My keto chicken salad recipe is creamy, crunchy and packed with flavor. This easy low carb lunch is ready in just 10 minutes and perfect for meal prep. Serve it in a lettuce wrap, on cucumber slices or low carb bread.
This creamy low carb chicken salad is one of my go-to easy lunch recipes. In fact, it also works well as a light dinner, or take it along to a potluck party!
Just like my keto egg salad and keto tuna salad, it is filling, satisfying and high in protein. And you’ll be glad to know that it is just 1.5g net carbs per portion.
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Why This Recipe Works
It’s so simple and quick. The salad is prepped and ready to eat in only 10 minutes.
Great for meal prep. The salad keeps well in the fridge. I prepared a double batch at the beginning of this week, which means we had salad ready for 3 days in a row. We thought it tasted even better on the second day, once the flavors had mingled a little.
It’s family-friendly. This salad tastes just like a classic chicken salad since all the ingredients are naturally low in carbs anyway. It is perfect family comfort food and my kids love it. Of course, the recipe does not contain fruit such as grapes or mandarin slices (my grandma’s secret ingredient). But I have listed plenty of ideas on how you can customize the recipe further down in the post.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Shredded cooked chicken – I used chicken breasts. Chicken thighs work well too. More options are using leftover meat from a roasted chicken or simply buy a rotisserie chicken. Just don’t use the skin.
- Mayonnaise – This can be a shop-bought mayonnaise, ideally with avocado oil or olive oil. I made a quick homemade keto mayonnaise.
- Mustard – My go-to is Dijon mustard.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon juice gives a nice lift.
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
- Parsley – Either curly or flat leaf parsley.
- Garlic powder – Or use 1 finely chopped garlic clove.
- Green onions – I prefer using only the green parts of the spring onions (scallions). They are milder in taste.
- Celery – Be sure to chop this very finely. I enjoy the crunch it adds.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
It is surprisingly easy to make a keto chicken salad. Here are the basic steps.
For detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1: Stir together all ingredients for the dressing in a large mixing bowl: mayonnaise, garlic powder, lemon, mustard, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Mix in the vegetables and herbs – chopped parsley, scallions and celery.
Step 3: Fold in the shredded chicken.
Step 4: Eat!
Katrin’s Expert Tip
Prepare the salad at least 20 minutes before serving and chill it in the fridge. This gives the flavors time to mingle and makes the salad taste even better.
Recipe Variations
There are so many tweaks to change up the recipe. Here are a few tried and tested variations that we enjoy:
Coronation chicken: Omit the mustard and parsley. Add 2 teaspoons mild curry powder and a pinch of cinnamon plus 2-3 sun-dried tomatoes instead of the traditional mango chutney for sweetness. My sugar-free dried cranberries could work well in place of raisins or the grapes that classic chicken salad often contains.
Soft and creamy: Omit the celery and add chopped hard-boiled eggs or avocado.
Crunchy: Chopped bacon, pickles or nuts such as pecans, almonds or walnuts.
Mediterranean: Add mozzarella or feta cheese, black olives and fresh basil.
Herby: Add fresh dill or cilantro (coriander).
Vegetables: Finely chopped bell peppers, red onions, fennel or cucumbers (scrape out the soft inside part of the cucumber so the salad does not get watery).
Serving Suggestion
I like to put low carb chicken salad on a salad leaf and eat it like a sandwich. This is also called a lettuce wrap. Romaine works well because it is sturdy.
It is equally delicious spooned on cucumber slices or in hollowed out tomatoes or in a bell pepper sandwich.
Of course, you can also spread it on keto bread or eat it with keto crackers. Here are more ideas:
Recipe FAQs
How can I make the mayo in this recipe lighter?
To reduce the fat content, swap half of the mayonnaise for Greek yoghurt.
Meal Prep And Storage
The salad stays fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
It is great for meal prep. First of all, I think the flavors actually improve on day 2. At the same time, the mayo keeps the chicken nice and juicy while the celery and scallions stay crunchy.
You could even portion out single servings to use in lunch boxes.
I don’t recommend to freeze it. Mayonnaise does not freeze well.
More Keto Salad Recipes
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Recipe
Creamy Keto Chicken Salad
Keto chicken salad is a quick and delicious low carb lunch. Serve it in lettuce wraps, on cucumber slices or with low carb bread.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked and shredded chicken 4 cups
- ½ cup celery finely diced, 60g, 2 stalks
- ¼ cup spring onions chopped, green parts only, 25g, about 2 scallions
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped, 15g
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise 80g
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 16g
- 1 tbsp lemon juice 12g (½ lemon)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, diced
Instructions
-
Stir together all ingredients for the dressing: mayonnaise, garlic powder, lemon, mustard, salt and pepper.
-
Chop the celery finely by slicing the stalk lengthways a few times, then chopping it into very small cubes. Chop the spring onions. Stir the chopped parsley, scallions and celery into the dressing.
-
Shred the chicken using 2 forks. Option to cut into small cubes. Fold the shredded chicken into the salad.
-
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
1.5g net carbs per serving. Makes 4 large servings of 1 cup each.
Option to use rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken.
Serve in a lettuce wrap, on cucumber slices, in a halved bell pepper or on low carb bread or keto flaxseed crackers.
Optional add-ons:
- bacon
- avocado
- hard-boiled egg
- chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds)
- Fresh dill or cilantro
- red onions
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 282kcalTotal Carbohydrates: 2.3gProtein: 26.1gFat: 18.4gSaturated Fat: 2.8gFiber: 0.8gSugar: 0.5g
