Keto Chicken Salad

Name: Keto Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked chicken breast (diced (10 oz)*); 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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Chicken salad is one of those recipes where it's very easy to make a low-carb version. Its main ingredients are all low-carb.

As long as you don't add grapes, you're good! And this tasty keto chicken salad will only take you 15 minutes to make.

Keto chicken salad served in a black bowl.

Almost every Sunday afternoon, I bake several chicken breasts. I can then use them during the week in many tasty recipes, such as 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 really like).

I make it often for lunch, and I also make it when we go on a picnic. It's wonderfully flavorful, and it keeps well in the fridge for several days.

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Ingredients
Variations
Keto Chicken Salad Instructions
Expert tip
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing leftovers
Related recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this keto chicken 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. 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.
Dijon mustard: This traditional French mustard is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
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: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use by half, or the salad could end up too salty.

The ingredients needed to make a keto chicken salad.

Variations

This is obviously a basic recipe, and you should feel free to add to it as you like. Good options that I tried and liked include ½ avocado, cubed, 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.

You can replace the mayonnaise with sour cream if you prefer. Whole milk Greek yogurt is also good in this recipe, but not as good as mayonnaise or sour cream. It's a bit too tangy.

Keto Chicken Salad 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 together.
Now, make the dressing. Simply whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.
The final step is to mix the dressing into the salad. That's it! I told you it was easy!

A six-photo collage showing the steps for making a low-carb chicken salad.

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?

The water is released when salt is added. It draws moisture from the other ingredients. In the ratios used here, there's actually 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, sour cream, or olive oil.

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!