Lemon Chicken Salad

My lemon chicken salad is a light and refreshing pick that brings bright, sunny flavor to meal time. Prepared with chunks of juicy chicken breast, a kiss of lemon zest, fresh vibrant dill, a whisper of red onion, plus cool and creamy Greek yogurt, this tangy lemon chicken salad recipe makes for a healthy lunch when stuffed into soft pita!

An Easy Chicken Salad with a Bright, Lemony Twist

On those occasions when I prepare a roasted chicken and we end up with leftovers, or I purchase a rotisserie chicken from our local market to have on hand to snack on, I like to use this as a tasty opportunity to make a cool, creamy chicken salad to keep stashed in the fridge.

Ah, chicken salad, that wonderfully refreshing and slightly indulgent treat, one that is the perfect option to scoop up with crackers as an afternoon snack, or spoon over salad greens for added protein, or stuff into soft pita as a quick, grab-n-go lunch.

We definitely enjoy a good chicken salad, so I'm often thinking up various flavor twists to create bold, zippy options for us to enjoy, especially in the warm, sunny months.

And seeing as I tend to favor the flavor of lemon, and love to pair it with chicken (natural partners), I came up with my take on a creamy lemon chicken salad that's a little on the lighter, healthier side...

My lemon chicken salad recipe is brimming with creamy Greek yogurt in place of mayo, a drizzle of healthy olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh dill and finely minced red onion, plus a hefty pinch of lemon zest for that bright, lemony note.

The perfect balance of savory and tangy, this is one of our favorite quick and easy chicken salads to whip up when we have some leftover chicken on hand, perfect to enjoy as a snack or light lunch any day of the week!

My Recipe For Lemon Chicken Salad

As I mentioned above, this lemon chicken salad is an ideal option to whip up when you happen to have some leftover chicken on hand.

You can use any portion of the chicken—white or dark meat—but I tend to like the breast meat the best, and will simply cube it up.

And if you don't happen to have any leftover chicken, no worries! You can use a couple of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, and gently poach them in simmering, salted water for a few minutes, just until cooked through and tender.

What I appreciate about this chicken salad recipe is how few ingredients are required to pack a lot of flavor.

It takes only minutes to prep, and what you get is a tasty, good for you snack that's packed with protein, and delicious to enjoy in a myriad of ways.

Here's my lemon chicken salad recipe in 3 simple steps: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I add my cooked and cubed chicken to a bowl with the lemon zest, fresh herbs and the rest of the salad ingredients, then gently fold together until well combined.
2. I spoon into a serving dish, cover and chill in the fridge.
3. When ready to enjoy, I spoon the lemon chicken salad into pita pockets, enjoy it with crackers, or scoop over hearty greens.

Recipe

Lemon Chicken Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This healthy lemon chicken salad is kissed with lemon zest, fresh dill, red onion, all combined with a touch of creamy Greek yogurt!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 4

Nutrition Info: 203 calories per serving (salad only)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups cooked and diced chicken breast (rotisserie is great)
• 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
• 1 teaspoon, heaping, grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
• ¼ teaspoon, heaping, salt
• Pinch or two black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon, heaping, chopped fresh dill
• Pita bread, crackers or fresh greens to serve with

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Add the diced chicken, plus the remainder of the ingredients up to and including the olive oil, to a medium size bowl and gently toss/fold to coat everything.
3. Sprinkle in the dill, and fold once more to incorporate. Check the seasoning, and add any additional salt/pepper, if needed.
4. Cover the salad and chill until ready to serve. When ready to enjoy, stuff the chicken salad into pita pockets with some greens, or serve with crackers on the side, or even over chopped greens.

Tips & Tidbits for my Lemon Chicken Salad recipe:

• Rotisserie chicken, or use your leftovers from roasting: What makes this chicken salad such an easy pick is that it calls for cooked chicken, which means that if you have any leftovers from your roasted chicken dinner or your rotisserie, you're golden. Simply cube up the breast meat (or both light and dark meat) and add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
• Plain, full-fat Greek Yogurt in place of mayo: The Greek yogurt offers a bit of rich, thick, creamy texture plus natural tanginess, which goes well with the lemon. Plus, you get the added benefits of probiotics. However, you can use half yogurt and half mayo if you prefer.
• How to serve lemon chicken salad: I love to spoon it into pita pockets with greens, cucumbers and tomato slices as a hearty and healthy sandwich, but it's terrific scooped up with pita or pretzel chips, spooned into romaine leaves, or onto salad greens.

Hungry for more cozy chicken salad recipes? Check out this Chicken Salad Sandwich, this Curried Chicken Salad, this Chicken Salad with Honeycrisp apples, or this BBQ Chicken Salad Wrap!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015, and has been updated with even more love!