Dairy Free Chicken Salad
Crunchy, creamy and oh-so-satisfying, you’ll flip over this dairy free chicken salad! Packed with sweet grapes, crunchy nuts and fresh veggies, this easy dish will make any meal a breeze. Enjoy over greens or spooned onto a sandwich. Gluten free with mayo free and egg free options included.
In need of a simple toss it together kind of meal?
Well then look no further than this dreamy dairy free chicken salad!
Loaded with flavor and texture, it’s packed to the brim with all the good stuff – sweet grapes, raw nuts, crunchy veggies, pops of fresh herbs.
Plus an easy, creamy dressing that makes it seriously hard to resist.
You can make it for lunch. Whip it up for dinner. Or prepare it ahead of time for meal prep.
All most excellent options.
PS – mayo not your thing? Have no fear because a mayo free option is also included.
How To Make Dairy Free Chicken Salad
So, let’s talk about how this easy meal goes down.
Prepare dressing. First up, we’ll whisk together some mayo (or dairy free yogurt), mustard, lemon juice and spices in a large bowl until smooth.
Add all ingredients. Next, we’ll add in plenty of chopped cooked chicken, grapes, nuts, green onion, celery and fresh herbs.
Toss to combine. We’ll give the mixture a good stir and then taste and adjust any of the flavors as desired.
You can enjoy the chicken salad right away OR let it chill in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld before diving on in.
Serving Ideas
Need a few ideas for how to serve? I got you covered:
- pile onto sandwich bread, an english muffin or a bagel
- stuff into a lettuce wrap
- spoon over salad greens
- wrap in a tortilla
- dip away with crackers
Note: Please make sure that your serving vessels are dairy free.
Tips & Tricks
- Let’s talk about the dairy free yogurt. Personally, I like to use Kite Hill’s plain greek-style yogurt – it’s got a thicker texture and isn’t sweetened (<— not sponsored, just what I like!).
- Now, if you want to mix things up, you can use a combination of half mayo and half dairy free yogurt (instead of all mayo or all yogurt).
- Along those lines, feel free to adjust ANY of the ingredients to your taste. Chicken salad is super flexible so make it your own.
- To keep this nice and easy, use leftover or rotisserie chicken.
- And finally, if you’re cooking your chicken fresh, about 1 scant pound of chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs will give you the 2 cups chopped.
How To Store
Fridge: The chicken salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Additional Dairy Free Chicken Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Chopped Asian Chicken Salad
- Chopped Southwestern Salad
- Dairy Free Chicken Enchiladas
- Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo
- Coconut Chicken Tenders
- Dairy Free Tuscan Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Dairy Free Chicken Salad
Crunchy, creamy and oh-so-satisfying, you’ll flip over this dairy free chicken salad! Packed with sweet grapes, crunchy nuts and fresh veggies, this easy dish will make any meal a breeze. Enjoy over greens or spooned onto a sandwich.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise OR dairy free plain yogurt*
- 1 ½ teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken (breasts or thighs)**
- ¾ cup halved grapes (quartered if large)
- ½ cup chopped raw almonds or cashews
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo (or yogurt), mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Add in the chicken, grapes, nuts, green onion, celery, parsley and dill, then toss until well combined. Taste and adjust any of the flavors / add-ins as desired.
- Enjoy right away or chill in the fridge before serving (the flavors will meld as the salad sits so I always like to chill for at least a little bit in the fridge).
Notes
*While most mayo is naturally dairy free, please be sure to check the ingredients. I have seen a few that contain dairy (although they tend to be more “specialty” flavors).
To keep this egg free - use vegan mayo OR dairy free yogurt (see the tips & tricks section in the post above for my favorite yogurt for this recipe).
**You want your chicken to be either chilled or at room temperature before using.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 343Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 490mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 25g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
Can you freeze this chicken salad.
I probably wouldn’t suggest it – chicken salad tends to be best freshly made. You could absolutely try but I think the flavor / texture might get a bit odd…
Filling, healthful and yummy…that’s a nice sandwich.
Thanks Angie 🙂