This classic, flavorful chicken salad is lightened up without sacrificing taste. Classic Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs keeps the creamy mayo base you expect but swaps in plain nonfat Greek yogurt to stretch the mayo and add protein without an overpowering tang. Bright herbs and crunchy vegetables lift the flavor—serve this versatile salad on greens, in a wrap, with crackers, or as a sandwich for a satisfying lunch.
Ingredients for Classic Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs
Simple, fresh ingredients make this chicken salad light and flavorful. You’ll need:
- chicken breast (poached or cooked)
- light mayonnaise
- plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- kosher salt
- celery seed
- poppy seeds
- celery, diced
- white onion, diced
- scallions, chopped
- fresh parsley, chopped
How this recipe is lightened without losing creaminess
Lightening chicken salad can make it dry if you simply reduce the mayo. Replacing part of the mayo with plain Greek yogurt keeps the salad creamy while lowering calories. The yogurt helps stretch the mayo and adds protein, but in this ratio the yogurt flavor is subtle and won’t dominate the dish. Use your preferred brands—this method works with most light mayo and Greek yogurt options.
The rest of the recipe keeps things light: lean chicken breast plus crunchy vegetables and fresh herbs for texture and brightness.
Poaching chicken: easy method for moist cooked chicken
Poaching is one of the easiest ways to cook chicken for salads. You can also use rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, or roasted chicken—use whatever is most convenient.
To poach, place chicken breasts in a large pot and add kosher salt, whole peppercorns, smashed garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Cover with cold water so the chicken is fully submerged. Bring the pot to a boil with the lid on, then reduce to a rapid simmer and cook uncovered until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (about 20–25 minutes depending on thickness). Remove the chicken, let it cool on a cutting board, then shred or chop. This yields roughly 6 cups cooked chicken.
Assembling the chicken salad
Once the chicken is cooked and cooled, the rest is quick: chop the onion, celery, scallions, and parsley. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the light mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt, then add lemon juice, Dijon, celery seed, poppy seeds, and kosher salt to form the dressing. Fold in the shredded chicken and diced vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Classic Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs
Equipment
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large pot
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mixing bowl
Ingredients
Poached Chicken
- 3 lbs chicken breast, raw
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
Salad
- 1/2 cup light mayo
- 1/2 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/4 cup scallions, fresh, chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, fresh, chopped
Instructions
Poached Chicken
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Add raw chicken breasts to a large pot.
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Add salt, whole peppercorns, smashed garlic, and bay leaves.
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Cover with cold water and bring to a boil with the lid on.
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Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook 20–25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
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Remove to a cutting board to cool, then chop or shred. Yields about 6 cups cooked chicken.
Salad
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Chop onion, celery, scallions, and parsley.
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Whisk together yogurt and mayo in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, Dijon, celery seed, poppy seeds, and kosher salt to form a dressing.
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Fold in cooked chicken and diced vegetables and herbs.
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Taste and adjust seasoning, then chill or serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe serves 6 and makes roughly 1 heaping cup per serving.
- Substitute pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Adjust herbs and seasoning to taste; add a squeeze of extra lemon for brightness.
You might also like:
- Cranberry Pecan Apple Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad
- Smoky, Savory BLT Chicken Salad