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Honey Dijon Chicken Salad has the zippy flavor of mustard, a hint of sweetness, and the crunch of apples, but it is made with Greek yogurt and no mayo. Whether you put it on a sandwich, salad, or in lettuce wraps, one big batch will make everyone in the family happy for a no-cook dinner or to meal prep for lunch all week.
Are you a meal prep, menu plan, or fly by the seat of your pants kind of person? Honestly, I switch between all three depending on what is going on in our lives at the moment. Heck, sometimes I am all three in the span of one week.
That’s why I love having what I call my “back-pocket meals” strategy. I have a few simple recipes practically memorized that each can be served in different ways. Sometimes I plan ahead and double them to freeze some for later. Sometimes I am looking in the fridge or pulling meat out of the freezer at the last minute to throw something together.
A basic healthy chicken salad recipe is one of those back-pocket meals. Every time I go to Costco I will pick up a rotisserie chicken or two, because it’s one of my favorite leftover chicken recipes. Or if I am baking or roasting or grilling chicken, I will make extra.
Then with my standard combination of chicken with Greek yogurt, usually a little mustard and vinegar, plus a bit of something sweet such as honey or maple syrup I can easily make a big batch of chicken salad for an easy to throw together dinner (a great no-cook meal!) or to use for lunch during the week.
Healthy Honey Dijon Chicken Salad Recipe
This time, the basic Greek yogurt chicken salad got mixed together with Dijon mustard and honey for that sweet and tangy combo. Some chopped apples add just a bit of crunch. And for a bit of savory saltiness, a handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese balanced out the sweetness.
What you end up with is a family-friendly dish with flavors kids and adults enjoy!
- Plain Greek yogurt – I usually use nonfat, but low fat or whole milk yogurt work fine.
- Dijon mustard – you can also substitute spicy brown mustard for a slightly different flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Chicken – cooked, cooled, and shredded or chopped.
- Apple – peeled and chopped.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – I prefer Cabot Seriously Sharp white cheddar in this recipe, but use your favorite.
- Chives – optional. I usually leave them out, but some people like that bit of onion flavor.
- Salt and pepper – to taste.
Directions
- In a big bowl, stir the Greek yogurt, honey, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar together until smooth.
- Fold in the chicken, apples, and cheddar cheese (and chives, if using) and stir to coat evenly.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to a few days.
Tips for Success
This mustard chicken salad will last for at least 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.
You can cut your chicken into cubes, shred it, or a combination depending on the texture you prefer.
What kind of chicken do you use in chicken salad?
- Pick up a grocery store or Costco rotisserie chicken.
- Make up a big bunch of Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
- If you are making a roasted chicken for dinner, cook two instead of one. It’s really no extra work.
- Double up if you are grilling chicken breasts. Try this one with a lemon yogurt chicken marinade.
Other things to add to your chicken salad
You can totally customize your chicken salad by adding or substituting the ingredients.
- Add dried cranberries
- Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans
- Use pears instead of apples
- Omit the cheddar cheese or try it with feta or blue cheese
Make it a meal
Chicken salad sandwich
- Pile your chicken salad with apples on white, wheat, rye, or gluten free bread along with lettuce and tomatoes.
- Pack in a lunchbox with carrots and Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip.
Chicken salad wrap or pita
- Stuff the mixture on a tortilla wrap or pita bread.
- Serve with Foil Pack Potatoes.
Chicken salad on salad greens
- Choose your favorite lettuce and spoon the honey Dijon chicken salad on top, along with your favorite salad veggies like cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes.
- If you need some extra dressing, try this Creamy Maple Dijon Greek Yogurt Dressing, but swap the maple syrup for honey to complement the flavor of the chicken salad. Or try Maple Hot Bacon Dressing for a tasty smoky contrast.
Chicken salad lettuce wraps
- Wrap that chicken salad with apples up in Romaine, Boston, or Bibb lettuce.
- Have a spoonful of Waldorf Fruit Salad on the side, or up the protein and keep the carb count low with No-Mayo Deviled Eggs.
More chicken salad recipes
- Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
- Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese
- Tzatziki Chicken Salad
- Pineapple Chicken Salad
- Greek Yogurt Curried Chicken Salad from Jessica Gavin
Honey Dijon Chicken Salad with Apples
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 1-1 1/3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked)
- 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 Tablespoon chopped chives, optional
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, honey, and apple cider vinegar and stir till combined.
- Add the chicken, apples, cheddar cheese, and chives (if using), and fold together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve on a sandwich, salad, crackers, pita, etc.
Did you make this?
Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips
This one is going in the rotation! My husband and I are both not big fans of mayo, so the greek yogurt substitution was nice. The dijon and vinegar did a great job cutting the pasty-ness of the yogurt and hid some of that bitter taste. We ate this a few ways throughout the week – on top of naan, in a lettuce boat, with crackers.