Greek yogurt chicken salad combines tender shredded chicken with crunchy celery, red onion, and a tangy Dijon dressing. Plain yogurt gives the mixture a creamy coating, while lemon juice brightens the flavor without mayonnaise. It takes about 10 minutes to stir together when you start with cooked, cooled chicken. Scoop it into a sandwich, serve it with crackers, or spoon it over greens for a simple cold lunch.
Finely diced vegetables make the salad easier to spread and give each bite a little crunch. The dressing should coat the chicken evenly, so use a roomy bowl and fold rather than mash the mixture. Keep the chicken cold while you prepare the other ingredients, and refrigerate the finished salad until you are ready to serve.
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Why This Recipe Works
Greek yogurt chicken salad stays creamy because the yogurt has enough body to coat the shredded meat. Lemon and Dijon brighten that dressing, while small pieces of celery and onion add crunch without making the salad difficult to spread. Shredded chicken also catches dressing between its strands.
Shredding the chicken creates more surface for the dressing than large chunks. Start with a bowl roomy enough to fold the ingredients together gently, and taste once the yogurt, mustard, and lemon are evenly mixed. Adding salt before the dressing is combined makes it harder to judge the balance.
Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Use 2 cups cooked shredded chicken and 1 cup plain Greek yogurt. Rotisserie chicken is convenient; remove the skin and bones before measuring the shredded meat. Add 1/4 cup each finely diced celery and red onion, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Plain yogurt matters here: sweetened or fruit-flavored yogurt changes the dressing. Salt and pepper are added to taste.
- 2 cups cooked, chilled chicken, shredded
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup celery, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
1. Prepare the cooked chicken. Shred cooled cooked chicken into bite-sized strands, removing any bones and skin, and measure 2 cups. Pull apart large clumps so the creamy dressing can reach the strands instead of collecting around dense pieces.
2. Dice the vegetables. Measure 1/4 cup each celery and red onion after finely dicing them. Small pieces distribute through the chicken and make the salad easier to spread in a sandwich. Keep the vegetables and chilled chicken ready while you mix the dressing.
3. Mix the dressing and fold. Stir the 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice together in a large bowl before adding the chicken and vegetables. Blending the mustard first avoids concentrated pockets in the finished salad. Fold gently from the bottom until the dressing reaches every strand of chicken, keeping the celery pieces intact.
4. Taste and serve cold. Season with salt and pepper, mix again, and taste a bite that includes both chicken and dressing before adjusting. Cover and refrigerate if you are not serving immediately. Spoon the chilled salad onto bread, offer crackers alongside, or serve it over greens; keep those accompaniments separate until lunch.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon Greek yogurt chicken salad into sandwiches, serve it with crackers, or pile it over greens. For packed lunches, keep the bread and crunchy accompaniments in separate containers and assemble just before eating.
For another cold chicken lunch, compare Best Chicken Salad Recipe or Avocado Chicken Salad; each uses its own dressing ingredients.
Storage and Reheating
Keep Greek yogurt chicken salad refrigerated at 40°F or below and use it within 3 to 4 days. If the cooked chicken was already stored before you mixed the salad, count that earlier time too; mixing it with fresh yogurt does not reset its storage life. Chicken salad does not freeze well, so make a quantity you can use while refrigerated.
See FoodSafety.gov chicken salad storage chart for the handling guidance used here.
Tips and Variations
Use plain Greek yogurt and taste it before mixing. Sweetened or flavored yogurt changes the savory dressing even if its texture looks similar.
Finely dice the celery and onion for easy sandwich spreading. Break large chicken clumps apart while folding so each forkful includes dressing and crunch.
For meal preparation, refrigerate the salad separately from bread or crackers. Pack the crunchy accompaniments on their own and assemble closer to serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken for Greek yogurt chicken salad?
Yes. Remove the skin and bones, shred the meat, and measure 2 cups. Start with cooled chicken and include its prior storage time when planning leftovers.
Can I use regular yogurt for Greek yogurt chicken salad?
Regular yogurt is usually thinner and can make the dressing runnier. Plain Greek yogurt gives the mixture the thicker coating used here.
Does this dressing contain mayonnaise?
No. Plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice make the dressing.
How do I keep sandwiches from getting soggy?
Store the chicken salad separately and spread it onto the bread close to serving. Keep crackers and greens separate until lunch as well.
Can I freeze the salad?
Chicken salad does not freeze well. Make a quantity you can use refrigerated within 3 to 4 days, accounting for earlier storage of the cooked chicken.
More Recipe Ideas
For a different seasoning profile, try Curry Chicken Salad. If you want a homemade sandwich base, Whole Wheat Bread Recipe is a separate bread recipe.
Nutrition information is not available for this recipe. Values depend on the actual ingredient weights, products, and portion sizes used.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Dijon
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, chilled chicken, shredded
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup celery, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice Freshly squeezed lemon juice is recommended.
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Method
- Remove any skin and bones from cooked, chilled chicken, then shred and measure 2 cups. Finely dice the celery and red onion and measure 1/4 cup of each.
- In a large bowl, stir together the plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice until evenly blended.
- Add the chicken, celery, and red onion, then fold until the dressing coats the chicken evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide into 4 portions and serve cold, or cover and refrigerate at 40°F or below until serving. Keep bread, crackers, or greens separate until you assemble the meal.
Notes
- Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below; use within 3–4 days of cooking the chicken.
- Pack the salad separately from bread or crackers.
