Greek yogurt chicken salad gets an upgrade with zesty capers and toasted pine nuts! Mayo-free and perfect on croissants, crackers, or wraps!
I never liked chicken salad.
It made an appearance at one too many church pot lucks, was always drowning in mayonnaise, and was frequently sweetened with sugar. Which doesn’t exactly jive with my anti-mayo tendencies or my belief that chicken salad should be made without fruit. 😉
And then two friends showed me the light. First, my cousin Christi showed me that chicken salad can = no grapes, can have much more interesting add-ins like zesty capers and toasted pine nuts, and is so much better with a hefty dose of mustard! Second, my friend Alli taught me the ways of a mayo-free chicken salad by using plain greek yogurt.
And oh. my gosh. Converted. Completely.
Dear greek yogurt chicken salad, can we be friends? Call me maybe?
How do I substitute mayo for greek yogurt?
Be sure to substitute the mayo for plain greek yogurt. You don’t want any sweet yogurt flavorings sneaking in to ruin your chicken salad like vanilla or strawberry. 😉 If you don’t prefer the slight tang of greek yogurt (it’s hardly noticeable in this recipe), you could also substitute plain non-greek yogurt.
Can you mix greek yogurt and mayonnaise?
Yes! If you prefer the taste of traditional mayonnaise in chicken salad but want to lighten up your chicken salad just a little bit, feel free to mix the yogurt and mayonnaise to your preferred consistency!
Can you make chicken salad ahead of time?
Absolutely you can make chicken salad ahead of time. This recipe is one of my favorite to meal prep. I make up a big batch and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then I make wraps or throw them on a sub roll the morning of. I have also made the wraps up to 48 hours in advance by wrapping them in aluminum foil and storing them in the refrigerator. Lining the wrap with spinach helps keep the wrap from getting soggy from the chicken salad.
As always – if you make this greek yogurt chicken salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
mikaela | wyldflour
~ 6 Cups Chicken Salad
Serves 6
Greek yogurt chicken salad gets an upgrade with capers and toasted pine nuts!
20 minPrep Time
20 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 4 1/2 cups cooked, rotisserie chicken (or any cooked, diced or shredded chicken)
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 3/4 cup chopped red onion
- 3/4 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (*see Note)
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup non-pareil capers (~ 8 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- croissants, rolls, or wraps
- baby spinach (optional)
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts! If you have a toaster oven, toast the pine nuts in the tray insert. Otherwise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast 3-5 minutes. (Watch carefully for them to turn golden brown!) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Toss the salad! Place all of the chicken salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. I always use 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, but if you like your chicken salad extra "saucy," add an additional 2-4 tablespoons of yogurt.
- Serve! This chicken salad is great on croissants, rolls, or in large wraps. I usually smear a little extra dijon mustard and top it with chicken salad and spinach leaves.
Notes
For the Greek yogurt, I always use non-fat plain yogurt to keep the calories down. But if you want an extra "creamy" chicken salad, use a full-fat plain Greek yogurt!
If you want to prep the chicken at home, instant pot 2 lbs of chicken breasts covered in chicken broth for 12 minutes on high pressure with a quick release! Chop the breasts and season with salt and pepper!
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