share a few ideas for that with you at the end.
Get to the Recipe, Chicken!
Alright, already! Here are the ingredients:
- 1/2 c low fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne powder
- 2 c cooked chicken, shredded or chopped, depending on preference
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/2 c red grapes, halved
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
First, mix your curry powder, Cayenne pepper and Greek yogurt together until well blended and smooth. Fold in your chicken, grapes, parsley and celery until everything is nicely coated. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before eating.
Modifications, baby!
Here’s my take – unless you are watching your salt intake, I think you should just go ahead and add the salt and pepper. Keep in mind, I’m not one of those people who mindlessly salts their food. It just adds the right finish to the dish. If you want to kick up the spice a little, you could increase the Cayenne. Also, I actually quarter the grapes to spread them even more throughout the salad, but if you think that’s too much work, halving them is fine. As for the celery, unless you REALLY love celery, I’d make sure those stalks aren’t REALLY long, otherwise, it can overpower the recipe.
Some changes you could make – leave out the curry and Cayenne if you’re sensitive to spices (but then DEFINITELY add salt and pepper). If you hate celery, how about diced/shredded carrots? Need more heat? Leave out the grapes and throw in some jalapeños! No grapes? Try diced apples. If you want more fiber in your diet, toss in drained chickpeas. The possibilities are endless!
Yummy in Your Tummy
This recipe is so easy to make and holds well in the fridge. After a few days, you might notice a little “liquid” in the bottom of the bowl, but as long as you’ve kept it refrigerated, that should just be the Greek yogurt separating a bit. It’s a really easy recipe to double and can go with a lot – as a sandwich, a wrap, or on crackers. It really is the best chicken salad ever!
