15-Minute Keto Chicken Salad

Name: 15-Minute Keto Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked chicken breast (diced; 10 ounces); 1/4 cup red onion (diced); 1/4 cup celery (diced); 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped); 1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled); 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon garlic (minced ); 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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This 15-minute keto chicken salad features onions, celery, feta cheese, and cilantro. The creamy dressing is wonderfully flavorful! Chicken salad is one of those recipes where a low-carb version is easy to make since the main ingredients are all low-carb.

Keto chicken salad is served in a dark bowl.

Almost every Sunday afternoon, I bake several chicken breasts. I can then use them during the week in recipes like keto enchilada casserole or stuffed poblano peppers. One of my favorite uses for cooked chicken is this tasty salad (this Chinese chicken salad is another one that I love). I make it often for lunch or when we go on a picnic. It's wonderfully flavorful, and it keeps well in the fridge for several days.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this salad. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Cooked chicken: I use diced cooked chicken breast (typically baked chicken breast 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: It adds some wonderful crunch and flavor to the salad.
Chopped cilantro: If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can use parsley instead.
Crumbled feta cheese: I'm lazy, so I buy it crumbled, but it's not difficult to crumble (or dice) it yourself.
Mayonnaise: I prefer avocado oil mayonnaise.
Mustard: I recommend using Dijon mustard in this recipe. It's creamy and flavorful.
Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed has the best flavor.
Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work.
Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Variations

This is a basic recipe, and you should feel free to add to it as you like. Good options that I tried and liked include ½ cubed avocado for flavor and creaminess, grated or diced hard-boiled egg, and chopped bacon.

Sometimes, I add a handful of cherry tomatoes, as shown in the photos on this page. They add a nice splash of color.

You can replace the mayonnaise with sour cream if you prefer. Whole milk Greek yogurt is also good, but not as good as mayonnaise or sour cream.

Instructions

Making this salad is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

Add the chicken, red onion, celery, cilantro, and feta to a medium bowl. Gently mix them to combine.

The salad ingredients were added to a bowl.

To make the dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.

Mixing the dressing ingredients in a bowl.

Pour the dressing on top of the salad and mix to coat. That's it!

Expert Tip

While you can certainly 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 wonderful flavors to meld. I then stir it again before serving.

Recipe FAQs

How do you fix dry chicken salad?

Easy! Simply add an extra spoonful of a creamy ingredient such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or even Greek yogurt. You can also add a tablespoon of olive oil.

How can I prevent the salad from being watery?

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, simply add a spoonful of mayonnaise or sour cream.

Is this a make-ahead recipe?

Yes. You can make it a few hours before you plan on serving it, cover, and store it in the fridge. Mix it again before serving.

Serving Suggestions

A tasty lunch staple, I usually serve this salad on a bed of shredded lettuce. It's also very good on 90-second bread, on a low-carb English muffin, or in a lettuce sandwich.

Of course, you can simply serve it on a plate and eat it with a knife and a fork! And the perfect drink to go with this salad? A refreshing glass of cucumber water!

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Give them a gentle stir before serving them. I don't recommend freezing this salad.