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A chicken salad sandwich on rustic bread on a warm plate

Recipes · Recipe

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

Creamy, crunchy and a little sweet. Plain Greek yogurt stands in for mayo and adds protein.

HealthStylz Kitchen
· 2 min read

Photo: Deane Bayas

The short version

  • Plain Greek yogurt has about double the protein of regular.
  • Cooked chicken keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
  • Serve it in a wrap, on toast or over greens.

As of Jul 22, 2026: Greek yogurt: Health benefits, protein content, and how to choose the best option: Harvard Health

Whole-Food Nutrition

Plant-Forward Mediterranean Nutrition Profile

How colorful vegetables, legumes and extra virgin olive oil provide daily cellular defense.

  1. Prebiotic Fiber DiversityMicrobiome fuel richness 7g fiber/serv
  2. Monounsaturated Healthy FatsOleic acid cardiovascular support Heart healthy
  3. Polyphenol Antioxidant IndexCellular defense High polyphenol
  4. Blood Sugar SmoothingSustained satiety curve 4+ hours full

Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health & New England Journal of Medicine.

Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Serves 4

You'll need

How to make it

  1. If using raw chicken, put the breasts in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes, until a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part.
  2. Move the chicken to a plate. Let it cool 10 minutes, then shred it with two forks or chop it small.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  4. Add the chicken, celery, apple, grapes, nuts and green onions. Stir until coated.
  5. Taste and adjust. Add a little more lemon or pepper if you like.
  6. Chill 30 minutes if you can. Serve on bread, in a wrap or in lettuce cups. Store covered in the fridge and eat within 3 days.

This chicken salad uses plain Greek yogurt where many recipes use mayonnaise. It stays creamy and tangy, with crunch from celery and apple and a little sweetness from grapes. Make a batch on Sunday and you have lunches ready for a few days. Pile it on toast, tuck it into a wrap, scoop it into lettuce cups, or pack it with crackers and carrot sticks for the lunchbox.

Why Greek yogurt

Harvard Health published a guide to Greek yogurt in July 2026. It says a 6-ounce serving of plain Greek yogurt has 15 to 18 grams of protein, while plain regular yogurt has 6 to 7 grams. Harvard also says to choose plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself if you want a flavor, so you keep added sugar low. For this salad, plain is what you want. Check the label: it should not list sugar.

Cooking and storing the chicken

The CDC says chicken is safe at 165°F inside, and a food thermometer is the only sure way to check. Do not rinse raw chicken. Let cooked chicken cool a bit, then get it into the fridge within 2 hours. Cleveland Clinic says cooked chicken and most leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Keep the salad covered and cold, and do not leave it sitting out at a picnic or on a counter.

Tips

  • Short on time? Use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken.
  • Fold in the yogurt a little at a time. Stop when it looks creamy, not wet.
  • For kids, leave out the onion and mustard, and cut the apple small.
  • Pack it with an ice pack for school or work lunches.

Where this comes from