If you're looking for a protein-packed and delicious on-the-go lunch option, you need to make these keto chicken salad recipes!
Whether you are new to the keto diet or a longtime veteran of low-carb eating, you've probably learned that it can be quite challenging and time-consuming to find meal options that are simple to make, easy to take with you on-the-go, and satiates you between meals.
Luckily, there are recipes like the low-carb chicken salad recipes in this post that will make your meal prep experience a whole lot easier!
Chicken is rich in protein, selenium, and B vitamins, all of which are essential to a healthy and balanced diet. Chicken on its own, however, is quite low in fat and, to be included effectively in a ketogenic diet, should be coupled with added fat in some form to ensure the meal is filling and won’t leave you feeling hungry shortly after eating.
Preparing one of these low-carb chicken salads is a perfect way to incorporate chicken into your diet while also adding much-needed healthy fats like olive oil, mayonnaise, and, even in some recipes, avocado!
As you'll quickly notice in these recipes, chicken salad can be prepared in a variety of ways with versatile ingredients.
Want some crunch? Add sunflower seeds, pecans, and celery! Looking for a creamy dressing? Add an aioli, homemade ranch, or even just avocado slices! Having a craving for cheese? Throw some shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, blue cheese, or feta crumbles in your chicken salad to kick it up a notch! Craving bacon (Well, of course, you are! Because… BACON!)? Add crispy bacon slices or crumbles!
- If you're looking for something with a little extra hint of spice, dig into this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Salad!
- If you're attending a party and need to prepare a dish-to-pass that everyone is sure to love, you have to make this Keto Chicken Salad with Bacon, Avocado, and Caesar Dressing!
- Or, are you just looking for a straightforward traditional chicken salad? Try the Easy Low Carb Chicken Salad or one of the many other variations included in this post!
No matter which of these 10 recipes you decide to make, the end result will still include the ultimate weekday lunch choice!
—1. Keto Grilled Chicken Salad
If you love cobb salads, you will love this grilled keto chicken salad! Full of healthy fats from olive oil to mayonnaise, this salad will keep you full and energized to take on your day. Plus, there’s crispy bacon involved, so you know it’s going to be good!
The best part? It’s so simple to make and is a great option to make in advance to enjoy for lunch on busy weekdays!
For meal prepping this keto chicken salad, we suggest preparing all of the ingredients in advance, storing them separately in the refrigerator, and, when you’re ready to eat, simply add them all to a bowl! Doing this will ensure the ingredients stay fresh, crisp, and full of flavor!
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken thighs
- 1 cup romaine lettuce
- 1 slice bacon
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
Dressing
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 187
- Fat: 14g
- Net Carbs: 1g
- Protein: 12g
Get the recipe from Fat For Weight Loss.
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2. Jalapeno Popper Chicken Salad
Jalapeno poppers may quite possibly be the most delicious appetizer on the planet! This recipe takes the traditional jalapeno popper recipe and spins it into a satisfying keto-friendly chicken salad that is bursting with zesty, spicy flavor!
From the tangy dressing to the spice of the jalapenos, this low-carb chicken salad recipe is sure to become an instant favorite! We especially love that it’s dairy-free, paleo-friendly, and Whole30-compliant, making this dish a perfect option for those who follow a diet that is free from gluten, grains, and dairy.
Ready in just an hour, this Jalapeno Popper Chicken Salad will be a “must-have” on your weekly menu!
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast
- 8 oz bacon
- 3 jalapeños
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- ½ cup dairy-free mayonnaise (or sour cream for egg-free)
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 532
- Fat: 38.7g
- Net Carbs: 1.5g
- Protein: 46.6g
Get the recipe from Real Balanced.
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3. Easy Keto Chicken Salad
This keto chicken salad recipe could not be easier to make! With only seven ingredients, most of which you likely already have on-hand, it’s no surprise that this recipe is a favorite amongst the keto diet community!
Unlike other low carb chicken salad recipes, this recipe doesn’t require you to make any homemade mayonnaise. While quite simple and quick to prepare, sometimes it’s easier to buy premade mayo at the store. When looking for store-bought keto-friendly mayo, just be sure to check the ingredients to ensure the product is free from inflammatory oils, like canola or soybean, and does not contain any hidden refined-sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
Unlike other chicken salads, this particular recipe contains a variety of ingredients and textures that will do anything but bore your taste buds. We especially love the added crunch of the pecans and raw celery in this dish!
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp brown mustard
- ½ tsp pink himalayan salt
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 279
- Fat: 19.4g
- Net Carbs: 1.1g
- Protein: 24.8g
Get the recipe from Perfect Keto.
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4. Keto Chicken Salad with Avocado
It’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words because the photos of this keto chicken salad tell you everything you need to know about this dish: bright, satisfying, and jam-packed with flavor!
From the olives to the avocado slices, to the seeds, this dish is extremely nutrient-dense and ultra-low in carbohydrate content. Made with chicken thighs rather than chicken breast, the dark meat of this protein provides an extra dose of healthy, satiating fat.
Taking only 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish, this keto chicken salad recipe will be enjoyed by anyone who tries it!
