This easy Keto Chicken Salad is the perfect low carb meal prep recipe! About 1 net carb per serving and delicious on a salad, in a lettuce wrap, or atop a keto bagel!
Keto Chicken Salad
This Keto Chicken Salad is going to be on repeat this summer! Here’s a keto recipe that is ready in under 10 minutes, won’t heat up your kitchen, and is a great cold dish for a hot afternoon.
I love this recipe for lunch–No need to microwave anything, just toss it into your lunchbox with a cold pack! Great for picnics, potlucks, and pool parties, too. Add some Easy Keto Pinwheels and some Charcuterie, and you have an amazing appetizer meal that doesn’t need to be warmed up at all!
You can make a big batch and enjoy it all week long without getting bored. I even explained five easy ways to eat this easy chicken salad below so not a single drop goes to waste. This keto chicken recipe keeps in the fridge up to five days, making it easy to prepare once and eat later!
Chicken Salad Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need. For specific measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card.
- Shredded chicken – You could use rotisserie, roasted, Instant Pot, or slow cooker chicken.
- Celery – Chopped
- Green onions – chopped
- Pecans – Roasted and chopped
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
How to make Keto Chicken Salad
The best thing about chicken salad is how easy it is to make! Put all your ingredients in a bowl, mix until well mixed, then chill until you’re ready to serve. You can sprinkle more pecans, green onions, or fresh herbs on top as garnish, too. If you’re measuring out your ingredients beforehand, it can be helpful to refer to this guide on How Many Ounces in a Cup, especially if you’re using canned chicken. This guide is easy to follow and printable, so you can refer back to it any time you need it!
Is Chicken Salad Keto?
Generally, yes! Some store-bought chicken salads may have hidden carbs (especially specialty flavors that include dried fruit or sugar-filled condiments), so you still have to be careful when buying a pre-made dish. This chicken salad recipe, however, has 2.7 carbs with 1.6 grams of fiber, so you can enjoy nearly a cup for only 1.1 net carbs!
How long is chicken salad good for?
Chicken salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days! Make sure it’s not kept at room temperature for long–The more time it spends out of the fridge, the quicker bacteria will takeover and the less time you’ll have to enjoy the meal!
Technically, chicken salad can be frozen… But some people don’t always have great results. Mayonnaise can sometimes separate in the freezing/thawing process which would change the taste and texture. If you do decide to freeze leftovers, allow it to cool completely, scoop it into a freezer bag, suck out all the air from the bag, and freeze up to 3 months.
How to eat chicken salad
There are SO many ways to enjoy chicken salad! You won’t get bored with this easy meal — Here are some of my favorites:
- Place a scoop into a lettuce cup for a light, super low-carb lunch.
- Put a big scoop on a Keto Bagel for an amazing keto-friendly chicken salad sandwich.
- You could even eat it by the spoonful out of a Chaffle Bowl.
- Wrap it up in a cheese wrap, low carb flour tortilla, or a Keto Zucchini Tortilla for an easy handheld lunch.
- For an easy snack, use this chicken salad as a dip with slices cucumbers, carrots, celery, or a toasted low-carb tortilla cut into chips.
- Fold it up in a low carb tortilla and sear it for a crispy, warm meal like this Chicken Bacon Ranch Tortilla Hack.
- Melt some cheese slices, spoon a bit of chicken salad onto them and roll them up like these Green Chile Chicken Taquitos.
- Put a big spoonful between two chaffles for a protein-packed, low-carb sandwich like this Keto Turkey Club Sandwich.
- Spoon it into mini sweet peppers like these Bacon & Pimento Cheese Stuffed Sweet Peppers.
- Make little fathead dough cups, fill them with chicken salad and cheese, and bake like these Keto Pizza Muffins.
Keto sides for chicken salad
If you’re eating this in a wrap (whether it’s a tortilla, cheese, or lettuce) or as a sandwich (with chaffles or keto bagels), you’ll love a side with this Greek Cucumber Salad and some Baked Zucchini Fries! When enjoying this as a dip with fresh veggies, add a serving of these Broccoli Cheddar Muffins or Cheesy Spinach Bites.
Add a scoop of this salad to a Simple Arugula Salad, then have some Keto Jalapeno Poppers on the side for a super flavorful, healthy meal, just 6.5 net carbs total. A tall glass of Sugar Free Lemonade adds only 2 net carbs and makes this meal the ultimate summer dinner!
More Meal Prep Salads:
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Greek Chicken Power Bowls
- Easy Chickpea Cucumber Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad
Keto Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 3/4 cup roasted pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise + more if needed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until well incorporated. Taste test and add additional mayonnaise, lemon juice or salt and pepper as needed.
