This Easy Keto Low-Carb Chicken Salad is a quick and old-fashioned recipe that is far from boring. It’s made with juicy chicken breasts, mayo, celery, and chopped onions. Your lunch meal prep just got easier!
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I love this recipe because it’s so versatile. You can serve it as an appetizer among other dips like Crab Rangoon Dip, Keto Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Dip, or Keto Low Carb Spinach Dip.
Or you can pack this up for your lunch and dinner meals. It’s so good and works well for everything.
What Kind of Chicken to Use
This recipe is traditionally made using chicken breasts. I like to grab a whole rotisserie chicken from Costco. They only cost $5 and I can use the remaining meat for another meal, and I can use the leftover bones to make bone broth.
You can also use store-bought fully cooked chicken breasts/cubes.
You can roast your own chicken or use canned chicken (more information is documented below).
How to Make Keto Chicken Salad
- Combine 2 cups of diced chicken breasts, mayo (I use a low-carb version made with avocado oil), finely chopped celery, chopped red onions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste in a mixing bowl.
- Stir the ingredients.
- Serve chilled or warm.
How to Roast Chicken Breasts
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Add 2 chicken breasts to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the chicken for 16-20 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.
Is Mayo Keto Friendly
Typical mayo is made with added sugar and harmful oils. I like to use the mayo from Primal Kitchen made with olive oil. It is keto-friendly and available on Amazon.
Additional Ingredients and Substitution Ideas
I like to keep this salad classic and with minimal ingredients. Here are other ideas to add.
- Avocado
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Mustard (a tablespoon or to taste)
- Bell Peppers
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Pickles
- Bacon
- Grapes (they have higher sugar and not great for strict keto)
How to Substitute Mayo
If you are looking to make the recipe with no mayo, use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream instead.
Amount of Carbs in the Recipe
This dish has 1 net carb per serving.
What to Eat with Chicken Salad
A lot of times chicken salad is eaten as a sandwich on bread. You can enjoy this with Keto Chaffles or any of the following:
- Parmesan Cheese Crisps
- Lettuce Wraps
- Fresh veggies like celery, broccoli, or cauliflower
- Pork Rinds
Can You Use Canned Chicken?
You can if you wish, though I would never recommend anyone eat chicken from a can. It’s typically high in sodium and contains other additives.
How Long Will it Last in the Fridge
It will last (tightly covered) for 3-4 days.
Keto Salad Recipes
Keto Low-Carb Broccoli Salad
Keto Low-Carb Green Bean Salad
Keto Low-Carb Pasta Salad
Easy Antipasto Salad
Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Keto Egg Salad
Pair this with Keto Low Carb Orange Chicken.
Easy Keto Low-Carb Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped into cubes You can use rotisserie chicken, cooked chicken, or roast your own chicken breasts following the instructions below
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 stalk finely chopped celery I use a food processor to do this quickly.
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onions
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir.
- Serve chilled or warm.
Video
Notes
- When using rotisserie chicken, I remove the skin from the breasts. You can leave it if you wish.
- The consistency of this chicken salad is thick and creamy. If you like a really creamy salad, add additional mayo.
- You can use canned chicken if you wish, though I would never recommend anyone eat chicken from a can. It’s typically high in sodium and contains other additives.
- If you are looking to make the recipe with no mayo, use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream instead.
HOW TO ROAST CHICKEN BREASTS
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Add 2 chicken breasts to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the chicken for 16-20 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.
Mary Watts
Tuesday 23rd of July 2024
Hi Brandi ! Thanks for sharing this keto chicken salad recipe. It looks amazing! I noticed your recipe doesn’t include avocado, which adds great texture and healthy fats. I saw avocado being used in another keto chicken salad recipe (https://iketomom.com/keto-chicken-salad/) and wondered if it would also be a good addition here. What do you think?
staysnatched
Wednesday 24th of July 2024
I love avocado. It's a great idea.
Alex
Thursday 7th of October 2021
I added a little bit of regular relish so yummy
staysnatched
Monday 11th of October 2021
That sounds great.
Kristal
Tuesday 28th of September 2021
Great easy recipe! I’ve made it twice because it was gone so fast in my house! The first time I made the recipe exactly as it reads. The second time I used 1/2 primal kitchen olive oil mayo and 1/2 smashed avocado and added a couple strips of crumbled bacon. Both times were fantastic.
staysnatched
Sunday 3rd of October 2021
That sounds so good!
Kaitlin
Wednesday 26th of May 2021
Made this subbing tuna and it was fantastic. I ate it straight from the spoon!!
staysnatched
Friday 28th of May 2021
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Giselle Hernandez
Tuesday 12th of January 2021
Been meaning to make this for a while and finally bought a rotisserie chicken so had to take advantage! It’s absolutely delicious but I’m not surprised!
Made mine with 1/3 mayo, 1/3 light sour cream, 1/3 nonfat plain Greek yogurt to fit my own nutritional needs. Loaded it with dill pickles and red onion but what really brought it home is the lemon juice.
staysnatched
Wednesday 13th of January 2021
Wonderful! That sounds great.