Healthy Chicken Salad without mayo tastes like classic chicken salad you get at a deli. This homemade chicken salad is simple, tasty, and even higher in protein thanks to the cottage cheese. It doesn’t have any mayo or yogurt in it.
Chicken salad is a versatile dish that can be made in endless ways without mayonnaise. With creativity and imagination you can reinvent the flavors, textures, and nutrition to craft a chicken salad that is uniquely your own. This article explores the possibilities beyond the mayo jar and offers tips for building a better chicken salad.
The Problem with Mayo
A lot of mayonnaise is used to hold traditional chicken salad together—often a cup or more per batch. Even though mayo makes food moister and richer, it’s also very high in calories and fat. Two tablespoons of mayo have almost 200 calories and 22 grams of fat. This adds up quickly, especially if you’re making a lot of chicken salad. Mayo can also make the other ingredients taste bland, making the salad a gloppy mess with only one note.
Healthier, Lighter Alternatives
Luckily, there are a lot of other ingredients that can be used instead that will add moisture, flavor, and creaminess without adding too many calories or fat. By leaving out some or all of the mayo, the chicken and other ingredients can stand out. Here are some of my favorite mayo substitutes .
- Greek Yogurt – Tangy, creamy, and protein-packed. Use plain full-fat yogurt for best consistency.
- Avocado – Provides creaminess and healthy fats. Mash it up well with lime juice.
- Hummus – A unique savory flavor and smooth texture.
- Pesto – Bright herbal flavor and added richness from oil.
- Sour Cream – Tangy flavor similar to yogurt; use sparingly.
- Olive Oil and Lemon – Bright vinaigrette adds moisture.
Combining a couple substitutions creates even more complexity. For example, half avocado and half Greek yogurt gives a nice balance.
Flavor Boosts Beyond Celery and Grapes
With the mayo toned down, it’s important to amp up other flavors. Stray beyond the standard celery and grapes to liven up your chicken salad. Think outside the box with these add-ins:
- Fresh herbs – dill, cilantro, basil, mint
- Spices and seasonings – curry powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder
- Citrus juice and zest – lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit
- Crunchy extras – toasted nuts, seeds, chopped pickles
- Sweet elements – dried fruit, honey, maple syrup
- Savory flavor – olives, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes
- Acidic ingredients – hot sauce, mustard, vinegar
Do not limit yourself to just one; mix several things to make the flavors stand out. A little experimenting goes a long way!.
Creative Inspiration
That being said, what kinds of chicken salad can you make? Here are some tasty flavor combinations to get you started:
Mediterranean – Chicken, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta, oregano
Curry – Chicken, Greek yogurt, curry powder, mango, red onion, cilantro
Taco – Chicken, avocado, corn, black beans, cumin, lime, cilantro
Buffalo – Chicken, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, celery, blue cheese crumbles
Waldorf – Chicken, Greek yogurt, apples, celery, walnuts, lemon juice
Caprese – Chicken, pesto, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, basil
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
Not every substitution will work perfectly for every palate. The possibilities are endless, so play around to create the best chicken salad for your preferences. Try these easy ingredient swaps:
- Yogurt – Regular yogurt for Greek yogurt; Skyr or Icelandic yogurt
- Avocado – Hummus, sour cream, cottage cheese
- Dried Fruit – Raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots
- Nuts & Seeds – Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas
- Herbs & Spices – Dill, cilantro, parsley, basil, rosemary, sage
- Citrus – Lime, orange, grapefruit, lemon
- Vinegar – Red wine, champagne, balsamic, rice wine
Chicken Salad Without Mayo – Anything Goes
Chicken salad without mayo breaks free from expectations. Don’t feel confined to any rules – try new ingredients, get creative with flavors, and craft something unique. Ditching the mayo opens up a world of possibilities to build texture, moisture, and flavor in totally new ways.
With some creativity and experimenting, you can reinvent chicken salad into something bright, flavorful, and healthy – no gloppy mayo required.
Chicken Salad without Mayo Recipe
- ▢ 10 ounces cooked chicken 2 ½ packed cups
- ▢ ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ₢ 1/4 cup chopped or grated onion (about 1/2 small onion)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ▢ 1 teaspoon honey
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ▢ ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ▢ dash nutmeg optional
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper, optional
- ▢ ½ cup celery diced
- Add the cooked, chopped chicken to a large bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mini food processor or blender, put the cottage cheese, onion, lemon juice, honey, salt, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Process until completely smooth, about 30-45 seconds.
