This lightened up version of a traditional chicken salad will have you singing! Creamy Herb Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad is made up of leftover chicken that is married together with a vivacious creamy herb Greek yogurt dressing. Mint and basil are the star herbs and bring a fresh flavor to this salad that is both tangy and creamy. It's excellent to enjoy immediately but even better as it sits in the fridge, perfect for meal prep.
I'm always a huge fan of meal prep but also finding ways to use leftover chicken since it's such a staple in our home. Whether I'm making my famous 3 ingredient snacking chicken or roasting a whole chicken, being inventive with leftovers is crucial and appreciated in our home.
This chicken salad is a bit untraditional but really is quite delicious and has a great herby dressing that contains no mayo, simply Greek yogurt for a tangy and light dressing. I'm using basil and mint as my choice of herbs but mixing it it with other favorite herbs would be lovely, similar to a green goddess dressing. For a more traditional chicken salad, try my original French style chicken salad.
Leftover chicken is the hero in this dish and a store bought rotisserie chicken is almost always in our fridge so one less thing to cook. The dressing comes together quickly in a small blender and ready to enjoy!
Just a Handful of Ingredients
Truly most of these ingredients are in your pantry or even in your garden certain times of the year. A quick pulse in the blender and you're set!
- Chicken - Leftover chicken is the base of this recipe so something that is cooked ahead or pickup a rotisserie chicken for easy quick meal prep.
- Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt or labneh is the base for this dressing. The yogurt is tangy and a wonderful light base for the dressing.
- Fresh Basil - Fresh basil is so versatile and easy to find all year long in grocery stores, my go-to is Trader Joe's for either a small plant or one of their clamshells for about $3. The bright basil gives this salad a hint of pesto flavor.
- Fresh Mint - Another common grocery herb, during the summer you can find it growing pretty much everywhere and costs nothing. The mint gives a unique flavor that I really enjoy.
- Garlic - A few cloves of garlic or a spoonful of toum.
- Dijon Mustard - For a little kick, I love the one from Trader Joe's, it's very punchy!
- Maple Syrup - The sweetness helps to balance the strong herbs and savory notes.
- Dried Oregano - Another great herb addition, dried is fine for the oregano, if you have fresh you can certainly use that in its place.
- Olive Oil - Olive oil to help emulsify the dressing.
- Walnuts - Another play on a pesto, the addition of walnuts is great to the dressing and gives it a little extra bite and thickness.
- Lemon zest & juice - Acidity
- Salt & Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
One Quick Blend
Seriously one of the easiest recipes out there. With a simple whiz in the blender, you're halfway there. Just a quick chop of your chicken and then it's ready to enjoy.
Step 1: Begin by chopping your cooked chicken into large cubes, about 1" or whatever size you like.
Step 2: Combine all your dressing ingredients into your blender and blend until everything is combined and smooth.
Step 3: After blended, adjust for any additional salt or pepper to your liking.
Step 4: Pour your dressing on top of your prepared chicken and mix well to combine. You may enjoy immediately but I like to allow it to sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to allow the chicken to really absorb the flavors.
Top your salad with additional walnuts and black pepper. Enjoy as a sandwich, with crackers or a scoop on top of crispy romaine lettuce.
Equipment
Since this recipe does require the herbs to be fully blended, you will need a blender or food processor. I like using my small countertop Ninja blender which is just the right size but anything you have will work. Even an immersion blender!! Here are some tools I have at home that I love:
Ninja Blender - They sell these a lot at Costco as well!
Immersion Blender - This is a different one than I have but it comes with great tools! Costco also sells these often.
Food Processor - This Cuisinart is my favorite version, I don't like the ones with a ring as they begin to pickup the smells of the food and linger.
Storage
This salad is best stored in the fridge for 3-5 days or the length of your chicken freshness.
Why We Love This Recipe
A lovely lightened up version of chicken salad made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. The fresh herbs give it a lovely flavor that you'll go back to over and over!
If you try making this Creamy Herb Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad, please let me know by leaving a rating and review below!
As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media #cosetteskitchen, I love resharing your photos! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
xoxo,
Cosette
Creamy Herb Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 cups 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Creamy Herb Packed Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad is fresh and a lightened up version of a traditional chicken salad. You'll love it on toasted bread, with crackers or topped on a crisp romaine lettuce salad.
Ingredients
- 5 cups cooked chicken, diced
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or labneh
- 2 cloves garlic or heaping Tablespoons prepared toum
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- zest and juice of 2 large lemons
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup walnuts, plus extra for topping
- 40 basil leaves (approximately, small handful bunch)
- 20 fresh mint leaves (approximately)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt - 1 teaspoon if using table salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Begin by chopping your cooked chicken into large cubes, about 1" or whatever size you like.
- 5 cups cooked chicken, diced
- Combine all your dressing ingredients into your blender and blend until everything is combined and smooth.
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or labneh
- 2 cloves garlic or heaping Tablespoons prepared toum
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- zest and juice of 2 large lemons
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup walnuts
- 40 basil leaves (approximately, small handful bunch)
- 20 fresh mint leaves (approximately)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt - 1 teaspoon if using table salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- After blended, adjust for any additional salt or pepper to your liking.
- Pour your dressing on top of your prepared chicken and mix well to combine. You may enjoy immediately but I like to allow it to sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to allow the chicken to really absorb the flavors.
- Top with additional walnuts and fresh black pepper.
- This salad is great to enjoy as a wrap with crispy romaine lettuce, on crackers or to top a salad.
Notes
- This salad is great to enjoy right away but even better after spending a few hours in the fridge.
- Feel free to swap out the walnuts with another nut of your choosing.
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