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.