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
Chicken
- 2 boneless chicken thigh fillets
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet chili powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 4 cloves garlic
Salad
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup purslane leaves
- Basil leaves
- ½ cup fresh dill
- A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp olives
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp avocado dressing (or more depending on your taste)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 1,093
- Fat: 80.4g
- Net Carbs: 33.4g
- Protein: 67.8g
Get the recipe from Give Recipe.
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5. Keto Chicken BLT Salad
There are few things better than a BLT; however, the traditional recipe is normally full of added carbs with the addition of bread slices. This keto chicken salad recipe takes the traditional BLT and makes it keto-friendly by serving it as a salad! It’s even kicked up a notch even more by adding chicken thighs, a protein-packed ingredient that is perfect for a low-carb, ketogenic diet.
For this recipe, you won’t want to forget to whip up the creamy aioli made with mayonnaise and garlic powder. This dressing, while extremely simple to make, adds a boost to this chicken salad recipe by creating more texture and providing an extra dosage of filling fat.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs
- 1 oz butter
- ½ lb bacon
- 4 oz cherry tomatoes
- 10 oz romaine lettuce
- Salt and pepper
Garlic Mayonnaise
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 837
- Fat: 78g
- Net Carbs: 4g
- Protein: 28g
Get the recipe from Diet Doctor.
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6. Keto Chicken Salad
This variation of chicken salad incorporates a tangy and satisfying dressing made with full-fat Greek yogurt, tangy apple cider vinegar, and tart lemon juice.
To add to the already plentiful flavors of this chicken salad, you’ll find a variety of vegetables, like lettuce, tomato, and cucumber, dark meat chicken thighs, green olives, and even feta cheese!
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 175g boneless chicken leg and thigh meat
- 100g lettuce
- 50g tomato
- 100g cucumber
- 30g olives
- 50g feta cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp full-fat greek yogurt
- ½ tbsp butter
- 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
- ½ tbsp olive oil for marinating
- ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dried herb seasoning mix
- ½ tbsp bacon fat for frying
- Pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 442
- Fat: 35g
- Net Carbs: 6g
- Protein: 27g
Get the recipe from Headbanger’s Kitchen.
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7. Low Carb Chicken Salad
It doesn’t get any easier than a chicken salad wrap! This recipe is made with “busy work days” in mind and relieves all of the stress of meal planning and replaces it with a tasty, low carb dish.
As an added bonus in this Low Carb Chicken Salad, you’ll get a healthy addition of fats from the mayonnaise (or, you can even sub the mayo for Greek yogurt!) and a salty crunch from the sunflower seeds!
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped or shredded depending on preference
- ½ cup sunflower seeds, can be replaced with any low carb nut
- ½ cup celery, minced
- ¼ cup red onion, minced
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 190
- Fat: 15g
- Net Carbs: 2g
- Protein: 9g
Get the recipe from Little Pine.
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8. Easy Low Carb Chicken Salad
This variation of chicken salad will bring back memories of growing up eating chicken salad for summertime lunches. Like the chicken salad you had as a child, this recipe is just like Mom used to make it!
If you’re looking for a meal to prepare on Sunday night to enjoy during the week, we can’t recommend this one enough! Simple, straightforward, and delicious; it doesn’t get any better than that!
Makes 5 servings
Ingredients:
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breasts
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
Salad
- 1 celery stalk and leaves, finely chopped
- 1 oz chopped walnuts
- 5 tbsp mayo
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp dried chives
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 328.4
- Fat: 19.8g
- Net Carbs: 2.6g
- Protein: 33g
Get the recipe from Gal on a Mission.
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9. Keto Chicken Salad with Bacon, Avocado, and Caesar Dressing
Chicken? Check.
Bacon? Check.
Avocado? Check, check, CHECK!
This recipe does anything but skimp on flavor. From the variety of protein to the creamy avocado, to the shredded cheddar cheese, each bite of this keto chicken salad will leave your mouth watering! Anyone who tries this chicken salad will certainly be back for seconds!
To plan ahead, we suggest doubling (or even tripling!) the recipe if you plan to bring this keto chicken salad as a dish-to-pass for an upcoming party or gathering so that everyone is able to enjoy it!
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
- ¾ lb raw boneless skinless chicken breasts / 2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 large avocado, cubed
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup thinly sliced scallions (about 4)
- ¾ cup finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)
- ¼ cup caesar dressing or dressing of choice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 640
- Fat: 38g
- Net Carbs: 9g
- Protein: 57g
Get the recipe from Savory Tooth.
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10. 5 Ingredient Keto Chicken Salad
After you try a bite of this keto chicken salad, you’ll be shocked to know that it only contains minimal simple ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen!
The best part of this low carb chicken salad recipe? It can be made entirely dairy-free with a homemade ranch dressing that is not only zesty and delicious but is full of healthy, keto-friendly fats!
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (285 g/ 10 oz)
- 6 thin-cut slices bacon or 3 regular slices (90 g/ 3.2 oz)
- 1 large avocado, sliced (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
- 4 cups mixed leafy greens of choice (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
- 4 tbsp paleo ranch dressing (60 ml/ 2 fl oz)
- Ghee or duck fat for greasing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):
- Calories: 581
- Fat: 43.8g
- Net Carbs: 10.5g
- Protein: 38.7g
Get the recipe from KetoDiet Blog.
