This super simple chicken salad lives up to its name. When I say super simple, I mean super simple. Besides prepping by chopping the onion and celery, there are only 2 steps in this whole recipe and the ingredients are minimal. Speaking of ingredients, this recipe is paleo, Whole30 complaint and keto friendly. It's a quick and easy low carb lunch option.
There are so many different versions of chicken salad and ultimately it depends on your preferences. I didn't used to love chicken salad. A lot of the chicken salad recipes I was exposed to had chopped grapes or apples and for some reason that just didn’t do it for me. I can handle something like dried cranberries in the chicken salad for a little sweetness and additional texture. Since I am currently doing a round of Whole30, I needed to find compliant ingredients. Dried cranberries without added sugar were hard to find so I decided to throw some pomegranate seeds for garnish instead. It gave me a little burst of flavor while staying compliant. Also, it just kind of looks like Christmas and that makes me happy. Pecans or walnuts are also a great addition for a little extra crunch!
One of the other things I had to search around for was compliant canned chicken. Many contained non-compliant food starches. The organic version from Nature Valley was ultimately the one I went with. Trader Joe’s also has a compliant version that works perfectly.
Speaking of easy, this chicken salad is perfect for a quick meal prep. It’s one of those things I don’t worry about getting together on Sunday because it’s so easy to throw together the night before. This super simple chicken salad tastes best to me when it’s had at least one night to fully sit so the flavors mix together. If you like this one, definitely check out my bacon ranch chicken salad recipe!
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Super Simple Chicken Salad: Easy Low Carb Lunch
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Cuisine: American
Description
An easy healthy low carb chicken salad recipe. This recipe is dairy-free, paleo and Whole30 complaint. An easy meal to throw together any night of the week!
Ingredients
- 2 cans organic canned chicken (I used Nature Valley) or shredded chicken
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup compliant mayo (I used Primal Kitchen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo)
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 1 Tbsp chopped dill
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add canned chicken breaking up the larger pieces with a fork
- Add all other ingredients and mix well
- Serve on top of the lettuce of your choice and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅓ of recipe
- Calories: 385
- Fat: 21
- Carbohydrates: 3.9
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 40.7
Keywords: low carb, keto, whole30, paleo, healthy, lunch, meal prep
Michelle says
I'm going to try it but why on earth would you pomegranite seeds in it!?!
Jen says
Because it's delicious! 🙂
Lori says
Delicious Whole30-compliant chicken salad recipe! I used organic dried cranberries, instead of pomegranates, and fresh dill was the star!
Jen says
So funny you should say that! I have dried cranberries on my shopping list to make chicken salads next week! Glad you liked the recipe!