Super Easy Keto Chicken Salad

Saying keto eating is boring and restrictive is a myth, especially if you haven’t tried this keto chicken salad. This recipe delivers a delightful mix of flavors with a creamy base accented by crisp vegetables.

Here’s what you need for this simple keto chicken salad:

• Chicken breast
• Celery
• Mayo
• Brown mustard
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Fresh dill
• Chopped pecans

If you’re allergic to nuts or sensitive, feel free to skip the pecans—it’s still delicious without them. Alternatively, try adding sunflower seeds for a crunchy, salty touch.

For complete nutritional details, refer to the printable recipe card at the end of this post. It includes all the macros and serving size information.

Empower yourself with knowledge about what you’re eating with a brief overview of each ingredient and some easy substitutes to tailor this dish to your needs.

Is Mayo Keto-Friendly?

One of the main ingredients in this low-carb chicken salad is mayonnaise. Lots of people ask, “Can you have mayo on the keto diet?” The answer is yes. Kind of. You have to be careful about what’s in it.

Most of the mayo you see sold in stores is made with toxic vegetable oils like canola oil. These oils are easily oxidized and highly processed. Mayo made with avocado oil or olive oil is a great source of healthy fats and tastes better, too.

Also avoid mayo with added sugar to prevent any spikes in your daily carb count.

The best way to know what you’re eating is to make it yourself. Fortunately, you can easily make your own keto-friendly mayo at home. Just whisk together these ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups avocado oil

If you’re not feeling like mayo, Greek yogurt is an easy substitute. It has the same creaminess of mayonnaise, but offers more protein. Greek yogurt still has carbs, so keep that in mind when tracking your macros.

Read the label and only buy Greek yogurt without any added sugars and choose the higher fat options when possible.

It should also be noted that Greek yogurt has a slightly tangy flavor, so it may change the taste of your chicken salad a bit. Even so, give it a try. If you prefer the slight sweetness of mayo instead, you can always swap it out the next time.

Of course, if you want to avoid mayo and Greek yogurt altogether, you can use avocados instead. Sure, it’ll turn the salad green, but it will be just as tasty. What’s more, avocados are nutrient-dense and made up of about 70% heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Chicken provides a healthy source of protein. You can make this meal fit perfectly within your macronutrient needs by either adding more chicken or more sources of healthy fats to make it an ideal low-carb, keto-friendly snack.

You don’t have to limit this salad to these ingredients alone. The beauty of a salad is that you can add any vegetables you like, as long as they don’t kick you out of ketosis.

One cup serving of this keto chicken salad is 279 calories with 19 grams of healthy fats, 25 grams of protein, and less than 1 gram of net carbs.

One of the best things about this low-carb keto chicken salad recipe is its versatility. You can add a variety of different vegetables. Just be careful to track your macros. Some veggies, like carrots, have higher carb counts than others. When you’re on a low-carb diet, every carb counts.

This recipe already has celery in it, but feel free to add some of these other keto-friendly veggies:

• Cauliflower
• Green onions
• Red onions
• Broccoli
• Cucumbers or pickles

The total time to make this salad is only about 10 minutes. That includes the five-minute prep time. You’re basically just mixing a handful of ingredients in a large bowl and that’s it.

To save even more time, you can use rotisserie chicken. Just make sure that the chicken you buy doesn’t have any added sugars. If possible, get one without any rub or marinade on it. As always, the nutrition label is your friend.

If you’re not sure about buying ready-made rotisserie chicken, you can cook extra chicken at the beginning of the week and use some of the leftovers for this dish.

Eating a bowl of creamy salad isn’t easy to do in the car. But if you want to pack this chicken salad for your lunch, here are some on-the-go ideas:

• Make lettuce wraps. Pack the lettuce leaves separately from the chicken salad, so the lettuce doesn’t absorb the liquid and become soft. Lettuce wraps are naturally gluten-free, which makes them an excellent choice.
• Prep in mason jars. If you’re doing meal prep days in advance, put the dry ingredients at the bottom of the jar and the mayo and mustard on top. Simply mix them up before eating.
• Eat with cloud bread. Make with cloud bread and you’ll have an easy-to-carry, keto-friendly chicken salad sandwich. Even better, the bread has just 0.4 grams of net carbs per slice.
• Scoop with cheese crisps. Try eating your chicken salad as a dip and use homemade cheese crisps as low-carb chips.

If you store this chicken salad in an airtight container, it’ll last about 7-10 days in the refrigerator. The oils might separate from the mayo, so just give it a good mix.

That said, it tastes best when freshly made. If you’re going to make enough to store in the fridge, don’t mix in the mayo and mustard until you’re ready to eat. This will keep the veggies crispy.

Turn this into a tuna salad with one easy swap. Instead of chicken, use tuna. It tastes just as good and might even be more convenient since it comes in a can.

While fresh is always best, you can also eat canned tuna that’s packed in water or olive oil. Sustainably-caught, low-mercury tuna has omega-3s to promote healthy heart and brain function.

You can also eat your tuna salad with a lettuce wrap, in a bowl by itself, or atop cloud bread.

Finding time to cook every meal can be a challenge, which is why this keto chicken salad is the perfect make-ahead, satiating meal. High in protein, filled with healthy fats, and low in carbohydrates, this dish is sure to become a regular in your household.

• 1.5 lb chicken breast
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 tsp brown mustard
• 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 450℉ and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Bake chicken breast until cooked throughout, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove chicken from oven and allow to cool. After completely cooled, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
4. In a large bowl, add chicken, celery, mayo, brown mustard, and salt. Toss until chicken is fully coated and ingredients are well-combined.
5. Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1-2 hours.
6. When ready to serve, add fresh dill and chopped pecans and lightly toss. Serve chilled and enjoy.