Ultimate Customizable High-Protein Chicken Salad Base
Make this versatile, high-protein chicken salad base for quick, filling lunches. It is easy to prepare and perfect for your weekly meal prep sessions.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or cottage cheese for extra protein)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional additions: 1/4 cup halved grapes, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions
- Place the shredded chicken in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder until smooth. Season this dressing with salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the shredded chicken.
- Add the chopped celery and red onion. If using optional additions like grapes or walnuts, add them now.
- Gently fold all ingredients together until the chicken is evenly coated. Do not overmix.
- Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed for your preference.
- For best flavor, cover the bowl and chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to combine.
Notes
- For a **Vegan Protein Salad**, substitute canned, rinsed, and mashed chickpeas for the chicken and use a vegan mayonnaise or cashew cream base instead of yogurt.
- This recipe makes about 4 servings and keeps well for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, making it excellent for **meal prep salads**.
- To keep this a **low carb protein salad**, serve the mixture in large lettuce cups or with sliced cucumbers instead of bread or crackers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 110