This Keto Chicken Salad is a great low carb lunch recipe. It’s only about 1 net carb per serving and it’s meal-prep friendly too!
This Keto Chicken Salad is ready in under 10 minutes, won’t heat up your kitchen, and is a great cold dish for a hot afternoon. After multiple rounds of testing, I think I’ve found the perfect ingredient ratios for great flavor and texture all while keeping this chicken salad recipe keto-friendly!
I especially 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.
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 This Keto Chicken Salad
- Combine all your ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended.
- Then chill until you’re ready to serve. You can sprinkle more pecans, green onions, or fresh herbs on top as garnish, too. It’s really that simple!
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.
Serve
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.
- Melt some cheese slices, spoon a bit of chicken salad onto them and roll them up.
- Put a big spoonful between two chaffles for a protein-packed, low-carb 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.
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Keto Chicken Salad Recipe
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.