- Transfer the cottage cheese mixture to the chicken. Stir well until completely combined.
- Add in celery and stir well.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- If you want, you can add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, or garlic powder after tasting the chicken salad. But don’t do that until it has been in the fridge for at least an hour. Enjoy!.
How to Make Allergy-Friendly
This creamy chicken salad is naturally gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and soy-free.
If you need a chicken salad that doesn’t have dairy, try the Hummus Chicken Salad or the Curry Avocado Chicken Salad. They both have mayo and don’t have dairy.
Double check that the ingredients you use dont contain anything you are trying to avoid.
In general, chicken salad is made with cooked chicken, spices, diced veggies, and a binder of some sort like mayo, yogurt, or cottage cheese (like in this recipe).
Chicken salad is great with crackers, sliced veggies, and lettuce.
Yes, you can eat chicken salad as a meal. When you eat it, it goes best with carbs like bread or crackers and vegetables like tomato, lettuce, or cucumbers. That way, you’ll get the right amount of fat, protein, carbs, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to make you feel full.
Yes, you can make chicken salad without mayo! This recipe proves you can, and it doesnt use yogurt either.
Cottage cheese or yogurt can be used as a substitute for mayo in chicken salad. I prefer cottage cheese as it has a neutral flavor unlike yogurt which is tangy. People often claim that making chicken salad with plain Greek yogurt tastes just as good as chicken salad made with mayo, but I completely disagree. Yogurt is too tangy and does not taste the same as mayonnaise.
Chicken salad keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days tightly covered in a glass or plastic container.
The short answer: it depends. Long answer: Chicken Salad of all different types can be found in pretty much any deli or sandwich shop, and while it sounds healthy with “salad” is in its name it usually isnt the most nutritious. Most chicken salad uses mayonnaise as a binder meaning its pretty rich without many nutrients. Luckily, there is a way to make mayo-free chicken salad thats just as tasty. Depending on how you define “healthy,” this No Mayo Chicken Salad is high protein, low in fat, and not too rich thanks to the cottage cheese.
You will love this no mayo chicken salad even if you dont like cottage cheese because you cannot taste the cottage cheese!
One (½-cup) serving of mayo-free chicken salad provides 22 grams of protein and 6% recommended daily value of iron.
Compared to a mayo-based chicken salad recipe, this version has less fat with 2 grams compared to about 10 grams per ½-cup serving.
Chicken is full of protein and nutrients like niacin, Vitamin B6, and Pantothenic Acid. Niacin which is important for normal cell growth and function, Vitamin B6 supports your nervous system, and Pantothenic Acid helps your body break down carbs, fat, and protein.
Cottage cheese is high in Vitamin B12, Riboflavin, Phosphorous, and Selenium.
Chicken is full of protein along with many vitamins and minerals. Learn more about protein in chicken breast here.
How to Make Chicken Salad | Chicken Salad Recipe | Lunch Ideas | Canned Chicken Recipes
FAQ
What can I use instead of mayonnaise in chicken salad?
Ingredients for Chicken Salad Without Mayo Use your favorite brand of plain yogurt, then squeeze in fresh lemon juice, a bit of olive oil, some zippy Dijon mustard, a scratch of lemon zest, and some salt, pepper and cayenne for flavor.
What should I put in my chicken salad?
Key Ingredients in Chicken SaladChicken. Skip the hassle of cooking the chicken yourself and pick up a rotisserie chicken. Alliums. Finely chopped red onion or scallions up the flavor. Celery. Finely chopped celery adds some crunch. Grapes. Dill. Mayo. Celery Seed.
What is a good substitute for mayonnaise in salad?
Mayonnaise AlternativesMustard (yellow, Dijon, spicy, there are a million varieties)Olive OilSalad Dressings (like Italian, Catalina, Balsamic)Vinegar (white, apple cider, balsamic), or vinegar and oilMashed AvacadoGuacaomoleHummusSpreads (like Trader Joe’s Red Pepper Spread, or Eggplant Garlic Spread).
What compliments a chicken salad?
Side Dishes for Chicken Salad:Soup. An easy Soup recipe is always a great option to pair with Chicken Salad, especially in the Fall and Winter months. Classic Salads with Greens. Pasta Salads. Grain Salad. Macaroni and Cheese. Vegetable Sides. Coleslaw.